Tournament Club in The Villages

08/29/2026

🔥🥒 WHAT A SCORCHER! 🥒🔥

Upper 90s, blazing sunshine, and a pickleball court full of people who apparently thought, “Yeah… let’s do this!” 😂☀️

In the 4.0–4.75 group, Doug Kellogg and Chris Eversole were 🔥 RED HOT, taking care of business all the way to the finals and coming away with a convincing victory! And looking at the winners photo, Doug may have played in only his socks today 🤔

The 3.5–4.0 group featured some familiar winners teaming up, as Dan Scheer and a surging Ted Abelson showed exactly why I moved Ted up into this group. These two are playing some serious pickleball right now! 💪

But the best competition of the day came from Gerard Sorrentino and Ziggy Lindsey, battling their way to the finals in a back-and-forth match that had everyone watching. Great battle! 👊

And now… Coach Hal is taking the next 3 weeks off! 😎✈️

That means there are some MAJOR CHANGES coming for our next tournament on September 26th. Make sure you check TeamReach or the Tournament Club page so you know what’s changing.

A HUGE thank-you to all you crazy souls who came out today, battled the heat, battled each other, and somehow SURVIVED! 😂🔥

I’ll see you all 4 weeks from today!

Coach Hal 🥒🏆

Hal Whiting, REALTOR®
The Whiting Team
Broker Associates Realty
☎️ (352) 764-1111 | (860) 796-5260

08/29/2026

📢 TOURNAMENT CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT | EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 26

As I take the next three weeks off to spend time visiting my daughter, I want to take this opportunity to announce several important changes that will go into effect when I return on September 26th.

With our snowbirds beginning to trickle back and participation increasing, it is important that we maintain a fair, organized, and competitive environment for everyone.

1. DUPR Registration Requirements

All players must register in their exact DUPR rating division.

I will have complete control over approving any player who is permitted to play up into a higher division. Please do not register yourself in a higher division without prior approval. All moves will be made by me the day of the tournament.

2. Stacking Rules & Positioning

I have noticed an increasing number of teams stacking in incorrect positions, particularly over the past few weeks.

Effective September 26th, the following penalties will apply:

• If a team is stacked in an incorrect position at the start of a point, that team will be assessed a 1-point penalty.

• A second stacking/positioning infraction during the same game will result in the team forfeiting that game.

Please do not stack unless both players fully understand the stacking strategy and the correct positioning requirements. If there is any doubt, play in the standard formation.

3. Withdrawals Within 24 Hours

If you need to withdraw from a tournament within 24 hours of the scheduled start time, you must text me directly at 860-796-5260 and explain the reason for your withdrawal.

Failure to provide an explanation may result in a suspension from future Tournament Club events.

These changes are being implemented to keep our tournaments fair, competitive, and enjoyable for everyone as our club continues to grow.

Thank you all for your cooperation and for helping make Tournament Club one of the best pickleball groups around!

See everyone on September 26th!

Coach Hal

Hal Whiting, REALTOR®
The Whiting Team
Broker Associates Realty
☎️ (352) 764-1111 | (860) 796-5260

08/23/2026

08/23/2026

🥒 TOURNAMENT CLUB UPDATE! 🥒

Well, yesterday’s weather was a little cooler for the Tournament Club… we were only at 90°! 😂🔥 Hey, I’ll take it! And we even had a nice breeze to help keep us from becoming human puddles.

But halfway through the tournament, Mother Nature decided she had seen enough pickleball for one day and opened up the skies! 🌧️☔️

But that’s Florida! 🌴 We shake it off, dry off, and start looking ahead to the Saturday tournament calendar! 💪

📣 A quick heads-up for everyone: After Saturday’s tournament, I’ll be away for 3 weeks. I’ll definitely miss seeing everyone out there battling it out on the courts!

And as we move into the next few months, you know what that means… THE SNOWBIRDS ARE COMING! 🐦❄️😂

They’ll start trickling back into The Villages, and our tournaments are going to start filling up MUCH faster! With the Tournament Club now having well over 600 members right here in The Villages, the competition for those spots is only going to get tougher. 🔥

So keep an eye on the calendar, get those registrations in, and don’t wait until the last minute!

