Doug Turley (far right) and Greg Wilkins (second from right) received their silver medals for finishing second in the 65+ section of the Prescott tournament. (Photo by June Wilkins)
Raymond H. Goettsch
On Sept. 9 SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) members Doug Turley and Greg Wilkins competed in the 2023 Labor Day @ Espire Sports pickleball tournament in Prescott, Ariz. The U.S. Senior Pickleball circuit tournament was sponsored by PIG (Pickleball Is Great) and was held on indoor courts in the Espire Sports Complex.
Doug and Greg entered in the 3.0/3.5 65+ section. Each game was played to 15 points and must win by two points. Doug and Greg were the only out-of-towners participating; however, their spouses provided vocal cheering support. Doug and Greg finished second, earning the silver medal in their section.
The Espire Complex has 19 pickleball courts (14 indoor courts and 5 outdoor courts). The indoor courts are actually in an empty Sears store building in a mall. Greg and Doug found the indoor courts to be welcoming, as they did not have to deal with sun, heat, or wind. On the other hand, they found that lobbing was much more challenging due to the height of the ceiling because a ball hitting the ceiling was a fault. Other SPA members traveling to Prescott may want to explore the Espire Complex.
For Greg and Doug, they are scheduled to enter an international pickleball tournament in Cabo San Lucas in late November.