This Saturday, the Manning Rec Center is hosting a pickleball tournament to help raise funding to update and add new amenities to the Manning City Park. In 2022, city officials and the Manning Park Improvement Committee started fundraising and proposing to update obsolete equipment to promote safety and enhance park experiences. Jean Stadtlander and Karen Herreman, who both serve on the Beautification Committee for Manning, were looking to get a pickleball group started for the community and thought of no better way than to assist in raising money for the city park that will be the home of a court.
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Registration is still open to individuals who are interested in participating. They can sign up by contacting the Manning Rec Center at 712-655-3861. The tournament has two different divisions to allow for players of all experience levels the opportunity to play. Starting at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, the first round of the competitive division will be for those in it to win it and maybe be a little more experienced at playing the game. Recreational, or the more casual, playing for the fun group will begin at 12:30 p.m. Herreman says singles need to register for this tournament as they will be partnered up with different competitors to play.
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The cost is $50 per player and includes a t-shirt. Prizes will also be given to the winners of each division. Individuals are also welcome to watch the tournament at the Manning Rec Center, where concessions and t-shirt sales to support the next phase of the city park project in Manning will occur concurrently. Stadtlander says they are also looking for individuals interested in lessons being held for community members wishing to join the trend of the fastest-growing sport in America.
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Again, the Manning Pickleball Crazy Eights tournament is this Saturday, starting at 7:30 a.m. Stadtlander and Herreman encourage everyone to come out to support the Manning City Park project and continue to make Manning a wonderful place to live.