Paso Robles man earns Pickleball medals
Jack Hodges competes at California State Senior Games
Paso Robles resident Jack Hodges, left, stands with Tom Gunther from Laguna Niguel after the duo won the silver medal in the 65-69 men’s Pickleball competition at the California State Senior Games. Courtesy photo.
Contributed
ESCONDIDO, CA – Paso Robles resident Jack Hodges returned earlier this week from the California State Senior Games with two medals in hand, a bronze and silver, after competing in singles and doubles Pickleball matches.
Hodges, a USA Pickleball Association Ambassador and founder of the Paso Robles Pickleball, earned a bronze medal in the men’s 65-69 singles competition after beating the No. 1-seeded player in a second-round match before losing to the same player in the medal round.
In doubles, Hodges teamed up with Tom Gunther from Laguna Niguel and won the silver medal in the 65-69 men’s competition. The duo beat the No. 1 seed in the second round and the No. 2 seed in the third round before eventually losing in an epic battle – 9-11, 13-11, 9-11, 13-15 – during the gold medal match.
“I was the only member of our club to play in the tournament, but am hoping that I can get more of our players ready for upcoming tournaments – they are close,” Hodges said.
Held this year in Escondido, the California State Senior Games is a large event featuring different sports being played at different venues within the state. It is also a qualifier for the National Senior Games played around the country, which was held this past year in Cleveland and next summer in Minneapolis.
Currently, four Central Coast clubs play Pickleball 3-4 times a week – Paso Robles Pickleball Club, Cambria Pickleball, Heritage Ranch Pickleball, and Pismo Beach Athletic Club Pickleball. For more information on Pickleball, give Hodges a call at (949) 547-2251.
Top stories Sept. 25, 2013
