As the popularity of pickleball continues to rapidly grow around the world, the City of Foley is making a name for itself as a top-notch destination to compete. It has been chosen as one of only five sites in the country to host an inaugural USA Pickleball tournament, Select Series Gulf Coast which will take over the Foley Event Center August 23 – 25.
The growth of pickleball is indisputable with celebrities like Tom Brady, Drake, and LeBron James purchasing partial stakes in professional teams. But the growth isn’t just on a professional level. According to USA Pickleball, the National Governing Body for the sport of pickleball in the U.S., it has been the fastest-growing sport in America for three years running.
Lance Cowart, Managing Director of National Championships at USA Pickleball, said the next step in continuing to encourage this expansion was to make high-quality competition at sanctioned events accessible for people regardless of where in the country they lived. Enter the Select Series. Five regions were identified with, with one site in each region including Richman, Va. representing the Mid-Atlantic Region, Fairfield, Calif. representing the Wine Country Region, Manasquan, N.J. representing the North Mid-Atlantic Region, Colorado Springs, Colo. representing the Great Plains Region, and Foley, Ala. will represent the Gulf Coast.
Cowart said part of the reason Foley was chosen to host the Select Series was because of its previous success hosting pickleball events that grow the sport in the region.
“USA Pickleball Select Series aims to create an incredible player experience and highlight amazing pickleball venues across the nation to continue growing the sport. Whether it’s someone’s first tournament or they’re a seasoned player, we want to ensure we’re fostering the sport at all levels and across all regions,” said Cowart. “Our team is excited to return to Foley Event Center and co-host an amazing event for our members with the City of Foley.”
City of Foley Executive Director of Leisure Services, David Thompson, said pickleball events were always a part of the Foley Sports Tourism plan. When the Foley Event Center opened in 2017 it had pickleball lines included in the design of the main floor and competitions could be accommodated immediately. The first pickleball event took place five months after the facility opened. The size and number of tournaments continued to grow, even drawing the USA Pickleball Atlantic South Regional in 2021.
Thompson said the success of pickleball in the area was because regardless of who came to compete, they would find a place ready to welcome them in with a special kind of hospitality not found anywhere else.
“Our City is special. Every single person who lives here knows that to their core. The best part is they want to share that beauty with those who visit and help them create lasting memories that keep them coming back. Foley is quickly growing into a sports destination and a huge part of that is because of our welcoming community,” Thompson said. “We are honored that USA Pickleball has allowed us to host a Select Series competition. Pickleball is a sport that is accessible to everyone at every age and that’s how we like to view our City as well. There is something for absolutely everyone to enjoy here. That’s what makes this the perfect partnership and one we hope to grow well into the future.”
More information on the 2024 USA Pickleball Select Series is available at usapickleball.org/selectseries. For more information on Select Series Gulf Coast contact Stephanie Donald.