For most of 2024, YMCAs across Kansas have been participating in a state-wide pickleball tournament to further capitalize on the booming sport.
Starting in February, a different YMCA in the state has hosted a preliminary tournament every second weekend of each month. Winners in male, female and mixed doubles will then move on to the state championship held at the Wichita Pickleball Center from December 13-15.
The tournament is the brainchild of Chad Knight, the CEO of the Garden City Family YMCA in Garden City, Kansas. He first came up with the idea by talking with Kurt Brungardt, a co-author of “The Complete Book of Pickleball.”
“He is from Garden City and came in and asked what we could do,” said Knight. “I whipped up this idea of running a state championship for pickleball. He has two brothers who wrote the book with him, and they loved it. I presented it to the CEO meeting for our State Alliance and they also thought it was great. All the YMCAs in the state of Kansas are holding a tournament.”
Tournament Details
Altogether, the alliance is hosting 10 tournaments, and all the winners will be advancing to the final stage in Wichita, Kansas. Knight said it could potentially be 90 doubles teams who will make it to that point.
“It’s all across the state with Salina, Wichita, Topeka, Pittsburg, Junction City, Dodge City, Camp Wood in Elmdale, McPherson and Garden City participating,” said Knight. “Not only is it a chance for community members to have a state championship, but it has also increased awareness of the sport and our YMCAs.”
Knight added the collaboration between all the Ys has been so great that it allows for each location to put its own local twist on the tournament.
On top of that, the first 50 registrants at each location are receiving a free copy of “The Complete Book of Pickleball” signed by all three authors. Participants didn’t have to be natives of any particular city to register for the tournament, as they could simply pick which month and location worked best for their schedule.
Hopes for the Future
Heading into the final competitions of the tournament, Knight is pleased with the inaugural showing of the event. He believes the event will only continue to grow like the sport has — creating more buy-in from YMCAs across Kansas.
“We will only grow, learn and thrive from the experience,” said Knight. “This first tournament gives us a chance to make it bigger and better in the coming years.”
For other industry leaders looking to start their own events to bank off the pickleball boom, Knight said its imperative to remain open and flexible with planning dates and competition times.
“The initial idea was to host the second weekend of each month across the state,” said Knight. “Well, that doesn’t work for everyone, and we needed to hold more Ys accountable as well. But pickleball is so huge right now. It’s like I said when I first presented this concept to the State Alliance — let’s be sure to continue to ride the wave.”
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John Reecer has been covering the health and fitness industry for more than two years as a lead editor for Peake Media, the parent company to Pickleball Innovators. He is an avid sports fan and and experienced reporter based in Louisville, Kentucky.
