and paved the way for events like this , guys that stuck around like Ben and Tyson McGuffin . They were there when this wasn ’ t the case .”
If the pros had a blast , the same can be said for the thousands of amateurs ranging in age from 8 to 89 years old who enthusiastically turned out to play and showcase their passion for the game .
Maximizing the amateur experience was a top priority for organizers in the planning stages all year long .
“ Amateurs were at the forefront from the beginning . We started off by adding viewing areas onto all courts . We wanted somewhere for friends and family to get cozy right next to the court , cheer them on , and watch every great play from their loved one ,” explained Russell .
“ We also made sure that courts weren ’ t overbooked . We didn ’ t want players to have long waiting times , so they weren ’ t stuck there from 6 a . m . to 8 p . m . We had really great court turnover . It was a nearly flawless system .”
Amateur Wonda Uy , who competed in 3.5 mixed doubles , can certainly attest to that . The Dallas native is already setting her sights on returning in 2025 .
“ It was my first ‘ big ’ tournament , and it wasn ’ t as scary as I thought it was going to be , especially with it being the
PHOTO BY PPA TOUR
Riley Newman and Hayden Patriquin cruised past Dekel Bar and Pablo Tellez en route to a gold medal in men ’ s doubles .
PHOTO BY PPA TOUR
Anna Bright and Rachel Rohrabacher upset the defending champs Anna Leigh Waters and Catherine Parenteau on Championship Sunday .
PPA Tour . It was so well-organized with letting us know what court we needed to be on and the referees . It was just so welcoming and social out there , even though it was still a competitive environment ,” shares Uy .
“ After we were done , I told my partner that I couldn ’ t wait to try to play again and compete to do better because we were so close to medaling in the bronzemedal match . That gave me a kick in the butt to drill a little more , practice my craft , and come back next fall . If you ’ re thinking about coming to Worlds , just go for it !”
Pickleball Boulevard was , of course , a hub of activity with more than 45 programming events , including the Deep Eddy Vodka Celebrity Pickleball Showdown featuring the likes of Dirk Nowitzki , Jason Kidd , Terrell Owens , Adrian Peterson , and John Isner competing in front of a soldout crowd alongside the PPA ’ s finest ; a host of educational clinics led by top pros ; a daily concert series with country music ’ s top artists like Justin Moore and Morgan Evans ; XGLOsive glow-in-the-dark pickleball sessions ; pickleball speed dating ; a wooden paddle contest and a parent-child tournament .
“ The goal was really to create something for everyone , from the 6-year-old coming with Mom and Dad who could get their face painted and get an airbrush tattoo ,
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