Passing the Torch: A Reflection on 7 Years of Pickleball and Community

Dear Pickleball Tournament Participants and Friends,

As we prepare to bid farewell to our roles as organizers of the Big Easy pickleball tournament, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we have embarked on together over the past 7 years.

From the outset, our mission has never been about making money. Instead, our focus has always been on fostering growth and inclusion in the sport of pickleball. Through our partnership with various non- profits around the city, we have had the privilege of connecting with diverse communities and spreading the joy of pickleball to all who wanted to play.

As a 100% volunteer-driven program, each and every one of you has been instrumental in helping us achieve our original goal. Your passion, dedication, and unwavering support has fueled the success of the tournament year after year. Together, we have created a welcoming and inclusive environment where players of all ages and skill levels can come together to enjoy the game we love.

As many of you may have known over the past couple of years, we have been contemplating retiring from the Big Easy and after much reflection, we believe that we have accomplished what we originally set out to accomplish. The Big Easy pickleball tournament has grown beyond our wildest dreams, and it is time for us to step aside and allow new and younger ambassadors to continue carrying the torch forward. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your organizer.

To those of you who may be interested in taking on the responsibility of organizing the tournament, we offer our full support and encouragement of your leadership and have already relayed our message to the Hilton Hotel and the Hilton Health Club. The future of the Big Easy is bright, and we cannot wait to see where the journey takes you. The Hilton is holding the weekend August 2 – 4, 2024 and still have a block of rooms being held. Please give me a call if you have any serious interest in taking over the Big Easy. After 7 years of tournament play and with a total of 400 participants in 2023, the time seems right for someone to step in, ride this momentum that has been established, and take The Big Easy to the next level.

With warm regards and heartfelt appreciation,

Helen Siegel, Ronnie Evans ,and Paul Bruno