Longboat Harbour hosts first pickleball tournament

March madness started on March 17 — though not just on the basketball court. Residents of Longboat Harbour Condominiums played in their first pickleball tournament, using a double elimination format to move through the bracket. 

Players, dressed often in green for St. Patrick's Day, drew plastic gold coins from a hat to find their lucky partner in each game, then took to the courts. After each round, a few players were eliminated and others moved on. At the sidelines, about 50 players and spectators watched the action unfold. 

Ken Comeforo organized the tournament and spent his day as a line judge along with Suzanne Marschke. The community's tennis court was converted into pickleball courts a couple years ago, Comeforo said, when no one was really using the court for tennis. 

"We got into pickleball and since we did that it's done so well and we've had so many play that we decided to do a tournament," Comeforo said.

At the end of the day, Rob Dice and John Bruno were victorious.