Pickleballers compete in regional tournament at BSU’s Gillett Wellness Center
Pickleball players congregated at BSU's Gillett Wellness Center on Sunday for a tournament filled with area players.
Marissa Kerry, left, dives for the ball in an Intermediate Division championship round with her partner Jessie Reed-Ellman, right, against Phil and Linda McDonald during a regional pickleball tournament on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at BSU’s Gillett Wellness Center.
BEMIDJI – Northern Minnesotans traveled far and wide to the Gillett Wellness Center at Bemidji State for a pickleball tournament on Sunday.
Spread across Intermediate and Advanced Divisions, 23 teams competed for gold in the one-day tournament. Players came from Bemidji, Bagley, International Falls, Nevis, Park Rapids, Alexandria and Fargo. Ages spanned over five decades, with Bemidji State students and alums among the tournament’s competitors.
Larry Laudon and Koby Kuenzel beat Wyatt Harrom and Derek Thompson to win first place in the Advanced Division. Jessie Reed-Ellman and Marissa Kerry won the Intermediate Division, beating Linda and Phil McDonald.
The Gillett Wellness Center’s newly painted pickleball courts from the fall of 2022 provided eight spaces for concurrent games.
The Bemidji Pickleball Association was well represented in the local competition and has grown to over 100 members.
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Peter Hankey and Bill Bennett, in back, tap paddles with Elijah Holthaus and Gannon Lueck after an Advanced Division round-robin game during a regional pickleball tournament on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at BSU’s Gillett Wellness Center.
Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer
From left: Jessie Reed-Ellman and Marissa Kerry tap paddles with Phil and Linda McDonald after winning the first game in the Intermediate Division championship round during a regional pickleball tournament on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at BSU’s Gillett Wellness Center.
Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer
Phil McDonald, center, hits the ball in an Intermediate Division championship game with his partner Linda McDonald against Jessie Reed-Ellman, right, and Marissa Kerry during a regional pickleball tournament on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at BSU’s Gillett Wellness Center.
Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer
Peter Hankey, right, hits the ball in an Advanced Division round-robin game with his partner Bill Bennett against and Gannon Lueck during a regional pickleball tournament on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at BSU’s Gillett Wellness Center.
Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer
Linda McDonald reaches for the ball in an Intermediate Division championship game with her partner Phil McDonald against Jessie Reed-Ellman and Marissa Kerry during a regional pickleball tournament on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at BSU’s Gillett Wellness Center.
Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer
A total of 23 teams competed in a regional pickleball tournament on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at BSU’s Gillett Wellness Center.
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