Gavin Manders and Bermuda Team Gear Up: Gavin Manders will lead the Bermuda team in the inaugural Caribbean Pickleball Championships from February 6 to 9 in the Cayman Islands. Manders, the national director of the Pickleball Association Bermuda, will mentor the team during the four-day tournament, which includes players Benjamin Jones, Imani Phillips, Sasha Fisher, Johnie Singleton, and Mical Russell.
The Bermudian athletes will compete against teams from Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Puerto Rico, and the host nation, Cayman Islands. Jones, Manders, Phillips, and Fisher are returning to competition after their experience at the World Cup in Peru last year.
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Team Selection and Goals
Manders expressed confidence in the team’s selection.
“We have selected a team of six for the Caribbean Pickleball Championships,”
he told The Royal Gazette.
“There might be one more player for the open elite, but the six are confirmed for now.”
The team’s main goal is to finish on the podium.
“As long as we get on the podium, it will be a success from our perspective,” (Gavin Manders).
He noted that Bermuda has a strong developmental advantage over many Caribbean countries, despite the competition from athletes with rich racket sports backgrounds.
Facility and Tournament Details
The tournament presents Bermuda with a chance to renew its rivalry with Cayman. The two teams previously met in the round of 16 at the World Cup, where Cayman won on a tiebreaker. Manders highlighted the high-quality facilities in Cayman, noting, “They have the best facility in the region,” with 22 courts available for play.
The Pickleball Association Bermuda is involved in organizing the tournament, which is sanctioned by the Pickleball Federation of the Americas. Manders will arrive early to help prepare for the event.
Challenges and Future Plans
Despite the excitement, the Bermuda team faced logistical challenges.
“Travel logistics have caused some issues for our selection process,”(Gavin Manders)
as some players had work commitments and could not attend.
The team is also working to put together a senior team, although Manders noted this might not materialize due to travel constraints. The selection process for the team followed the same criteria used for the World Cup, focusing on international competition and local rankings.
The Caribbean Pickleball Championships offer a valuable opportunity for Bermuda to showcase its talent on a regional stage. Success at this tournament could boost the sport’s profile and encourage further development within the community.
News in Brief: Gavin Manders and Bermuda Team Gear Up
Gavin Manders will lead Bermuda’s team at the inaugural Caribbean Pickleball Championships from February 6-9 in the Cayman Islands. Competing against teams from several Caribbean nations, the Bermudian athletes aim to finish on the podium. Manders highlighted Bermuda’s developmental advantage despite logistical challenges affecting player selection. The tournament, sanctioned by the Pickleball Federation of the Americas, is an opportunity to showcase Bermuda’s talent.
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