Marblehead Pickleball is hosting its inaugural community-wide tournament on Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28 at Marblehead Veterans School. All proceeds will support “Fund the Field,” a campaign led by Marblehead Boosters raising funds to replace the turf on Piper Field at Marblehead High School.
The average turf field has a lifespan of eight to 10 years. Marblehead has been fortunate to last nearly 11 years. Our plan is to have the new field installed over the summer and be ready for use at the start of the new school year.
“There is an enthusiastic vibe about pickleball in Marblehead and it’s only getting stronger,” said Lisa Spinale, USA Ambassador of Marblehead Pickleball. “This sport, originally developed as a family activity, has an easy learning curve. You’re hitting a wiffle-like ball, which has less bounce and doesn’t fly as fast through the air. The paddle is also shorter and lighter. Playing pickleball allows you to work on your balance, agility, reflexes, and hand eye coordination.”
For many players, it’s also a social connection, allowing athletes to interact across different age groups and participate in Marblehead’s town-wide athletic spirit, observed Cheryl Patten, co-director of MarbleheadPickleball.org.
“As part of the tournament, and hopefully moving forward, MarbleheadPickleball. org will begin a used paddle collection, Athletes4Athletes, donating used equipment to schools and other youth organizations… We are excited to have MarbleheadPickleball.org (http://marbleheadpickleball. org/) partner with us to raise funds for our athletes to enjoy their sports on a safer field.” Muffy Paquette said. “It has been wonderful to see the outpouring of support from the community. Piper Field is used by every age group in town and has also hosted numerous graduations and other social events – so many memories captured on Piper Field. We are excited to see where it takes the next generation.”
Don’t miss the opportunity to have fun and show your town spirit. Everyone will have 90 minutes of consecutive play time, and medals will be awarded. Participants may sign up with a partner or as a single and indicate self-ratings and preferred session times.
Sponsors of the tournament are Salem Hospital, ACE Hardware, Café Vesuvius, Chamberlin Family, Designer Wellness, Friends of Todd Norman, Grab The Bagel, Manhattan Sandwich Co., MerryFox Realty, National Grand Bank, Plus Café, Roland Family, Seasiders, Simple Family Travel, Smith Marine, Inc., and Spinale & Co.
Participants may register until April 24 at www.MarbleheadBoosters.org (http://www. marbleheadboosters.org/)