Pickleball Comes To Graysville, Al

Tim and Laura Statum, USAPA Ambassadors from Graysville, Al, have been planning this event for what seems like a very long time. Laura reports, “We finally had our Pickleball demonstration here in Graysville and it was a great success!"

The demonstration was scheduled begin on May 30th, at 10:00am. Several City volunteers arrived early to help get things set up for the event. With everything ready to go by 9:15, Tim took advantage of the situation and got all the volunteers out on the courts to be the first to learn to play the game. Not only were they delighted with the game and eager to learn more, it was a perfect way to welcome people as they began to arrive to the event. People already out on the courts!


Graysville Mayor, Doug Brewer was there to help the Statums promote the game and a little before 10:00 Bob Husky, USAPA Ambassador from Opelika, Al, and Cindy Moore, Ambassador from Pine Mountain, GA, arrived to lend a helping hand. Cindy flew in from Arizona!

The USAPA Welcome Banner let people know they were at the right place. Tables were set up with items to be raffled off during the day, including the grand prize which was a collapsible cooler stuffed with two paddles, balls, Pickleball Books, T-Shirt, demonstration DVD and Rulebook. Local businesses donated items that filled 'goody bags' for every one. Tim and Laura also had a table set up with USAPA and Sun City Festival brochures, USAPA membership applications, Atlantic South website flyers and information sheets on the basic rules and strategies of the game as well as where to purchase equipment.

The 'newbies' finally picked up their paddles and filled the courts. This was exciting - “There even came a time where Bob, Cindy, Tim and I had to wait for a court to play Pickleball. After being instructed in the basics, people played Pickleball and all who learned that day stayed until the end." says Laura.

Before the day was over, Mike McClanahan from the local CBS station arrived for interviews and a video shoot. Tim Statum, Mayor, Doug Brewer, Bob Huskey and Cindy Moore were featured on the video that aired on the CBS 5:00 pm news. By 2:00 the event drew to an end but not before Tim and Laura made sure everyone had their business card or a way to stay in touch. Without a doubt - Pickleball has truly arrived in Graysville.

Tim and Laura are pretty new to game themselves and new to the USAPA Pickleball community. A few comments from them: "Tim and I played a couple of games with Bob and Cindy before they hit the road for home. Again, we realized how much we still had to learn. Bob and Cindy were truly fun (and very enlightening) to watch (and get beat by!!). They taught us so much. They are wonderful people and I was so glad they were able to come.

..........and we’re going to do what we can to keep the interest going. We're hoping everyone will stick with it and eventually become USAPA members. We just want to say thank you again to everyone. Our Mayor has been so supportive and has worked with us on ensuring that our demonstration was a complete success. He has already made a number of suggestions for future growth of Pickleball in our community. Bob and Cindy were truly a great part of our event's success.

..............The (USAPA) Pickleball community really reached out to us newbies and we are happy to be a part of such a great bunch. “ Laura and Tim Statum.


Go to the Pickleball Photo Gallery for more pictures of this event.

Here's a link to the CBS article and video Graysville Serves Up Pickleball