ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - Eight teams competed Saturday morning, Aug. 30 in a tournament hosted by the Elk Grove Pickleball Club.                     

The teams consisted of four players of two men and two women. Each match featured one men’s doubles game, one women’s doubles game and two mixed doubles games. Having a rally score that goes to 25, where the top three teams won medals.                                      

The competitive level of this tournament was 3.5-4.0+, meaning advanced intermediate players and up. Competitive level ranges on a scale from 1.0 to 5.0+, from beginner to expert.       

 

Entrance to Tournament and Elk Grove Pickleball Flag 

With pickleball being the fastest growing sport in the country, it is not hard to get started as it is highly accessible. Pickleball is also being taught in schools and there are sports clubs, like the Elk Grove Pickleball Club, that teach lessons so beginners can learn the basics.            

Clubs also host tournaments for every level, giving everyone an opportunity to advance their skill level along with meeting new people.                  

“You don’t have to be super athletic to really be skilled at it,” said Dominic Cerri, secretary of the Elk Grove Pickleball Club. “Just come out, have a good time and then you will develop those skills in time.”         

 

Secretary of Elk Grove Pickleball Club Dominic Cerri

Pickleball is a low-impact sport, allowing people to exercise with the risk of injury being greatly reduced.

Although pickleball is an easy sport to get into no matter the level of experience, the better an individual gets at the sport the more competitive it is going to be. Everyone wants to fine tune the skills that they have or developed against people with the same amount of skill or even more, so when they enter a tournament they are able to perform to the best of their abilities.                   

 

Competitors and Spectators Watching Matches 

“It’s fun. There is a competitive element to it, that it’s an easy sport to play, but it’s a hard sport to get really good at. And that’s the challenge for all of the players,” Cerri stated.

Just like any other sport, it takes time to develop skills to be good at it. Building skills can come from being part of a club to practice or just going to a local park to practice.

Learn more at elkgrovepickleballclub.org.