Tournament competitors having a (pickle)ball

COEUR d'ALENE — The only thing hotter than the weather Friday was the heated competition taking place during day two of the Coeur d'Alene Classic pickleball tournament.

Hundreds gathered at Cherry Hill Park in Coeur d'Alene to watch pickleball enthusiasts of all ages compete in the mixed-doubles bracket, one of five brackets that took place over the four-day, USA Pickleball Association-sanctioned event. Locally, the tournament is sponsored and run by the North Idaho Pickleball Association, and association member Pat Hoon told The Press more than 300 people from 14 states and two Canadian provinces are competing in the second iteration of the tournament.

"Even more impressive, last year we only had about four of the top-level, national players here," Hoon added. "But this year, 30 of the nation's top players are here competing."

When asked by The Press what draws folks from across the country to a pickleball tournament like the Coeur d'Alene Classic, Hoon said the game is addicting.

"It's great exercise too, more than you'd think it would be," said Hoon, who is also competing in the tournament. "I'm 69 years old, and yet I can play with a 29-year-old and still be competitive."

Although pickleball games take place on a standard-sized tennis court, the court itself is cut in half to form two separate pickleball courts. Players use graphite paddles and wiffle balls to play a game that looks like a hybrid of tennis and ping-pong.

Hoon said games typically average about 15 minutes and the first to 11 points wins. The double-elimination tournament features matches where the team or individual must win two of three games to win the match itself.

"It's really appealing to the Baby Boomer generation because the game, unlike tennis, is not dominated by the serve," Hoon said. "You have to serve underhand and you use a wiffle ball — you can't win the games with just a fast or fancy serve."

Between mixed-doubles matches on Friday, Mike and Donna Maloney were all smiles as they cooled off in the shade. The couple drove from Sun City West, Ariz., specifically for the tournament, and said they were hooked on pickleball. They said it’s "an incredible amount of fun."

"It's a great social game, too," Mike said.

"Exactly," Donna added. "People are here to have fun and that's why we wanted to be a part of it."

The Coeur d'Alene Classic concludes at Cherry Hill Park today, with the men's doubles and women's singles tournaments. Members of the public are encouraged to go to the park, located at 1718 N. 15th St., to catch all the action.