Pickleball unites two states in the Spring Showdown Tournament in West Fargo

Rustad Recreation Center welcomes over one hundred athletes from North Dakota and Minnesota to compete in its second annual Spring Showdown Pickleball Tournament.

WEST FARGO, N.D. (KVRR)- Rustad Recreation Center welcomes over 100 athletes from North Dakota and Minnesota to compete in its second annual Spring Showdown Pickleball Tournament.

Pickleball is a sport that crosses between tennis, ping pong and badminton and played with paddles and plastic balls. You can play singles or doubles and there are inside and outside courts.

Rustad Recreation Center has nine pickleball courts.

Players and fans packed the facility for the round robin tournament. They say it’s a sport for everyone.

“I think that it being a lifelong sport it’s not really taxing on your joints but it also gets people moving,” said Erin Fons with West Fargo Park District said.

“I think this is probably the biggest tournament. There are a lot of people here. A lot of people that I’ve played with are spectators here too, so the crowd is amazing. It was brutal the first few games, but a lot of fun,” Pickleball player Sallbert said.

Players say pickleball continues to attract new athletes but it’s bigger than the competition it also deals with the welcoming community and camaraderie among players.

“I think a lot of us are former athletes that just want to get into the competitive spirit again, and, so, everybody is out there playing together and being gracious to each other and friendly and it’s just a way to meet people, have a good time and get some exercise in,” Pickleball player Geralyn Heitkamp said.

Heitkamp played softball for years and Salbert has a football background but stopped being active for years before he picked up a paddle.

“When I first started playing, I could hardly run. I came home after the first time I played and told my wife, ‘Gosh, I run like an old man. She said ‘You are an old man,” Sallbert said.

Organizers expect next year to be bigger and better as the sport’s popularity continues to grow.

There is also a tournament in the fall called the Battle of the Paddle. Click here for more information.