Chamber to hold free pickleball clinic; tournament to follow

HAMILTON — The Hamilton Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its first-ever pickleball tournament on Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Hamilton Pickleball Court, located on 10th Avenue Southwest, near the tennis courts.
Before the tournament, a free clinic will also be held, beginning at 10 a.m. A professional pickleball player will be on hand to provide details and tips on one of the fastest growing sports in the nation.
Men and women of all skill levels are invited to attend, along with youth ages 14 and up who are able to compete alongside adults.
The cost is $20 per team for tournament entry and a cash prize, and a trophy will be awarded.
Chamber president Ethan Mattingly said the chamber is enthusiastic about the new addition to its local festivities lineup.
“We are very excited to host this two-part event (Pickleball Clinic and Tournament) with Worth DuPerier, a renowned Pickleball expert,” he said. “We are striving to be able to get people outside and enjoy the beautiful City of Hamilton!”
He also invited local and neighboring citizens to the event.
“We would love to welcome everyone from Hamilton and our neighboring communities to come and participate in this tournament,” he said.
“According to pickleball professionals, we have one of the best courts in our region! As a chamber of commerce, we are here to grow local business, and we believe growth starts with families. Let's get outside and grow together!”
Chamber vice president Ashley Palmer echoed some of Mattingly’s comments and added a few more.
“We feel that this event is going to bring many people out and encourage them to use the great facilities that our city has provided for us.
“Worth, the man who will be running the clinic, is from the Oxford, Miss., area and informed us that our courts are nicer than anything they have in Oxford,” she said.
“Pickleball is a sport for all ages, and we have already seen that by having multiple people sign up with ages ranging from 15 to 67 and five teams already registered for the tournament following the clinic.
“We are excited about this new event that the chamber is putting on and the future of more events like this to bring our community together.”
Chamber officials also noted fresh-squeezed lemonade by Lemmie’s will be featured at the event.
To register, visit the Hamilton Area Chamber of Commerce Facebook or Instagram pages or call 205-921-7786 Tuesdays or Thursdays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. for more information.