BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - For the first time, the American Pickleball Tour has come to the Coast, and there’s nothing like a little competition to make the pickleball experience a little more intense.
“I started playing in February and I saw there was a tournament and I jumped in headfirst because I like that competition,” said Gulfport resident Ted Sholette. “I mean, even if I don’t win, I like to get out there and play and play other players that are better than me because you’re going to learn.”
Sholette doesn’t have huge expectations.
“I’d like to be able to where I don’t lose as much.”
He added that it’s not all about winning and losing.
“You don’t have to be athletic to play the game,” Sholette added. “As long as you can hit a ball and pick up the skills it’s fun to play. I would recommend it to anybody that wants to get off the couch.”
Yes, the game is known as a senior activity, but 16-year-old Jonathan Woody of Mobile is all in.
“I mean, it’s like a growing community,” he said. “It’s known as like an older person’s sport, but there’s a lot of younger people getting into it now.”
The American Pickleball Tour, which has been around since 2019, includes five cities from around the country with intention to expand to 10 next year. That’s because it’s rated as the fastest-growing sport in North America.
The tournament is open to players of any age and experience level.
“We really are concentrating on everyone and anyone that plays,” said executive director Aaron Del Mar. “So, a lot of the tournaments you see on ESPN or CBS are all the professional players. We’re trying to bring a grass roots effort out to all the different communities across the United States.”
Woody has no intention to slow down.
“It’s like once you get out there, it’s hard to stop playing because it’s so fun.”
The event continues Sunday and is expected to draw up to 200 competitors from throughout the region.
By Mike Lacy, WLOX