[New] Avalon Park Pickleball Update

Pickleball returned to the incredible U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) National Campus facility in Lake Nona Dec.1-4 where over 1,000 amateurs and pros competed in the Hertz National Pickleball Championship. Michele Byrne, who lives in South Village but trains at Cady Way Park in Winter Park because Avalon Park does not have real pickleball courts, won a Silver Medal with her senior doubles partner Jan Croud. Other Avalon Park pickleball amateurs who competed at USTA included Matt Salamon, Corey Coljeski, Caleb Deckert, Debbie Schandel, and Ed Lynt.

This Orlando tournament saw both World #1 pickleball pros Ben Johns, 23, from Austin TX., and Anna Leigh Waters, 15, from Delray

Beach FL., each win another Triple Crowngold medals in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Anna Leigh is in the latest issue of Forbes as one of the 30 game changers under 30 years old who are changing tomorrow today. They won in a standing room only USTA pickleball stadium broadcast live on the Tennis Channel, YouTube, and Facebook. In Avalon Park, 9 teams competed in our December pickleball tournament won by Pam Geronimos and Matt Salamon 7-1.

Pictured are Michele Byrne and Jan Croud; Pam Geronimos and Matt Salamon; Ben Johns; Anna Leigh Waters; and the Avalon Park December tournament group photo.

Report by Ed Lynt