Pickleball Magazine 3-4 Courtesy of Pickleball Guru | Page 52

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GAMMA CLASSIC
Continues to GROW and CONTRIBUTE
CHARITY TOURNAMENT
RAISES MORE THAN $33K
FOR PARKINSON’S
M
ore than 600 pickleball players made their way
to the City of Bridges, former steeltown and
modern-day medical and tech hub of Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, for the annual Gamma Classic
Tournament to play their hearts out and raise
money for Parkinson’s research.
Organizer Michael Wertz notes that the tournament,
which is played indoors in the David L. Lawrence
Convention Center in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, is
the only one of its kind in the nation that puts the sport of
pickleball in the center of an urban backdrop.
“It’s the only playing venue that’s set right in a city
environment, with all of the culture and sights that
Pittsburgh has to offer,” Wertz says. “Players came in
50
from 23 different states and as far away as Arizona and
Washington.”
Ranging in age from 16 to 80, the tournament
participation grew 50 percent over last year’s numbers,
including drawing 30 of the country’s best pros who
brought their A games.
“There were a few pros making a name for themselves
at the tournament,” Wertz adds. “David Seckel and Will
Willson defeated Aspen Kern and Dave Weinbach to take
gold in Men’s Doubles Pro. Eden Lica earned a silver to
Rob Davidson’s gold in Men’s Singles Pro. And Bobbie
Phoumy won gold in the Women’s Doubles Pro (with
Lucy Kitcher) and Women’s Singles Pro. Rob Cassidy,
tournament MVP, won gold in Mixed Doubles Open Pro
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