who , along with partner Melissa Ferger , captured a gold medal in their mixed doubles bracket . “ It was quite a challenge trying to place the balls where you wanted them to go , with what ’ s in your control . It added an extra layer of skill to the game ,” said Ferger , 40 , of Phoenix , who doesn ’ t have to travel far to practice her game . She has a pickleball court in her backyard .
“ Despite the challenges the weather presented us in the final two days , we are thrilled about how the event went off ,” said Poches . “ Our mission was to create an event that celebrates the amateur player , who is the foundation of this amazing sport , and we did just that . We played approximately 2,000 matches in the first three days of the tournament and provided a great platform to celebrate the amateur player ! Even with the cold and wind , we received great feedback and were praised for how efficiently and effectively we ran a tournament . We were able to showcase our mission of ‘ Pickleball for the players !’”
The arctic blast that swept through the Dallas area during the tournament did little to dampen the spirits of those who stared at each other across the nets . “ The WPT runs the most efficient and ‘ fun ’ events . I think that ’ s due in part to the overall organization of their events , from check-in , orientation and having court monitors for every draw ,” said Carlos Vielma , 52 , of Plano , Texas . “ I love the fact that I ’ m able to play a game and then have maybe a 5- to 10-minute break at most before my next game . WPT does a great job of keeping the play moving , and other than the weather , everything could not have been better .”
“ The court managers at the WPT Amateur Invitational Championships were amazing people and always had positive attitudes ,” said Ferger . “ I always love playing in these tournaments because they are a round robin format and you get a lot of guaranteed pickleball games in , so it ’ s worth your money .”
Playing and working under non-ideal conditions can stretch the patience of most staff members , but the WPT personnel were more than up for the challenge . “ Our team deserves a ton of credit for bringing 1,000 + players for our first-ever Amateur Invitational Championships ,” said Poches . “ We are player obsessed , and I think that shows through what we created . This event further cements what World Pickleball Tour stands for and we look forward to our biggest year of amateur pickleball yet in 2024 .”
Brooke Bush took gold in Women ’ s Singles 3.0 , 3.5 : 19 + and bronze in Mixed Doubles 3.5 : 19 + with partner Tyler Hansbrough .
To be successful in any sport demands hard work , dedication and persistence . For those high achievers , obsession is commonplace . Many pickleballers display that attribute . That is why so many athletes who excelled in other sports are drawn like a magnet to this game . With expanded wingspans , many former basketball players take to the sport quickly . For example , Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry has played in numerous pickleball tournaments .
One of the players at the Amateur Invitational Championships flourished on the basketball court at the collegiate level . For North Carolina Tar Heels fans , Tyler Hansbrough is remembered for helping to bring a national championship to Chapel Hill in 2009 . His four years spent at UNC were unrivaled at the time . A four-time First-Team All-ACC player , he was also the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year in 2008 . Hansbrough teamed with partner Brooke Bush at the WPT event and took home a bronze medal . Many expect to see more of him at future events .
And , while the weather may have dominated the headlines for this year ’ s event , many of the players were reinforced in their love of the game and are anxious for the 2024 schedule and next year ’ s championships . Amateur pickleballers are a determined bunch , and despite a rough start to the new year , they have set their sights on a brighter turn of events in playing the game they can ’ t get enough of . •
Drew Wathey is a published author and screenwriter (“ A Season With Hope ”) and former director of communications for the PGA Tour ’ s Phoenix Open . Wathey is the owner of SportsLink , a home-based sports public relations and marketing company . He is also a national sports anchor for iHeart Radio . His family lives in Phoenix , Arizona .
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