Peace pickleball players enjoy success at Grande Prairie tournament

GRANDE PRAIRIE, AB. — Peace region-based pickleball players got into the swing of it at a tournament in Grande Prairie.

The Paddle Club is a new sporting venue in Grande Prairie with pickleball at its centre, and invited players from around the region to compete in a tournament christening the venue from Friday, February 27th to Saturday, February 28th.

Tournaments were for participants in both men’s and women’s doubles, along with a mixed doubles draw.

The draw on pickleballtournaments.com says 61 players competed, including entrants from Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, along with other players from B.C. and Alberta.

Going undefeated in the round robin of the mixed doubles skill level 3.5 tournament, Fort St. John’s Dan Matsalla and partner Arlene Boon from Bear Flat landed in the gold medal final against Dawson Creek’s Christopher Cormack and partner Jennifer MacDonald.

Matsalla told Energeticcity.ca he has played pickleball for three years and participates in one indoor tournament throughout the winter months. 

Playing just their second tournament together, Matsalla praised his partner.

“We have played a lot together during club and rec play,” said Matsalla. “A lot of [our success] was [Boon]. She was playing unreal. She really kept us in it, and played amazing.”

Matsalla and Boon took the first game in the final by a score of 11-9 before dropping the following two matches by scores of 11-7 and 11-5, settling for second place.

Third place in the competition went to another Dawson Creek entrant: Roxy Honing and partner Cung Nguyen.

However, Boon and Honing – along with Cormack and Nguyen – were only just getting started.

Cormack also competed in men’s doubles at both the 3.0 and 3.5 ranking, having success in both with different partners.

With Everett Cormack, Christopher took second place at 3.0, and with Nguyen he finished in third position in the men’s doubles at 3.5.

Meanwhile, Honing and Boon took second in women’s doubles at 3.5.

The Paddle Club Grand Opening tournament took place on Friday, February 27th and Saturday, February 28th in Grande Prairie, Alberta.