The sport of pickleball continues to boom in popularity all across the world. Florida, and specifically the Gulf Coast, is one of the epicenters of the sport. Now, Cape Coral is turning into the peak of collegiate pickleball.
The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) is hosting the U.S. Collegiate Championships at The Courts, Cape Coral, this weekend.
"We are putting on a March Madness of our own," APP Executive Vice President of Strategy and Growth Shannon Dan said. "A lot of excitement, a lot of energy. It’s going to be a great next few days."
It's pickleball madness in Cape Coral right now. The country's top 32 college pickleball teams are competing for a share of $50,000 and a national championship. The weekend features two tournaments — a team competition and singles. Schools from all over the country are here, including Stanford, Indiana, Texas, Virginia, Florida, Florida State, and more.
"It’s nice for the athletes, especially in cold weather climates, to spend a few days in the sunshine and outdoors playing the game that they love," Dan said.
Some of the athletes competing are even from our community, like Gulf Coast High School graduate and current Florida State senior Lauren Lennertz.
"My first tournament was only a year ago," Lennertz said. "I’ve played in a couple of them, and it’s genuinely the best part of my life."
Plus, University of Florida junior Christian Franke is competing. The former Barron Collier High School tennis player had his family in attendance on Friday in Cape Coral.
"It’s awesome to have them there," Franke said. "They give me a lot of support. They just give me the energy to play and do well."
This weekend's championships show just how quickly pickleball is growing at the collegiate level. It is not yet an NCAA-sanctioned varsity sport. However, that may change in the coming years if the popularity continues.
"It’s crazy, my freshman year in college, there were maybe 20 people," Franke said. "Now our competitive team has 30 people, and the club itself has about 300 people at the University of Florida."
That growth will be on full display in Cape Coral for years, as the APP wants to make the Gulf Coast its permanent home for the college championships.
"We are really looking to establish a long-term partnership here in Cape Coral," Dan said. "We really want this to be the start of something for years to come."
The APP U.S. Collegiate Championships run from 9 a.m. to about 5 p.m. each day this weekend. Admission is free at The Courts, Cape Coral.