Let’s keep the Tournament Club rolling! 💥

See you on the courts Saturday! 👊😎

Coach Hal

Hal Whiting, REALTOR®
The Whiting Team
Broker Associates Realty
☎️ (352) 764-1111 | (860) 796-5260

08/12/2026

🔥 TOURNAMENT CLUB RECAP! 🔥

Whew… 102°?! 🥵☀️ That may have kept a few players off the courts last night! 😂 But 16 brave players stepped into the heat and brought some seriously competitive pickleball! 💪🔥

🏆 3.5–4.0 Division
We saw several incredibly close matches, including multiple 11–9 battles! 😳🔥 When it came time for the finals though, Derek Baker & David Powell turned up the heat even more and dominated the competition to take home the win! 🥇🏆

🏆 3.0–3.5 Division
Ted Abelson once again showed that when the finals arrive, he seems to find another gear! 🚀💪 Teaming up with Kerry Jewell, Ted raised his level when it mattered most, and the duo brought home the championship! 🥇🎉

👏 Congratulations to all 16 players who battled through the extreme heat! You definitely earned your post-match refreshments! 😎🍹

📣 IMPORTANT TIME CHANGE!
The Tournament Club returns to its normal Saturday time slot at 2:30 PM beginning Saturday, August 22nd! 🗓️

Get ready to get back on the courts and battle it out! 🔥💪

I’ll see you on the courts!

Coach Hal

🏡 Hal Whiting, REALTOR®
The Whiting Team
Broker Associates Realty
☎️ (352) 764-1111 | (860) 796-5260

08/05/2026

🌦️⛈️ Mother Nature tried to crash the party, but the Tournament Club wasn't having it! 💪

Storm clouds threatened all evening, but we started on time and got (almost) everything in! 🌤️

🔥 4.0-4.75 Division: The crowd was treated to incredible rallies and marathon points all night long! When it was all over, Doug Kellogg and Chris Donahue (our Most Improved Player! 👏) defeated a very strong team in the finals to take home the championship! 🏆

💥 3.5-4.0 Division: Kevin Battle and Sunny Sadhwani battled their way through a thrilling championship match that stayed up for grabs until the very last point! What a fantastic final! 🎉

🌧️ 3.0-3.5 Division: The games were so competitive that the championship match was interrupted by the first rain of the evening. With the court becoming too wet to continue, Coach Hal and newcomer Ken Enos were declared the champions while holding the lead, earning the title of our wettest winners of the night! 😂🏆

👏 A huge THANK YOU to everyone who came out and made it another fantastic evening of Switch Doubles!

📅 We'll do it all again next Tuesday evening!

🚨 Important Announcement: After next Tuesday's tournaments, Tournament Club will return to our regular schedule of Saturdays at 2:00 PM at El Santiago Recreation Center. We can't wait to see everyone there! 🎉

Coach Hal

Hal Whiting, REALTOR®
The Whiting Team
Broker Associates Realty
☎️ (352) 764-1111 | (860) 796-5260

08/03/2026

Hello everyone, we have many players from the deaf and hard of hearing community who play in the Tournament Club.
Please look this over and communicate the score each point with the hand signs. Also, maybe we could all learn one or two of these signs other than just the numbers for the score.

Coach Hal

07/29/2026

🔥 What a fantastic night of pickleball action at the Tournament Club! As the sun dipped below the horizon and the temperatures finally cooled, the competition did the exact opposite... it heated up! 🌅

💥 The 4.0-4.75 division delivered one of the most thrilling championship matches we've ever seen! The lead changed hands multiple times in an incredible back-and-forth battle before Rob Schultz and Pete Zemitis pulled out a nail-biting 17-15 victory! What a finish! 👏🏆

🎯 The 3.5-4.0 division featured some outstanding play all evening long. When the dust settled, Barry Boozan and Tournament Club newcomer Willie Simmons teamed up to capture the championship. Congratulations, guys! 🎉

😂 The 3.0-3.5 division may have stolen the night's entertainment award! The championship match featured two Teds and two Abelsons facing off... you couldn't make it up! In the end, Jeff Shipp and Ted Abelson claimed first place, wrapping up their victory at 8:35 p.m., just as it was getting tough to see the ball! 🌙

📅 A reminder that our Tuesday evening tournaments will wrap up in mid-August as the earlier sunsets arrive. After that, we'll return to our regular Saturday 2:00 p.m. tournaments.

❤️ A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has battled the Florida summer heat and continued supporting the Tournament Club week after week. Your enthusiasm, great attitudes, and sportsmanship are what make this club so special. We appreciate every one of you!

See you on the courts!
Coach Hal

Hal Whiting, REALTOR®
The Whiting Team
Broker Associates Realty
☎️ (352) 764-1111 | (860) 796-5260

07/27/2026

There are still 4 open spots in the 3.0-3.5 tournament Tuesday evening.