BIG NEWS for Pickleball fans and players!  Avalon, New Jersey will host the official tour stop for the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) in 2023. The inaugural APP New Jersey Classic is set for Avalon’s pickleball complex, September 6-10. It’s the fastest growing sport in the United States and the top ranked players in the world will make a stop in Avalon amid tour venues in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, and St. Louis.
 
The APP New Jersey Classic will call the Jersey Cape its home for four days in September and visitors are welcome to watch the top tour professionals in the world in the senior pro tournament or even get in on the game as a competitor in the amateur division. 
 
Not familiar with the sport? It’s been around since the 1960s and combines elements of tennis, ping-pong, and badminton. One theory about its funny name, it came from a pickle boat in crew rowing that is made up of rowers not chosen by other team; the other theory claims it was named after the dog of one of the guys who first started the game on the West Coast. Take your pick – or pickleball!
 
In New Jersey’s Southern Shore region, pickleball continues to gain popularity, paddle by paddle. The game is played on a 20 by 40-foot court, about the same size as a doubles badminton court. Less demanding than tennis, pickleball is a relatively low impact sport, which makes it appealing to baby boomers. By the way, when a team fails to score in a whole game, they’ve been pickled!
 
Competing or not, you can enjoy the excitement in Avalon!  The official Pro Tour Partner, USA Pickleball, will feature vendors and other attractions at the event.  Avalon’s Pickleball event will be live streamed and broadcast on TV to a worldwide audience so no one will miss the action. www.apptour.org