October has been an eventful month for Mackay’s Picklers, with 9th October kicking off their first session at the McDonald’s Mackay Multi Sports Stadium.
The team had determined that due to their successful engagements with PCYC, it was time to extend the opportunity and showcase the exciting game of Pickleball to Mackay’s South community.
Mackay Indoor Pickleball is excited to have secured a spot at the Multi Sports Stadium, with Monday morning sessions running every week from 9:30am to 11:30am.
For a small sum of $8, you can enjoy the two hours of fun at the stadium on 107 Juliet Street, South Mackay. Beginners are always welcome and all the gear is supplied for games.
Those interested are welcomed to come along and “have a look”, however the team encourages wearing or bringing along some closed-in shoes. From their experience, most new people can’t resist having a go on their initial visit, and the rest is history!
Tuesday the 10th October was the World Pickleball Day Celebrations. Mackay Indoor Pickleball (MIP) took part by showing off their most yellow displays, taking on the theme for the competition.
MIP took third place overall, a truly astounding performance! A great achievement for the ‘small-town club’, to compete against 30 pickleball clubs and celebrate with much larger local communities and the world.
MIP are proud of their efforts and are excited to gain exposure for the team. The winners across the Australian competition were: Pickleball Townsville in first, Toongabbie Picklers in second, followed by Mackay Indoor Pickleball in third place overall.
Some of the MIP players entered the first Pickleball Tournament to be held in the region, organised by Pickleball Mackay and held on the 28th and 29th October at Kippen Street Tennis Courts.
MIP players Lucy Brown, Toni Latter, Shaun Connolly, Melissa Flower, Paul Bruinewoud, Chris Barbour, Grahame Scott, Heather Hayes and Jenny Wheeldon all took part in the competition and won between them three gold, three silver and seven bronze medals in their chosen categories.
Congratulations to all the competitors who took part, doing Mackay Indoor Pickleball and Pickleball Mackay proud.
It excites the team to see how quickly Pickleball has grown in the past five years, since it hit our region’s shores. The biggest Indoor Pickleball Tournament in the southern hemisphere was held in Brisbane at Morayfield Sports and Events Centre in June.
With more than 530 entrants, featuring international champions who travelled with their families to combine with national champions and local players of all ages for the four-day Queensland Championships.
It was the second successive year that Morton Bay Regional Council and the Pickleball Association of Queensland combined to stage the tournament. In comparison, twelve months ago at the same venue, 350 players entered - which was a record at the time.
It goes without saying, the team at Mackay Indoor Pickleball are excited to be part of this amazing new sport and have a grand plan to put Mackay on the map as the pickleball hub of regional Queensland. So join Mackay Indoor Pickleball Club to become a part of the growth, as well as having some fun!
Weekly games are at PCYC Mackay (33 Norris Road, North Mackay) and include Tuesday nights from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, Thursdays from 12pm to 2pm and Sundays 9am to 11am.
With weekly Monday games at their new location, McDonald’s Mackay Multi Sports Stadium (107 Juliet Street, South Mackay) from 9:30am to 11:30am.
Contributed by Michelle Sheehan
Women’s Doubles
The Picklers at McDonalds Mackay Multi Sports Stadium
Women's Pickleball Group
Men's Doubles
Men's Doubles
Winners of World Pickleball Day
Photos supplied
