AROUND THE WORLD
PICKLEBALL ADVENTURES
Six Years of Making Memories
I
t all began at a post-tournament party in Rancho Santa Fe,
California, in 2011. Chris Thomas, USAPA Ratings Chair,
said, “We’re all having so much fun together, let’s do a pickleball
trip.” Since that time, Audrey Phillips, USAPA Ambassador, has
organized an annual trip to a tropical island with a stay at a
deluxe all-inclusive resort. The trips are open to all skill levels,
ages, areas of the country and USAPA members.
The first trip was a cruise from New York to Bermuda
where 60 picklers from 15 states played on board the Holland
American Veendam and introduced the sport of pickleball to
the islanders of Bermuda at the tennis stadium in the capital
city of Hamilton. Dining together, dancing in the disco,
gambling, and onboard tournament play were great fun, but
a little cramped. We decided to move our trips on shore to allinclusive resorts in the Caribbean.
In 2012, 133 picklers from 22 states partied and played
for one week in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on 12 courts at Sandals
Boscobel. We had a fun, friend-raising
tournament and introduced clinics to
the itinerary, all ta ՝