The winners of the 4.0 plus category from left to right: 1st Dave Zapatka, Diane Zimmerman; 2nd Sheila Parkinson and Mike Mann.
The hard-working volunteers who helped in front of and behind the scenes. From left to right: David Novikoff, Mary Park, Bob McIlravy, Lindi Speager, Jorge Aparicio, Irene D’Aloisio, Gordon Markham, Linda Dirksmeyer, Andy Hughes, Karen Macksam, Hank Bryce, Bob Michael, Kathy Markham, Karn Rounds, Bev Schalin, JoAnn Zapatka, Dave Zapatka. Not pictured: Bev Krueger.
Irene D’Aloisio, Publicity
Once again, the Sun Lakes Pickleball Club Cottonwood (SLPCC) hosted the Norris Invitational Tournament which was held from March 7-10 at the Cottonwood pickleball courts. The tournament was open to all Sun Lakes residents. A double elimination event, it had both mixed doubles and doubles with five ratings categories. The first place team in each category received a $100 gift certificate and the second place team received a $50 gift certificate. The certificates are good at any Cottonwood or Palo Verde venue.
The winners were a good mix from the entire community. Here they are, listed by ratings category: 2.5 Women’s: 1st Dockter-Dixon, 2nd Kitto-Ledene, 3rd Pascaly-Young. 3.0 Women’s: 1st Jasnic-Dellacroce, 2nd Dickens-Take, 3rd D’Aloisio-Stanley. 3.5 Women’s: 1st Buckwold-Koepp, 2nd Finley-O’Connell, 3rd Ryan-Kishbaugh. 4.0 Women’s: 1st Osborn-Macksam, 2nd Williams-Myrick, 3rd Zapatka-Iovin. 4.0 Plus Women’s: 1st Park-Parkinson, 2nd Zimmerman-Dirksmeyer, 3rd True-Speager. 3.0 Men’s: 1st Mattson-Mays, 2nd Wenzel-Costa, 3rd LaPointe-Rutan. 3.5 Men’s: 1st Donald-Brooks, 2nd McIlravy-Schmutz, 3rd Peterson-Berberian. 4.0 Men’s: 1st Roberts-Markham, 2nd: Iovin-Kasper, 3rd: Bicchieri-Zimmerman. 4.0 Plus Men’s: 1st Novikoff-Zapatka, 2nd Hill-Bryce, 3rd Mann-Williams. 3.0 Mixed: 1st Wenzel-Jasnic, 2nd Dockter-Dockter, 3rd Costa-Stanley. 3.5 Mixed: 1st Koepp-Bellon, 2nd O’Connell-O’Connell, 3rd: McDonald-McDonald. 4.0 Mixed: 1st Zapatka-Dawson, 2nd Osborn-Iovin, 3rd Park-Roberts. 4.0 Plus Mixed: 1st Zimmerman-Zapatka, 2nd Mann-Parkinson, 3rd True-Novikoff.
The SLPCC’s NIT event is always huge, and it grows larger every year. The number of this year’s entries was over 80 teams, beating last year’s entries by nearly 20 teams. The annual event honors Maureen and Dick Norris, Cottonwood’s own pickleball pioneers, who worked hard for the acquisition of the four pickleball courts. The appropriately-named tournament shows how much we recognize and appreciate their efforts. Without them, we’d still be playing in a parking lot!
Everyone had a great time but without the volunteers, there wouldn’t be much of a tournament. The SLPCC wishes to thank all the teams who entered and all the volunteers who worked so hard to put the tournament together.