USA Pickleball Marquee Event Held in Mesa | Sports

Pickleball, the fastest growing sport in the country, has taken the community by storm over the past two years.

More and more courts are appearing in East Valley parks, most notably Gilbert Regional, which has dozens of courts and was previously owned and operated by Legacy Sports USA in Mesa. Arizona Athletic Grounds, a premier sports and entertainment mecca.

Every pickleballer’s dream is there. Several courts and a stadium will feature seating, state-of-the-art equipment and will be the destination for this week’s USA Pickleball Golden Ticket Qualifier and his November National Championship.

“The golden ticket in this sport is the elite,” said Jose Moreno, chief marketing strategy officer for USA Pickleball. “Winning in your category automatically qualifies you for the national championship in Mesa. We are so excited to have our first one right here in our backyard. ”

The Golden Ticket event opened its doors to players of all skill types. But Moreno said the tournament often brings out the best.

This year more than 1,200 athletes have registered for the event. The youngest contestant is 12 years old and the oldest is 94 years old.

The majority are coming from Arizona, with additional large lump sum payments coming from across the country. 19 players are from Canada.

This event uses a traditional billiards format. However, Moreno said a round-robin format will be used in age groups and divisions where there are insufficient players. Players are divided into subgroups based on age and skill level. It is given the same rating as tennis. You can also play in the format of your choice, either singles or doubles.

“We’re really focused on the overall player experience,” Moreno said. “This is a big problem for them. People are competing to qualify for national competitions.”

Based in Scottsdale, USA, Pickleball holds several high-level tournaments across the country each year. Pickleball attracts people of all ages and backgrounds, so players of all skill levels and ages can participate.

As a result, participation in tournaments hosted by USA Pickleball has increased. Apart from the Golden Ticket event, which draws more than 1,000 athletes, Moreno expects as many as 2,500 to 3,000 qualifiers to participate in the national championship in November. Probably more.

It will also be held at the Arizona Athletic Grounds, allowing Arizona to not only showcase its pickleball scene, but also put money back into the economy.

“We have a lot of people coming from outside of the market, and on average they’re going to stay two or three nights, which means a lot of money goes back into the community,” Moreno said. “It’s great for local restaurants and great for hotels.”

Moreno joins USA Pickleball after a long career in the Fiesta Bowl. He and several of his team members came to Pickleball with the idea of ​​helping further grow the sport across the United States.

Pickleball offers a variety of benefits to participants. It can be a slow-paced game for beginners or people who don’t move around a lot, or a fast-paced game for people who love the game and are looking to pursue professional opportunities.

It provides a great cardio option for those looking to keep people active and enhance their daily workouts. Moreno, a former baseball player, said he was shocked by the health benefits of pickleball.

“This sport used to be grandma and grandpa’s sport, but not anymore,” Moreno said. “Depending on which article you read, there are between 40 million and 50 million players in the United States. There’s a lot of research relating to the effects on mental and physical health.”

The months of hard work and dedication that went into putting on a Golden Ticket event are coming to an end. The qualifying tournament begins on April 3rd and will run until the 7th.

Moreno said he would be one of the competitors. He joked that he was forced to participate, but he doesn’t believe it will work out.

But his participation is a reminder of what pickleball has to offer. It’s a sport that brings communities together. Those near expert level accept new players. They enjoy teaching the game to kids, learning different paddle moves and skills that will help them be successful, and helping them pass that on to their kids as well.

“When you look at this sport, it’s really the most inclusive sport,” Moreno said. “The pickleball community is very friendly and very welcoming. They are happy to teach you the game if you haven’t played it yet.”

The USA Pickleball Golden Ticket event will be held April 3-7 at the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa. Player registration is currently closed. However, fans are encouraged to attend.

For more information, visit usapickleball.org.