The Happy Trails Pickleball Club, located in Surprise, Arizona, is not only a largely successful club sporting over 500 members, but the club is also integral to the history of pickleball. In 2001, pickleball was introduced to the Arizona Senior Olympics for the first time, and Happy Trails got the honor of hosting the event which boasted over 100 participants. Now, this historical club contributes to the sport by hosting the annual Happy Trails Classic Pickleball Tournament. The Classic is played on 10 lighted, outdoor courts and invites players 50 and older between the 3.0 and 5.0 skill level to come play in possibly the most long-enduring tournament in the area. The tournament has been around for 18 years and has recently hosted over 400 participants.
Many things go into putting on a successful pickleball tournament, especially one that occurs annually. Doug Smook, the current director for the Happy Trails Classic, credits the long-term success of the tournament to hospitality and a friendly atmosphere. He goes so far as to say that hospitality “has continued to be the foundation of our Classic for 18 years!”
The Happy Trails Classic provides 13-15 vendors each year—a staple for any large pickleball tournament. The vending options include food trucks, apparel, and other pickleball-related shops. Players and spectators alike are also provided with a “Hospitality Suite” which serves as a home base for the tournament and provides all kinds of refreshments like coffee, tea, water, and other snacks. Upon their arrival, participants are also provided with gift bags which include towels, gloves, silicone wristbands, and more.
The Happy Trails Club proves its commitment to hospitality by fielding a team of 200 volunteers each year. Smook says that “volunteers have always been an integral part of the tournament.” One might ask, why the need for so many volunteers? But one look at the director’s list of tournament duties would answer the question. Because of limited parking, the Happy Trails staff provides a convenient and friendly shuttle service. Participants and spectators alike are picked up in their cars at the beginning of the day, taken to their courts, and returned to their cars at the end of the day. Thanks to their large team, tournament volunteers also help with administrative tasks like checking in players, coordinating referees, and posting tournament results. Volunteers monitor and maintain the courts, greet players and spectators, and even help document the event by taking photos.
Another enjoyable feature of the tournament is that all the volunteers are in costume! Every year of its existence, the Happy Trails Classic leans heavily into its western theme. If you were visiting the tournament, you would see hosts of cowboy and cowgirl volunteers waltzing about. The winners are awarded with western-themed metals while standing atop a podium made from hay bales in front of a desert backdrop. Since many of the street names in the area are western or desert-themed, Smook says that the western theme “is pretty synonymous with our resort and therefore the Classic.” Happy Trails is so committed to its theme that it got permission to use the names and photos of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans to market their wild-west tournament. Their emphasis on theme not only adds another layer of fun to the tournament but also makes the tournament more memorable, helping increase long-term success and attendance.
Putting on a large-scale annual pickleball tournament is no small task and might seem daunting to a relatively new pickleball club. Organization and leadership are vital for a thriving tournament. Smook advises clubs to begin their tournament-hosting endeavors by forming a committee composed of a tournament director, a couple of assistant directors, and volunteer captains. Openness and communication are key. The tournament leadership should talk together frequently and form a detailed vision about what they want their tournament to look like: “Take information from people who have attended tournaments. What did they like or dislike at the tournaments they have attended?”
Friendly volunteers and seamless hospitality are also essential to a successful, annual pickleball tournament. The Happy Trails Club garners most of its volunteers from its wide membership base; the current director estimates that 90% of the tournament’s volunteers are club members. Thus, a strong community and membership core helps ensure a tournament’s success.
It is important to remember that creating a long-lasting, popular tournament takes both time and experience. Having a close-knit community and membership group may be as important to a tournament’s success as having a slew of vendors and sponsors. In his last piece of advice to future annual tournament hosts, Smook says, “Don’t start too big, grow into it as you learn.”
