Nationals VI Brings the Nation’s Largest and Most Elite Pickleball Tournament to Buckeye, Arizona, November 2-9, 2014
Buckeye, Ariz (PRWEB) October 16, 2014 -- Men and women of all ages will converge at Sun City Festival in Buckeye, Arizona, November 2-9, 2014, for the largest pickleball tournament in the history of the sport. Top-ranked 4.5 and 5.0 players will compete for $14,000 in prize money on 28 courts during a week of fast-paced play in both open, senior open and age divisions.
The Nationals tournament is sanctioned and hosted once a year by the USA Pickleball Association, which serves as the governing body for the sport. Pickleball is widely recognized as one of America’s fastest growing sports. The game is played on a doubles badminton-sized court with the net lowered to 34 inches at the center, with a polymer ball slightly smaller than a wiffle ball and paddles made of composite material.
Now in its sixth year, the Nationals tournament has attracted the largest number of pickleball players in the history of the game, with 713 players (up 10% over last year).
In 2013, 644 players from 39 states, and as far away as Canada and the Netherlands competed in men’s and women’s doubles and singles play.
WHEN:
Sat. Nov. 1 Pre-tournament practice at Sun City Festival
Sun. Nov. 2 Men's Doubles: Ages 19+, 35+, 50+, 55+, 60+ & 65+
Mon. Nov. 3 Women's Doubles: Ages 19+, 35+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+, 75+, 80+ & 85+ Senior Division Men's Doubles: Ages 70+, 75+, 80+ & 85+
Tues. Nov. 4 Mixed Doubles: Ages 19+, 35+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+, 75+, 80+ & 85+
Wed. Nov. 5 Singles: Ages 19+, 35+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+, 75+, 80+ & 85+
Fri. Nov. 7 Open Divisions (4.5 and Above) Men's & Women's Doubles
Sat. Nov. 8 Open Divisions (4.5 and Above) Mixed Doubles
Junior Divisions Doubles, Mixed Doubles and Singles
Sun. Nov. 9 Open Divisions (4.5 and Above) Men's and Women's Singles
Mon. Nov. 10 Rain Date
According to David Jordan, tournament co-chair and President of the USAPA, “Nationals is the USAPA’s signature event each year. The USAPA has experienced a 59% increase in membership and unprecedented growth over 18 months from January 2013 to July 2014, thanks to our 900 dedicated USAPA Ambassadors and a 51% increase in places to play during the same time period.”
Indigo Grill will serve lunch on site daily from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tents will feature 2014 Nationals VI Tournament partners as follows:
Presidential sponsors: Pulte/Del Webb, PickleballNow!, Century Sports and Harrow Sports.
Masters sponsors: OrthoArizona and Select Physical Therapy.
Executive sponsors: Pickle-Ball, Inc., Onix Sports, Pickleball Central, Pro-Lite Sports, Paddletek, BioSkin, Viking Sports and Wilson Sporting Goods.
Pickleball Partner sponsors: Family Motor Coach Association, Manta World Sport, Pickleball Rocks, Selkirk Sports, KLN Family Brands, Hyland's Homeopathic, Pickleball Channel and KIND Healthy Snacks.
WHERE: Sun City Festival is located at 26415 W, Desert Vista Boulevard in Buckeye, AZ 85396, 50 miles northwest of Sky Harbor Airport and just 12 minutes west of Loop 303. Spectators are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairsor enjoy bleacher seating. Admission is free with play starting daily at 8 a.m.
ABOUT THE USAPA:
The sport of pickleball is governed by the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA.org), a non-profit 501(c )(3)organization that advocates the growth of pickleball by maintaining the rules and player ratings, promoting the sport through its national network of Ambassadors and sanctioning a record 101 tournaments in 2014. Visit http://www.usapa.org. │Facebook.com/USAPickleballAssociation.
For more information on Nationals VI Tournament, visit: http://nationals.usapa.org. Videos from Nationals V are online at http://www.youtube.com/user/usapickleball2 and high resolution images are available upon request. Contact Ruth Rosenquist, USAPA Media Relations Chair at 602-505-6844 or media(at)usapa(dot)org.
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Ruth Rosenquist, USA Pickleball Association, http://www.usapa.org, 602-505-6844, [email protected]
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