The Joint Chinese Universities Alumni Association in Southern California (JCUAA) held the “First College Cup Pickleball Friendship Tournament” at Barnes Park in Monterey Park on April 20th. A total of 15 university alumni teams competed in 68 matches, with the alumni association of Tamkang University emerging as the overall champions.
The president of the collegiate alumni association, Wu Dianlong, aims to promote the emerging sport of Pickleball during his term, fostering exchanges among alumni from different schools and promoting camaraderie through the sport. Pickleball originated on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, invented by Joel Pritchard and his two friends in 1965, named after Pritchard’s dog, “Pickle.”
Pickleball is a sport similar to tennis, badminton, and table tennis, suitable for both outdoor and indoor play. The champions of the men’s doubles middle-aged group this year were Wu Dianlong and Xie Zhongcheng. Wu Dianlong mentioned that Pickleball is not an intense sport and is suitable for all age groups. It has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States in recent years, with over a hundred million Americans playing Pickleball and gaining popularity internationally.
While this competition was in its inaugural year, President Wu stated that it had already gained considerable scale, with many alumni having trained seriously in advance, resulting in highly competitive matches. This year laid the foundation, and he hopes to expand the scale of the tournament in the second edition next year, with more affiliated alumni associations participating in the Pickleball Friendship Tournament to improve their skills and foster friendship through sports.
The event organizer, Chen Lihua, is the current president of the alumni association of Cheng Kung University. After taking on the organizing responsibilities, she went from being completely unfamiliar with Pickleball to experiencing its numerous benefits firsthand. She believes that Pickleball helps alumni improve cardiovascular function and endurance, with less strain on joints and muscles, making it suitable for participants of all ages.
Fang Qiongyi, the deputy director of the Overseas Chinese Center, participated in the ceremonial first serve. She mentioned that she had heard early on about Pickleball becoming a popular sport in the United States, with even Bill Gates showing enthusiasm for it. Although it was her first time trying it, she found it easy to get started, and beginners did not find it difficult to play, making it accessible to everyone. Fang Qiongyi looks forward to Pickleball becoming a regular activity representing JCUAA in the future.