Road Trip Weekend
Posted on September 24, 2021 by Ching under Hobbies, Travel.
My friend Ramon Lozano invited me to play with him in a tournament in Lenexa on Saturday, September 11. It was the same weekend as the Kansas Senior Games so I decided to take that Friday off work and make a pit stop in Topeka to check on how my friends were doing.
While at the park, I bumped into a former coworker, Denise Fundis, who retired from Westar Energy a few years ago. I was surprised to hear someone call out for “Cherrie” because everyone I know from pickleball knows me as “Ching” and when I turned around it was Denise.
Here are some pictures of some of my favorite picklers. Can you believe these guys are seniors? Pictured above: Matt Conrad, Kim Blackmon, Tiffany and Donnie Lesperance. Below: Chris Wilson and Janelle Lindeman.
After watching a few matches at the Kansas Senior Games, it was time for me to head to Mary Ann’s house in Shawnee to drop off my stuff before we met some of our friends for dinner at KC Daiquiri Shop.
The tournament I played in was held at Bois D’Arc Park in Lenexa. It’s a great park with eight spacious, dedicated, and lighted pickleball courts.
The tournament had a great turnout and was very organized. Jeremy Reimer and his team of volunteers did a fabulous job.
Devon Fuller and I unintentionally reverse matched in the morning.
Ran into Aaron Trost at the tournament. That was such a nice surprise.
Mary Ann took her mother Judy for a walk and they came by the park and watched a few games. I think I might have convinced them to try it. Hoping to see them play at the next tournament.
It was Michelle Dreilling’s birthday that day so we took a birthday selfie.
Ramon found me an awesome women’s doubles partner, Karly Williams, for the 4.0+ women’s doubles division in the morning. After being nearly flawless in the round robin pool play (losing only to Rachel Chai-Wise and Suparna Garinger), we ended up not performing as well in the single elimination bracket and took fourth place. Not bad for our first time playing together, though.
Ramon and I struggled a bit in pool play (we were 4 and 3) but managed to take second place in 4.0+ mixed. The joke was that we were saving everything for the single elimination bracket which, in the end, is what really matters.
I’m glad we medaled because I didn’t want to let Ramon down. I felt like this was my audition and I had to perform well to be invited to team up again.
Of all my medals, this is my favorite one. First, because it actually says what event it’s for on the back and none of my other medals do. And secondly, because it is my first one with my friend Ramon. I’m hoping there will be others.
Anyway, the tournament was super fun. I’m definitely going to try and play in it again next year (or whenever they have another). I’ll try to bring some more people from Wichita next time too. Until then, GNG.
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