Bob Hills
2015 is a great year for pickleball, celebrating its 50th anniversary as a sport. To kick off the year, Arizona’s pickleball tournament season starts out with three major tournaments in January. Teams from SaddleBrooke Ranch competed in the Tucson Senior Olympic Festival, the Happy Trails Classic and the Mission Royale tournaments.
The Tucson Senior Olympics Pickleball tournament was held at the Tucson Racquet and Fitness Club January 12–16. Sixteen teams from SaddleBrooke Ranch competed in Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles and Men’s Doubles with three teams moving on to win medals. In Men’s 3.0 Doubles, age 70+, Bob Johnson and Lutz Pape took the Gold medal. In Men’s 3.0 Doubles, age 50+, Bob Hills and Paul Frederickson took the Gold medal, and Mike Fielding and Tim McCauley took the Silver medal.
The week of January 19–23, four teams traveled to Surprise, Arizona to play in the 2015 Happy Trails Classic. Bill Reynolds from SaddleBrooke Ranch and his partner Linda Valencia from Albuquerque, NM took the Bronze medal in the 4.0 Mixed Doubles competition. In Men’s Doubles 3.0, Bob Hills and Paul Frederickson took the Silver medal, and Mike Fielding and Chris Jerman took the Bronze medal.
With a short break, Mission Royale in Casa Grande, Arizona hosted their tournament January 28–February 3. Once again it was a Men’s Doubles 3.0 team that led the way. Mike Fielding and Chris Jerman captured the Gold medal. SaddleBrooke Ranch was well represented with seven teams entering the competition.
The SBR Pickleball Association is proud of all our members capturing six medals in these tournaments. Congratulations to the medal winners.