As usual, the 8th annual Special Pops Tournament was a smash success. Fortunately, Mother Nature did nothing to interfere as she has done too many times in the past. This year’s tournament was smaller than in previous years as there were many other similar events in the southeast over the same weekend, including a large tournaments in Atlanta and St. Augustine. Despite the depleted numbers, 259 dedicated picklers from nine states, including California, Arizona and Washington, registered to play in twenty-five events. Players rated from 2.5 to 6.3, and ranged in age from twenty to over eighty. What might well have been a record crowd descended on Franklin Creek to watch three full days of excellent pickleball, while another 2,500 watched online.
A roster of generous sponsors including Jacobs Coolidge & Co., The Landings Club, Brasseler/Chris Phillips, Daly Insurance/Nathan Alexander, Claudia Gaughf Dermatology, Mauldin & Jenkins/Frank Slotin, St. Joseph/Chandler, Jill Brooks & Ginna Carroll, State Farm/Johnny Moran, Eicholz Law Firm, Cary Hilliard’s Restaurant, Soundview/Mark Silvers, Chris Poppell and Scott McKessy, provided funding for two Moneyball events. Men’s Doubles with a total of twelve teams, and Mixed Doubles with eleven teams each paid a total of $12,000 – $3,000 for Gold, $2,000 for Silver and $1000 for Bronze.
By the time the tournament ended late Sunday afternoon, The Landings Club picklers raked in an impressive thirty-six medals. Players winning Gold in their respective categories included, Moria Williams, Jennifer Dwyer, Claire O’Donnell, Jane Beckley, Leslie Medinger, Leslie Marino, Krista Poppell, Kristen Berger, Paul Schmucker, Greg Herzberg, Johnny Moran (2), Chas Ferrelle, Betsey Andersen, Einar Andersen, Maddie Phillips AJ Goldman and Claudia Gaughf.
Silver medalists included Betsey Andersen, Linda Rakosi (2), Benny Eicholz, David Eicholz, Maddie Phillips, Courtney Neely, Tracy Sellard, Trish Tallon, Einar Andersen, Jeff Tocci, Curtis Rakosi, Krista Poppell and Scott McKessy.
Rafa Array, playing with Jose Farias won Gold in the 5.0 Open Moneyball Challenge, while Peter Dorward and Morgan Smith took Silver. In Mixed Doubles, Rafa Array and Jaylen Silvers won Gold, while Alex Fox playing with Candice Nelms pocketed Silver.
All in all, the Special Pops tournament was a resounding success. Next up is the Thanksgiving Round Robin which is scheduled for November 28th, and the Holiday Round Robin on December 17th. Unfortunately, the Halloween Round Robin was canceled as too few people signed up. It’s a shame as the round robins are always a lot of fun. For newer players, round robins are a way to meet other picklers, and get a fairly accurate measure of where you rank in The Landings Club pickleball world.
Despite the fact that the Halloween Round Robin was canceled, members of Jim Emery’s regular Thursday morning group were impressively attired in their Halloween finery. Jeff Tocci, sporting newly acquired and altogether impressive pecs, and the always vivacious Linda Rakosi, looking, improbably, as if she just emerged from a crypt, took the award for most creative costumes.