HALL OF FAME — PICKLEBALL ’ S PINNACLE OF SUCCESS
by DREW WATHEY
To be inducted into a sport ’ s Hall of Fame is the desire of many , but the ascension of but a few .
Some of those rare individuals joined pickleball ’ s elite recently , as the five newest members entered the game ’ s pinnacle of success .
The Pickleball Hall of Fame honors members in two distinct categories – Competitor and Contributor . This year ’ s inductees include Mona Burnett , Jennifer Dawson and Scott Moore as competitors and Bill Booth and Seymour Rifkind as contributors . “ It is a true honor to become part of this incredible group of people who have trailblazed and left their respective marks on what I consider the greatest sport in the world ,” said Moore , recipient of the 2022 APP Icon Award .
A 21-time USA Pickleball National Champion , Scott Moore won 12 consecutive events at Nationals from 2015-2017 . His illustrious playing career also includes being a 12-time US Open champion , seven-time Senior Pro Triple Crown winner , and
10-time Tournament of Champions winner .
Jennifer Dawson was the world ’ s first-ever Triple Crown professional pickleball champion by winning singles , doubles , and mixed doubles in the same 2017 Minto US Open . She has won more than 20 US Open , National , and Tournament of Champions singles and doubles championship titles . Dawson is equally renowned for cultivating a threedecade-long career as both a pickleball and tennis coach . “ I ’ m very humbled to be part of this extraordinary group of players , contributors , and leaders of the sport ,” she said .
Mona Burnett is the only pickleball player to win gold in all five events at a USA Pickleball National Championships tournament , accomplishing this incredible feat in 2015 . She earned a total of 16 gold medals at Nationals and amassed more than 150 medals in her pickleball career , 75 of
them gold . The Calgary , Alberta , native medaled in all three of the major inaugural events : the 2009 USA Pickleball National Championships , the 2013 Tournament of Champions , and the 2016 US Open .
Bill Booth served on the USA Pickleball Board of Directors for six years , leading as president for nearly four years . He created the first online store for pickleball products and the initial software that USA Pickleball utilized for membership , rankings , places to play , and tournaments . Booth also developed a free online court reservation system and was instrumental in creating the first USA Pickleball Rulebook .
“ This year ’ s group is outstanding and I ’ m honored to be a part of such an illustrious group of players ,” said Seymour Rifkin . Founder and president of three not-for-profit pickleball organizations , “ Rif ” founded the first pickleball teaching organization , the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association ( IPTPA ) in 2015 , the Pickleball Hall of Fame in 2017 , and the World Pickleball Federation in 2018 . In 2021 , he raised funds for the Hall of Fame by riding his bike more than 3,000 miles in 44 days from San Diego , California , to St . Augustine , Florida . In 2022 , as a member of the USA contingent , he spearheaded efforts to showcase pickleball at the World Maccabi Games in Israel , and in 2023 at the Asian Games in China . He has worked tirelessly toward the goal of getting pickleball into the Olympics , and continues to spread his love of pickleball around the world , having visited more than 25 countries .
“ I ’ d like to see pickleball players from around the world march in during the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics and experience the pride and joy of representing their country ,” said Rifkind .
The 2023 Pickleball Hall of Fame Inductee Celebration took place during the 2023 Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships powered by Invited and the PPA Tour . •
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