Big Dill pickleball tourney draw big crowd

The “Big Dill” was once again a big deal at Carrie Blake Community Park this past weekend.

The Sequim Picklers saw the return of their Big Dill Fun Day on Saturday, May 20, hosting 40 players playing in doubles pairs at the park’s pickleball courts.

The tourney — an event held in previous years but put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic — was open to players relatively new to the sport and rated 2.0-2.9.

See more pictures here.

About three-quarters of the entries in the tourney had picked up the sport within the past year, said David Goose, the Picklers’ director of court operations.

“I think people were very excited; the tourney was run very well, ” he said.

“It’s nice to get people out [who are] at the lower levels, to come out and have fun and see if this is something they want to pursue.”

On Saturday, Kevin Jenks and Mike Richer edged Sherri Gyovai and Cindi Pettit in the final match, with Greg Cooper and Tom Flack in third place and Steve Burkett and Abigail Berg placing fourth.

“As long as there are no disasters, this’ll be an annual event,” Goose said.

Pickleball has been called the fastest growing sport in America, with origins tracing back to nearby Bainbridge Island.

“The city needs to pursue more courts,” Goose said.

Upcoming tournaments for the Sequim Picklers, a registered nonprofit club formed to “facilitate the growth of pickleball in Sequim and on the Olympic Peninsula for enjoyment, health, and social engagement among players of all ages,” include the Sequim Fling Tournament, Friday-Sunday, June 23-25, with round robin play, men’s, women’s and mixed divisions, four age brackets and designed for players in 3.0-4.0 skill levels.

Also scheduled this year is the Blue Hole Bash Tournament, Friday-Sunday, Sept. 20-Oct. 1.

The club also has organized play at the courts on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (some play for members only). The club’s annual meeting and party is Saturday, June 17, at the nearby Guy Cole Center.

See sequimpicklers.net for more information.

Sequim Gazette photos by Michael Dashiell A crowd looks on as Abigail Berg returns a serve in a semifinal match in the Big Dill Fun Day tournament on May 20.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Kevin Jenks returns a volley in the Big Dill Fun Day tournament on May 20 at Carrie Blake Community Park.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Sherri Gyovai returns a volley in the Big Dill Fun Day tournament on May 20 at Carrie Blake Community Park.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Mike Richer, left, and Kevin Jenks share post-match congrats with Cindi Pettit, far left, and Sherri Gyovai in the championship match at the Big Dill Fun Day tournament at Carrie Blake Community Park on May 20.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / To placers in the Big Dill Fun Day tournament at Carrie Blake Community Park on May 20 include, from left: Kevin Jenks and Mike Richer, first place; Sherri Gyovai and Cindi Pettit, second place; Greg Cooper and Tom Flack, third place, and Abigail Berg and Steve Burkett, fourth place.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Abigail Berg and Steve Burkett placed fourth in the Sequim Picklers’ 2023 Big Dill Fun Day tournament.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Greg Cooper, left, and Tom Flack took third place in the Sequim Picklers’ 2023 Big Dill Fun Day tournament.