Feeling the love along Pickleball Boulevard

The passion for America’s fastest-growing sport is on full display at Nationals this week

Competition at the 2023 Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships has officially begun at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, TX.

Players traveled from across the globe to participate in the largest event in pickleball history and experience the incredible sights and sounds of “Pickleball Boulevard,” which features everything from musical performances to culinary immersions to interactive games to kid-friendly activities and a lot more.

We caught up with a few competitors on Monday.

Hailing from Indiana, the Hanlon Family stood out from the crowd in matching bright red T-shirts featuring an image of a Lego man playing pickleball.

Parents Tim and Christy were accompanied by four of their five children to compete in various divisions.

“I asked for a net for Father’s Day or a birthday and we started playing as a family,” Tim said. “This is how we get our exercise. It allows us to stick together and travel together. We’ve been almost all over the world together, so it’s been a lot of fun. To be able to play pickleball all together and travel together has been really exciting.”

One of the Hanlon boys, Joshua, then made sure to enter the conversation.

“It also makes finding a partner really easy,” he said. “They’re built into the family.”

Meanwhile, Guy Tetreault and Celine Caron traveled all the way from Drummondville, Quebec in Eastern Canada for their third appearance at Nationals.

The pair is competing in 3.5 singles, doubles and mixed doubles in the 60+ age bracket.

Naturally, Tetreault and Caron are big fans of World No. 2 and fellow Quebecer Catherine Parenteau.

“We’re very proud of Catherine. We know her. She’s from Repentigny, which is very close to Drummondville,” said Tetreault, who has been playing pickleball with Caron for over a decade. “She did some teaching in Drummondville, so we were her students.”

Another doubles pair encountered along Pickleball Boulevard was Kathy Carr and Barb Patterson from Sun City, TX. 

They practice every day together at their local community club, and their shared passion for America’s fastest growing sport is simply remarkable.

“Without a doubt, one of the best things about pickleball is the camaraderie and that I get to play with one of my best friends. We have a whole bunch of friends in Sun City, some of whom are here today, and it’s just about the friendship,” explained Patterson. “Our club motto is ‘Fun, Friends and Fitness.’ That wraps it up for me. It’s nice to win and it’s fun, but I get more joy out of making friends and having fun on the court.”

Carr shared similar thoughts.

“You can’t age out of the sport,” she added. “As long as you can stand up, you can play. There’s people who have never played any type of racquet sport in their lives and they’re learning how to play pickleball, getting energized, getting exercise and socializing.”

Beverly Boozer and Carol Scherick arrived on Pickleball Boulevard with neon pink hats, skirts, and T-shirts sporting the state of New Mexico outline. 

Hailing from Las Cruces, this is their first time at Nationals as a duo and they’re excited to compete in the women’s 4.0 bracket for ages 60-64. 

According to Scherick, their favorite thing about pickleball is that anyone can play.

“It’s a sport for all ages, all sexes, and all families,” she said. 

People like these truly capture the essence of pickleball because, at its core, it’s all about health, community, and having fun.