Boca Raton Picklers Throws a Pickleball Party: In mid-October, the National Pickleball League’s (NPL) Boca Raton Picklers won at the 2024 DreamCloud NPL Championship Event, defeating the Columbus Hotshots in a thrilling match in Cincinnati. Now, the victorious Picklers are bringing the celebration to home, with a watch party and participation in the city’s 52nd Annual Holiday Street Parade. Fans and players will gather in Boca Raton to relive the championship win and mark a new chapter for the city’s pickleball scene.
Watch Party and Citywide Celebration
On Tuesday, Dec. 3, the Picklers will host a watch party at Broken Sound Club in Boca Raton, where attendees can view a special two-hour CBS Sports Network broadcast of the Champions Pro (50+) pickleball league’s final event. The broadcast will allow fans to relive the team’s victorious journey, while the Picklers themselves get a chance to reflect on their hard-fought success.
Brian Levine, a player for the Picklers and Boca Raton native, emphasized the significance of this celebration for the local community.
“We’re having this celebration because Boca Raton really is the center of the pickleball craze and there’s never been a sports championship there, so people are excited. The whole team is flying in.” – (Brian Levine)
“Right before the watch party, the mayor is giving us the key to the city and we’re presenting him with a couple of jerseys. The next day, the team is holding a clinic and a pro-am, and then we’ll participate in the parade at night. We’re going to have a golf cart pulling a pickleball net and we’ll be playing down the parade route.” – (Brian Levine)
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Clinic and Parade
The festivities will continue on Dec. 4, when the Picklers host a clinic and pro-am before participating in the Holiday Street Parade later that evening.
In a unique twist, the team will make its parade appearance by riding in a golf cart pulling a pickleball net, and will even play as they make their way down the parade route. The event promises to be a one-of-a-kind celebration of the Picklers’ championship and the growing pickleball scene in Boca Raton.
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A Team of Champions
The NPL, established in 2022, is the first professional pickleball league focused on players aged 50 and above. The Picklers are not only known for their competitive edge, but also for the athletic backgrounds of their players, which include notable achievements in tennis, baseball, and table tennis.
“Those watching the broadcast at home will see the intensity and the fire. The NPL is a really cool thing to do for senior players. Most of our team members on the Picklers have pretty strong athletic backgrounds.” – (Brian Levine)
Levine shared, “Most of our team members have pretty strong athletic backgrounds,” noting the impressive careers of players like Ginny Purdy, Audra Spielberger, and Peter Prodanov, among others. Levine believes the Picklers’ success is rooted in the team’s chemistry.
“Ginny Purdy and Audra Spielberger were Top 50 in the world in tennis back in the day, Peter Prodanov was drafted by the Boston Red Sox, Bryan Shapiro was a national champion at UC Santa Cruz, Mircea Morariu was an All-Ivy League tennis player at Brown, and Tao Thongvanh was a professional table tennis player in Europe. We’ve got a lot of people that had that championship pedigree. Pickleball has kind of given them that second chance at the competitive fire. It means something for them.” – (Brian Levine)
“The team concept is fascinating. It’s a blast to play and have your teammates root for you, and when you’re not playing, you’re pulling for your teammates. Our team got closer as the year went on, and we performed better. I don’t think it was a coincidence that those two things happened.” – (Brian Levine)
You saw it in MLP with the Dallas Flash, too. They were very close. It’s something when you’re fighting for other players. There’s an intensity level that exists in teams playing pickleball that you just don’t see on the individual side. That’s because of the power of teammates.” – (Brian Levine)
Boca Raton: The New Hub of Pickleball
Levine is proud to represent Boca Raton, which he calls “the pickleball capital of the world.” While some may argue that Naples holds that title, he points out that six out of the top ten professional pickleball players, men and women, reside in or near Boca Raton.
“I think of Boca Raton as the pickleball capital of the world. People will say it’s Naples, but if you just look at where the pros reside, six out of the Top 10 right now, men and women combined, are in Boca or within 10 miles of Boca. That’s pretty impressive.” – (Brian Levine)
“To represent the city of Boca Raton and for that to be the first professional sports championship for the city is cool.” – (Brian Levine)
Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer echoed Levine’s sentiments, praising the Picklers for their exceptional performance.
“The Boca Raton Picklers have proven themselves true champions, dominating the National Pickleball League with skill, determination, and teamwork. Their victory is not just a testament to their athleticism on the court, but to their unwavering commitment to excellence. This championship win marks a new era for Boca Raton as a powerhouse in the world of pickleball. As the Picklers take their place at the top, they represent a larger trend sweeping the nation that has hit our city.” – (Brian Levine)
News in Brief: Boca Raton Picklers Throws a Pickleball Party
The Boca Raton Picklers, champions of the 2024 DreamCloud NPL Championship, are celebrating their victory in style. On Dec. 3, the team will host a watch party at Broken Sound Club, showing their victory with a CBS Sports Network broadcast.
The following day, they will host a clinic, a pro-am, and participate in the 52nd Annual Holiday Street Parade. The events highlight the city’s growing pickleball scene and its new status as a pickleball hub.
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