Ground Hog Day Tournament at Peace River

Our first tournament of the winter season!!  Nate and Karen, our tournament organizers put together a great day of pickleball including both doubles and mixed doubles competition.

Each player paid a $5 entry fee,  and that will be used to help resurface/repaint the courts here at the park. 

Below Nate prepares the group for the day, goes over the schedule of events, and the rules of the round robin.  The first eight players take to the courts, and the rest settle in to watch the competition.    And you'll notice that our Peace River Mascot , Miss Ava,  also found a comfortable seat , court side;  she  was ready to cheer on her favorites!

The ladies take to the courts.  There was Nell, Barbara, Julia, Hedy, Vickie, Karen, Carla, Carol  Rosemary and ME!  The competition was great; we had lots of laughs and  some really good games!

While the ladies played on one court, the guys were deep into some great competition of their own on the adjacent court. Rich was not able to play today but those that did were:  Nate, Rene, Bob, John, Art, Garth, Keith, Gene, Paul, Skip,  and Richard and Mike from Torrey Oaks.

The doubles was played a a random draw round robin and everyone played five games.

 By the end of the doubles competition, the temperatures were well on there way to the high of the day - about 85 degrees!! Thanks to Nate and Karen there was plenty of water on hand, and the Pizza arrived just in time for lunch. Everyone moved their chairs to the other side of the courts trying to find some shade and settled in for the mixed doubles.

 

At the end of the competition there were two teams who went undefeated - one game to 15 points determined the final first place winner. Everyone stayed for the final game and the crowd cheered on every point in this very very close match.  Either team could have been victorious...........Below are a few shots of the final match between Nate and Rosemary and  Barbara and Mike.

And your winners are pictured below.  In the men's doubles it was Richard going undefeated and taking first place, Rene in second and Nate in third.  I also went undefeated in the woman's double and took first place.  Karen and Barbara tied with number of wins AND total points, but Karen took two games 11-0 - which gave her second place.   First place in the mixed doubles went to Mike and Barbara, second place to  Nate and Rosemary and third place to Richard and Vicki! 

Congratulations to all the winners!!

And before we all left  for the day we took center court for a group picture!

Pictured from left to right: Hedy, Art, Bob, Donna, Gene, Nell, Ricard, Carol, Vicky, John, Carla, Barbara, Keith, Garth, Mike, Rene, Nate, Paul and Skip.  Kneeling in the front are Karen and Rosemary.

Now I did not check  today's predictions from Punxsutawney Phil - but the Peace River Ground Hog definitely would declare as he looked out at the crowd around the pickleball courts.....

Many shadows do I see
So six more weeks of winter it must be!

Thanks Nate and Karen for a really great day.