Seniors at the Westminster at Lake Ridge retirement community hosted their first pickleball tournament last week.
Pickleball – according to the tournament organizer William Spengler – is similar to tennis, but uses paddles and wiffle balls on a badminton sized court.
The tournament was held as part of the community’s initiative to ensure that seniors stay active. There are currently 330 residents living at the facility.
Spengler stated that eight residents and three staff members participated.
The idea for the pickleball court came when Spengler noticed that a tennis court in the community was in disrepair, and was not being used.
“I decided that we could have a pickleball court to be constructed on one end of a old dilapidated tennis court that we had here…it was dilapidated [because] it was built in a little valley and the water pressure…and it caused the tennis court to blister,” said Spengler.
Additionally, Spengler said that a regular group of residents practices together.
“Once the pickleball court was built, we went [to find residents] to play. I would recruit people to play. We have about 6 or 7 people now that are able to play the game,” commented Spengler.
While the staff members beat the residents for bragging rights in this first tournament, there are plans for another tournament this fall.
“It was quite a contest…[the staff] whipped us. We’ll practice and do better next time. We’re determined to win in the fall,” said Spengler.
