HEARTLAND SENIOR GAMES

Sanctioned Pickleball and Mt. Olive Pickles
The very first USAPA Sanctioned Pickleball Tournament in the Atlantic South Region took place on Friday March 6th, and Saturday March 7th at the Heartland Senior Games, played on the Tanglewood Pickleball Courts in Sebring, Florida. This milestone event was a huge success, and rumors of it being the best tournament ever held in Florida continued to be heard two days later at the Polk County Senior Games in Poinciana. It was a fun filled event with some real hold your breath competition!

Players arrived early. The Villages sent their best; Bill Freeman and Jeff Shank. They arrived from The Plantations in Leesburgh, from Sarasota and Venice, from Ft. Myers and Ft Lauderdale, They best players arrived from Solivita in Poinciana, Sun City Center, and Kings Point, from nearby Highlands Ridge, from RV Resorts in Bowling Green and Wauchula. Michigan even sent their best: recent Michigan Senior Games Gold Medal Winners Patrick McPhail and Jack Licata. Add in the registered players from Tanglewood and 27 men’s doubles teams, 17 woman’s doubles teams and 32 Mixed doubles teams were ready to take the courts…………..Let the Games Begin!!!

Wait……………First you were greeted by Joanne Bath and her crew at the Registration table and with goodie bag and T-shirt in hand you passed to Kathy Keller’s food crew where you could warm up with free hot coffee, home baked muffins and fresh fruit.

Later in the day they would provide beef barbeque with the works for lunch. Yes….complete with a delicious MT OLIVE PICKLE. Before you took to the courts for practice, you had to pass the Welcome to Tanglewood Table complete with a visitor map, the USAPA Table complete with application forms for membership and then you were greeted by Julie Johnson and her crew with Raffle Tickets in hand.

Just $5 for an arms length of tickets and you had plenty of chances to win some great Pickleball Prizes………..including (but not limited to) Pickleball
Books by Mark Friedenberg and Gail Leach, Pickleball T-shirts, hats and mugs. Seven Pickleball paddles, Pickleball Elvis, and………… MT OLIVE PICKLES!!!

Tanglewood was so fortunate to have a Pickle Company as one of their major sponsors. The Mt. Olive Pickle Company from Mt. Olive, NC., gave a generous cash donation and numerous products. What more could you ask for? All participants proudly displayed their pickle on their shirt and loaded up on raffle tickets hoping to take home their special raffle item. Here is a list of all the sponsors who generousaly contributed to this event. (Heartland Sponsors)

Opening Remarks and Tournament Rules were provided by Wayne Roswell, Tournament Director, Mark Telfer, Tanglewood Pickleball Club President, and Chuck Keller, Sebring’s Local Ambassador and Tanglewood resident. Several other Local Ambassadors were in attendance including: Russ Cuccia-Sarasota/Venice, Fl, Rich and Donna Donald- New Tampa, Fl, Marcel Lemieux-Quebec, Jack Licata-Northville, Mi, Nancy Meyer-Davie, Fl, Jean Mulder- Holland, Mi

AND our very own Atlantic South Regional Ambassador, Richard “Greenie” Greenfield from The Villages, Fl., seen here enjoying the final match drinking his home made slushie from his “hospitality suite” inside.

Jeff Shank and Bill Freeman on the courts.

The format for the day was double elimination and the first eight teams took the courts as the games began at 8:30. As a sanctioned tournament, all USAPA rules were enforced so referee’s accompanied players to their assigned courts. Wrist bands were provided to each team to identify the first server and assist with court positions during the game, while the referee’s called and kept the scores.

John McKinney and partner Jeff Blackburn during the game.

There were some very hard fought games. The competition was great and many matches throughout the day went to three games to decide who would progress closer to the gold medal match. The audience grew as the day went on and they applauded the great plays and cheered on their favorite players.

Rich Donald, Al Goldberg, Patrick McPhail and Jack Licata, after the match.

One of the most exciting matches of the tournament was in the Mens' Doubles 60-64. Tanglewood’s Al Goldberg and Rich Donald faced Michigan Gold Medal players Patrick McPhail and Jack Licata. They met in the third round and our Atlantic South Team of Goldberg and Donald sent the Michigan duo to the losers bracket. But the best always rise to the top and the four met again in the Gold Medal Match; the Atlantic South team took the Gold.

On the ladies side of the draw, it’s not unusual for the ladies in Pink, Margie Diaz and Cathy Miller to meet up with Tanglewood’s Judy Goldberg and Linda Kramer. A spectator favorite here in Florida. Goldberg and Kramer took the Gold. Another fan favorite this year was the hard fought match between Louise Barrette/Michelle King of Tanglewood and Sally Michalski and Pat Lively from Thousand Trails in Wauchula. Barette/King took the Gold.

Tanglewood's Judy Goldberg and Linda Kramer above and the ladies from Solivita are Margie Diaz and Cathy Miller.

Sun City Center's Gary Ball and Vicki Sterner.(Left) .

The mixed doubles generated the same level of excitement for the players and the spectators. The crowed hung in there for the last match of the day featuring Tanglewoods' Dennis Brock/Michelle King and Sun City Center’s Gary Ball/Vicki Sterner. The sun was sweltering but both teams hung in there for three great games. Sun City Center’s Ball/Sterner prevailed and went home with the Gold.

Tanglewood's Dennis Brock and Michelle King. (Right)

Congratulations to all the players who traveled to this event, to the medal winners, to Tanglewood and its’ cast of volunteers. This will truly be an event that people will be talking about for a long time and a tough one to surpass.

USAPA Sanctioned Pickleball and Mt. Olive Pickles…….Maybe next time Diller the Mt.Olive Mascott will visit the courts………That would be a “Big Dill”.

Pictures of the Heartland Games.

And enjoy............

More Pictures from Mark Jones