The Thomasville Pickleball Association recently wrapped up its first organized league season earlier this year, and the response from players has been overwhelmingly positive. The league began on January 12 and ran for seven weeks, finishing with medal round matches that brought plenty of friendly competition to the courts. A total of 40 players participated, competing in two divisions, Novice and Intermediate, and the league quickly became something players looked forward to each week.
According to Carisa Campanella, Secretary and Events Committee Chair for the Thomasville Pickleball Association, the goal was to create a fun but competitive environment where players of different skill levels could enjoy the game together. “We think it went great,” Campanella said. “We got a tremendous amount of positive feedback from the participants who enjoyed the competitive play.” The league even drew teams from Tallahassee who joined local players throughout the season.
Teams were made up of four to five players and were required to be mixed, meaning both men and women played together. Each week teams competed in six games total, including two same gender games and four mixed gender games. “The teams were structured into two brackets, Novice and Intermediate, with four to five players per team,” Campanella explained. “Every week each team played a total of six games: two same gender and four mixed gender.”
League nights were lively and well attended. Players arrived around 5:30 p.m. to warm up before matches began, with the Novice division starting play at 6 p.m. and the Intermediate division beginning at 6:30 p.m. Matches typically wrapped up around 8:30 p.m., and even chilly winter weather didn’t slow things down. “All 40 participants would come out at 5:30 to warm up,” Campanella said. “We had some cold winter play so it was important that everyone was continually moving.”
Competition stayed close throughout the season, and a few matches came down to tiebreakers. When teams finished with three wins each, a final mixed doubles match determined the winner. “If a match was tied after the three games, a mixed tiebreaker is played,” Campanella said. “Teams who were tied three games apiece played a final tiebreaker match.”
At the end of the season, medals were awarded in both divisions. In the Novice division, the gold medal team was the Volley Vandals, made up of Austin Payne, Able Powers, Melanie Voglesang, Laya Peterson, and Garret. (below)
The silver medal team was Drop it Like It’s Hot with Caleb Miller, Cecilie Cowie, Logan Davis, Keith Cowie, and Jennifer Thornhill. (below)
Bronze went to The Slice is Right, which included Floyd White, Jessica White, Ursula Page, Stacy Johnson, and Bobby Miller. (below)
In the Intermediate division, the gold medal team was Dinkn’, Drinkn’, Droppn’, consisting of Jim Chateaux, Li Zhang, Wanda Oliver, and Toby Greenwood. (below)
Silver went to Netflickers with Duke Bryan, Robin Roberson, Cindy Bigbie, Richard Newport, Jeff Griffin, and Maria SanPedro-Newport. (below)
The bronze medal team was FIIK, made up of Cathy Bedsole, Mike Renard, DeDe Bryson, and Ron O’Meara. (below)
The growing popularity of the league reflects the rapid growth of pickleball in the Thomasville area. Courts at Thomas County Middle School are regularly full during open play, attracting players not only from Thomasville but also from nearby communities such as Moultrie, Cairo, and Tallahassee. Campanella says interest from new players continues to increase. “Every day at Open Play the courts at the Thomas County Middle School are filled drawing players not only from Thomasville, but Moultrie, Tallahassee, and Cairo,” she said.
The association has also seen strong attendance at its five beginner sessions. In 2026, 48 newcomers have attended our Orientation to Pickleball events, which help introduce new players to the game. The Orientation events are scheduled to start again after the heat of the summer passes. Stay tuned.
With the success of this first league season, the Thomasville Pickleball Association hopes to continue building on the momentum. “We definitely want to continue structured and competitive tournaments and leagues,” Campanella said. “Our next step is to survey the community to see what they would most like to see.”
For those who have been curious about pickleball or are looking for a fun way to stay active and meet new people, the association encourages residents to come out to the courts and get involved. As the sport continues to grow locally, opportunities to play and connect with other players are only expected to increase.
