Let’s Play Pickleball

Gandy Dancer Days Tournament - Saturday, 8/9

We are less than a month away from the 2025 Gandy Dancer Days event on Saturday, August 9th.  This year’s tournament will be open to GDPA members and the broader community.  By popular demand, we’re planning to follow a modified “Mixer” tournament format, expanding it to 2 levels of play.  This will be a good opportunity to play on our newly resurfaced courts in Webster.  Please see below for more information, and we hope to see you all at the courts on August 9th! 

2025 Gandy Dancer Days Tournament

• Who:                 All GDPA Members (no tournament fee) and non-members ($25 fee or by joining GDPA)

• What:                Mixer event that includes socializing, snacks/drinks and a streamlined ‘mixer’ doubles tournament

• When:               Saturday, August 9th 8:30-4:00

• Where:             Webster Pickleball Courts (Pike Ave S in Webster, just east of Webster High School and 3 blocks west of Highway 35)

• Why:                 Meet and mingle with local pickleballers, play pickleball and celebrate Gandy Dancer Days!

• Cost:                 FREE for GDPA members or $25 for non-GDPA participants

Mixer Tournament

• The “Mixer” tournament is 100% fun and intended to bring players of all backgrounds and abilities together to play in a casual/social environment

• Partners are randomly assigned – no pre-set teams, so no need to find a partner!

• We’ll play 12 minute timed round-robin games, followed by a short tournament bracket

• During round robin, players will be randomly assigned a partner and opponents for each match, giving everyone the opportunity to mix and meet new players

• Each match will be timed to 12 minutes.  At 12 minutes, each team's score will be recorded by court marshals

• Players will have a different partner for each round-robin game and the same partner throughout bracket play

• At the conclusion of round-robin matches, individual players will be given a total score and paired with a partner for bracket play

• Full format details will be briefed by the tournament directors prior to the tournament

• We will have 2 levels of play for the tournament:

• 9:00-Noon – Beginner/Intermediate level

• 1:00-4:00 – Intermediate/Advanced level

• Each level of the Mixer Tournament is limited to the first 16 players to register – Please reach out to info@gandydancerpickleball.org to sign up.  NOTE: The tournament is free for current GDPA members and $25 for non-members.  If you’re not a current member, but would like to join (only $25/year), please join/renew here: www.gandydancerpickleball.org/join.

• Beginner/Intermediate level schedule:

• 8:30      Check-in/Warm-up: Please check-in to let us know you’ve arrived and to receive your player number

• 8:50      Welcome and Tournament Briefing

• 9:00      Start of Play

• Intermediate/Advanced level schedule:

• 12:30   Check-in/Warm-up: Please check-in to let us know you’ve arrived and to receive your player number

• 12:50   Welcome and Tournament Briefing

• 1:00     Start of Play

• Each level of the tournament should take no longer than 3 hours to complete

Other Notes:

• We will have snacks and drinks at the park, and the concession stands just down the street at the fairgrounds will be open from 10-3:00 selling brats, hot dogs, chips, soda & water

• Bring chairs if you’d like to sit – the park has limited seating options

• In case of inclement weather on August 9th, we will use Sunday, August 10th as a backup date.  We will send changes via e-mail and post on Facebook and GroupMe.

• Porta-Potty is available at the park

Again, to register for the tournament, please e-mail info@gandydancerpickleball.org.  If you’re not interested or able to play in the tournament, please come to watch the tournaments, mingle and share in some GDPA fellowship!