News Flash

COOKEVILLE – Sporting events have been in a pickle lately.

Which is why Cookeville Leisure Services is hosting a pickleball tournament Aug. 14 and 15 at Cane Creek Gymnasium.

“We are offering this tournament as a way to bring a non-contact sporting event to the community,” Lori Medlin, athletic coordinator, said. “With contact sports like basketball and soccer being temporarily unavailable at the gymnasium and the weather this time of year being uncertain, pickleball is a great indoor option.”

Pickleball, a paddleball sport for two to four players, combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. Players use solid paddles (smaller than a tennis racquet but larger than a ping-pong paddle) to hit a plastic ball (similar to a whiffle ball) over a net.

Tournament teams – men’s and women’s doubles or mixed doubles – have until Aug. 8 to register. The fee is $20 per person to participant in one event and $5 for an additional event.

Men’s and women’s doubles will be played Aug. 14 from 4-9 p.m., with finals the next day starting at 8 a.m. Mixed doubles will take place Aug. 15, noon-9 p.m.

Two age categories are available: under 50 and over 50. Medals will be awarded to the first, second and third place teams. All participants will receive tournament T-shirts.

To register, call 931-526-9767 or visit Cane Creek Gymnasium at 180 C C Camp Road.

“We hope to gain the interest of people who may not have heard of this sport before,” Medlin said. “It is a fast-growing sport that started in 1965 but really gained popularity in 2005, when the United States Amateur Pickleball Association was created.”

Cane Creek Gymnasium offers regularly scheduled pickleball play on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and Thursdays 6-9 p.m. Other open play times are also available. Admission is $1.

“Pickleball is a great way to get some low-impact cardio exercise and have fun,” Medlin added.

To learn more about Cookeville Leisure Services events and activities, call 931-520-4386 or visit www.cookeville-tn.gov/ls.