My Pickleball Diary: Day 26

A Successful Day for My Son at DUPR Day

As a pickleball enthusiast, I have been keeping a journal of my experiences on my website. Day 26 was a special day for me and my son AJ. We had planned to participate in the DUPR Day at Pelican Park in Mandeville, but I had suffered an injury that forced me to sit out.

However, AJ was determined to play, and we woke up early to check if the event was still happening. After receiving confirmation, we embarked on a 40-minute ride to the northshore of Lake Ponchartrain, chatting and laughing on the way.

A Challenging Start to the Day

When we arrived at the courts, we noticed that there weren’t many people there yet. Bud, the organizer, was ready to check us in, but I had to inform him that I couldn’t participate due to my injury. Meanwhile, AJ signed up and went to assist with drying the courts as it had rained heavily in the morning.

Only four courts were dry enough to play on, and AJ was not among the first 16 players chosen to start. We sat and watched other games, waiting for AJ’s turn to play.

A Winning Streak for My Son

Around 9:30 am, Bud assigned AJ to a group with two other players. They were a man short, so Bud stepped in to play with them because he was a 4.0 player, which was the estimated rating of this group. The plan was for each of the four players to play a match with each other as partners. The first match was a close and competitive game, and AJ’s team lost 9 to 11. However, AJ and his next two partners won the next two matches, which were also highly contested.

Initially, AJ was supposed to be done for the day, but two more players had arrived, and they needed to play. So, AJ and one of the other players started a new group and played three more matches using the same format. To my delight, AJ’s teams won all three matches.

Headed Back to New Orleans

Happy with the day’s results, we decided to head back to New Orleans as AJ had to take care of Mark and Patrick’s dog. We were thrilled with AJ’s performance, especially since he had shown more patience and poise than usual, and his record for the day was five wins and one close loss.

Day 26 of my pickleball diary was a memorable one. Despite my injury, AJ had a great day at the DUPR Day at Pelican Park in Mandeville. He showed more patience and poise than usual and won five out of six matches. We look forward to discovering his new rating when the DUPR site updates on Tuesday.