Submitted b the Orcas Island Rotary Club.

Let’s play pickleball! The annual Orcas Island Pickleball Tournament is scheduled for a full weekend of friendly competition August 6 – 7 at Buck Park on Mt. Baker Road. The tournament offers fun for all ages and all levels of play from beginners/recreational to intermediate/advanced. Registration is open now on a first-come, first-served basis – contact orcaspickleball@gmail.com to sign up.

The events include Mixed Doubles on Saturday, August 6 at both the beginner/recreational or intermediate/advanced skill levels; and on Sunday, August 7, Men’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles in both skill levels will play. Players may register for one event on each day of the tournament. Players without partners are welcome to register and tournament staff will try to match partners up at a similar level.

Registration fees are $35/person + $20 for a second event. The Orcas Island Rotary Club hosts this fun community event and all proceeds go toward local charities. Local sponsorships are available!

If you haven’t tried pickleball yet, this is a great opportunity to come out to the park and watch the action! Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the world and Orcas Island is very grateful to our Parks and Recreation District for their foresight in building four dedicated courts at Buck Park.

There is a long-standing, fierce and friendly competition between players on Orcas and San Juan Island, battling for the gold in this tournament. This year, we expect players from Lopez, Fidalgo, Whidbey and Camano Islands for a true inter-island celebration of the sport!

Orcas Island Pickleball is an unofficial organization of players who meet at Buck Park. Court times are scheduled on playtimescheduler.com and include open sessions for all. Newcomers and visitors are welcome to join in play and new player orientation sessions are available. Contact orcaspickleball@gmail.com for more information.