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Grand Park hosts ‘Holiday Pickleball Festival’

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Westfield, Indiana – The inaugural Winter Pickleball Festival began on Saturday at Grand Park Sports Campus.

The Grand National Racquet Center will host several pickleball competitions, clinics, and playing opportunities until December 31 in collaboration with Legacy Sports Group.

The festival’s creator and owner, Birch Dalton, also holds the position of managing director for the center, which is slated to open in 2025 across from Grand Park.

According to him, holding the festival is just the beginning of their goal to establish central Indiana as the nation’s pickleball capital.

“We’ve had exciting momentum right out here for our first year,” Dalton said. “We determined that having a high number of quality well-spaced elite courts is where the vision is for both local, social play and tournament play.”

John Moorin, a professional pickleball player, and Dalton’s business partner will provide clinics throughout the event.

He claims that in recent years, the game has developed into a serious sport.

“It’s crazy because a few years ago, the top pros, they were Weekend Warriors, they were accountants and doing all this other stuff,” Moorin said. “Now, there’s full-time leagues … There’s Major League Pickleball, there’s professional stuff and then we’ve got this collegiate tournament coming in.”

It’s fascinating to watch it grow, says Moorin.

“It’s just another avenue for young kids to move around, exercise, get some good clean fun,” Moorin said. “We’re excited to be teaching some clinics.”

The Midwest Open and the Association of Pickleball Players’ Collegiate Championship, two new events in the realm of competitive pickleball, are being held in front of the event by organizers.

Grand Park will host the APP competitions from January 3 through January 7.

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