Morgan ’ s Wonderland in San Antonio , Texas , hosted the 2022 Texas Senior Games . More than 300 players from 17 states and five countries traveled to play pickleball at this unique facility built on the former Longhorn Quarry . Instead of having a scarred landscape eyesore , Gordon Hartman repurposed this historic site . The colorful limestone of the quarry was used to build the Alamo , the missions along the historic Mission Trail , and the state capitol . In addition to being a colorful building stone , the rock itself has the perfect ingredients to produce Portland cement and Texas leads the nation in the production of cement .
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Hartman ’ s daughter Morgan , who has special needs , inspired his Mission of Inclusion , and in 2010 Morgan ’ s Wonderland opened with full wheelchair accessibility for its rides , playgrounds , and ball fields .
This year , Tournament Director Mary Beth Henthorne and Operations Manager Mitus Junatas ran ahead of schedule , playing numerous round robin events that included five teams in the 80 + mixed ! There were covered spectator bleachers for the warm
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sunny afternoons . Jan Wakefield of San Angelo said , “ This is one of my favorite places to play . We feel like we belong here .” Donna Hocker agreed that “ it is so friendly .”
Texas is showing the way that pickleball can grow , repurpose undesirable land for courts , be inclusive , attract older seniors as well as younger players , keep on schedule , offer outstanding sightseeing , and make it feel like a family reunion . Bravo , Texas ! •
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PHOTO BY ALICE TYM |