The Mt Olive North Carolina Pickle Festival
The First Pickleball Event at The Mt. Olive North Carolina Pickle Festival
The first ever Pickleball Event of the 22nd Annual Mt. Olive Pickle Festival, Mount Olive, North Carolina, took place on Saturday, April 26, 2008. Competitors came from as far as Sebring Florida to take part in this fun event. Although the number of competitors was limited, interest in the game by spectators was high.
John Simpson, the ambassador for Charlotte, North Carolina, saw the natural tie in with pickleball and The Pickle Festival and convinced the organizers to host a pickleball tournament as part of the festivities. A portable net was set up on
the street and the courts were marked off with chalk for the day. Experienced players from Crumpler, North Carolina, Sebring, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina put on a demonstration of the game for passers by.
Some younger spectators and volunteers joined in to learn the rules of the game and play with the experts. They enjoyed learning about the game and were given the name of the USAPA website to take back to their physical education teachers to promote the teaching of pickleball. A volunteer from the Mt. Olive Community College was also an observer and was given information about pickleball and the demonstration CD by John Simpson.
Although there were no real winners of the competition, participants in the mixed grouping received the “green” medal, a case of Mt. Olive Kosher Dill Spears compliments of the Mt. Olive Pickle Company.
John hopes with more promotion next year’s event will be even larger. He also wants more spectator involvement in the event next year. It seems such a natural that pickleball be part of the festivities.
Thanks to John for his efforts in getting the event going. It shows that with a little ingenuity pickleball can be played anywhere.
The first ever Pickleball Event of the 22nd Annual Mt. Olive Pickle Festival, Mount Olive, North Carolina, took place on Saturday, April 26, 2008. Competitors came from as far as Sebring Florida to take part in this fun event. Although the number of competitors was limited, interest in the game by spectators was high.
John Simpson, the ambassador for Charlotte, North Carolina, saw the natural tie in with pickleball and The Pickle Festival and convinced the organizers to host a pickleball tournament as part of the festivities. A portable net was set up on
the street and the courts were marked off with chalk for the day. Experienced players from Crumpler, North Carolina, Sebring, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina put on a demonstration of the game for passers by.Some younger spectators and volunteers joined in to learn the rules of the game and play with the experts. They enjoyed learning about the game and were given the name of the USAPA website to take back to their physical education teachers to promote the teaching of pickleball. A volunteer from the Mt. Olive Community College was also an observer and was given information about pickleball and the demonstration CD by John Simpson.
Although there were no real winners of the competition, participants in the mixed grouping received the “green” medal, a case of Mt. Olive Kosher Dill Spears compliments of the Mt. Olive Pickle Company.
John hopes with more promotion next year’s event will be even larger. He also wants more spectator involvement in the event next year. It seems such a natural that pickleball be part of the festivities.
Thanks to John for his efforts in getting the event going. It shows that with a little ingenuity pickleball can be played anywhere.
For more pictures click on this LINK: http://picasaweb.google.com/rwroswell/April272008?authkey=fg-rEXlVsE8
Submitted By:
Wayne Roswell
Ambassador, Sebring FL
Submitted By:
Wayne Roswell
Ambassador, Sebring FL
posted by USAPA Atlantic South @ 11:35 AM
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