Regional
matters
continued
For the Record Books!
W
BY STEVE SIDWELL
ith approximately 750 participants from
23 states including Alaska and Hawaii, as
well as Canada, the 2018 USAPA Regional
Tournament was the largest on record.
In contrast, 422 players participated in the 2017 West
Regional Tournament, despite the west region being
restructured to include just California and Hawaii. This is
further testimony to the growth of pickleball in general
and, in particular, the passion for tournament play in the
USAPA West Region.
Participants ranged in age from 10 to 87, and skill
levels from 2.5 to 5.0. Players competed in both singles
and doubles events—and 63 percent of the players were
55 and up.
The Claremont Club in Claremont, California, proved to
be an outstanding venue for the event, a high point of the
overall player experience!
As the inaugural Regional Tournament in the newly
configured West Region, the event was not without
challenges. Hosting a record number of players at a
new venue presented opportunities for improvement
but, overall, the players’ experience, competition level
and tournament amenities were positive—with 2019
promising to be even better! •
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