Pickleball novices and professionals alike will have the opportunity to participate in a charity tournament this August to benefit Diakonia and youth athletics.
Pickleballers are pictured playing at a local court.
File photo
By Tara Fischer, Staff Writer
Pickleball novices and professionals alike will have the opportunity to participate in a tournament this August at the first-ever PKLNPALOOZA to benefit Diakonia and youth athletics.
The event will take place at the Worcester Preparatory School outdoor tennis courts. The matches will be played in the facility’s indoor gymnasium if it rains.
The tournament, slated for Friday, Aug. 16, to Sunday, Aug. 18, is $45 to enter. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Diakonia, a nonprofit that supports low-income and homeless individuals and families. The rest will be invested in a pickleball club at Worcester Preparatory School.
“We are trying to introduce the town to pickleball,” Worcester Prep basketball coach and tournament organizer Mike O’Malley said. “The sport is exploding and is on fire and is not slowing down anytime soon.”
The event is open to any skill level. Traditionally, pickleball players are rated 3.0 to 5.0, with 5.0 indicating a high ability at the sport. For this tournament, participants are prompted to enter their scores so the organizers may properly match up opponents. O’Malley maintained that first-time individuals dabbling in the game who do not have a classification should place themselves as beginners.
“We are opening the tournament up to anyone,” O’Malley said. “Anyone from five to 100 can sign up, any skill level…It is going to be laid back for the whole family.”
The event organizer said that while the tournament is open to all proficiency levels, the 4.0-up division of entrees will be competitive.
“We want people who are just starting to watch these pro players to see the level the sport can reach,” O’Malley said. “Anyone from a child to a professional player in their prime and even grandma and grandpa in their 70s and 80s is welcome.”
The tournament’s opening night is Friday, August 16. Organizers will reveal the bracket, host skills challenges, and set up pickle pong, an alternate and non-alcoholic version of beer pong. A happy hour will follow at Sinepuxent Brewing.
The men’s and women’s doubles are set for August 17, while the youth, family, and mixed doubles are scheduled for Sunday, August 18. At the conclusion of each day, a happy hour like night one will take place, but venues have yet to be nailed down.
“The happy hour is a way to get people together to get drinks, meet everyone, and network with other pickleball players, the fastest growing community in the world,” O’Malley said.
The event organizer also hopes to secure food trucks for the tournament. Anyone interested in offering their services may contact him at info@pklnpickleball.com.
First, second, and third place in the upper division matches will receive cash prizes. The amount is yet to be determined, but O’Malley hopes these awards will incentivize higher-level players to register.
The tournament organizer hopes the event will foster a devoted pickleball community in Worcester County. He is even attempting to secure a USA Pickleball certified coach to do a mass rating for the town a few times a year and learn from an expert.
“The sky is the limit,” O’Malley said. “Just look at what the sport has done for entire communities worldwide. I hope this will be a taste of pickleball, and years down the road, we will have more dedicated pickleball facilities and more middle school and high school teams. It is such a unifying sport and has brought so many people together. I want to bring the town together. It’s already so tight knit, but if anything can do it, it’s pickleball. I’m hoping to unleash its powers on Worcester County and Berlin.”
Individuals who have any questions or are looking to register can contact O’Malley directly at info@pklnpickleball.com.