Pickleball in the Sun travels to Naples for the 2022 Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships
Pickleball in the Sun takes every opportunity possible to travel throughout the United States in search of the best pickleball destinations in the country. When the opportunity came about for Pickleball in the Sun founder, Laura Gainor, to make the trip down to Naples, Florida, with her family to participate in the 2022 Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships, there was no doubt that this experience would be the perfect destination feature for pickleball players vacationing in sunny South Florida.
Photo: Bruce Yeung - @YuengPhotography
The 2022 Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships at East Naples Community Park in Naples, Florida, is one of the largest pickleball tournaments of the year. With the year-round sunny weather, sandy beaches not too far off, great food and even better company, there’s no doubt that Naples is one of the hottest cities for the ever-growing sport of pickleball.
With the US OPEN being one of the largest pickleball tournaments in the world, it was a no-brainer for Gainor and her family to make the drive from Jacksonville to Naples for Gainor to participate in the tournament. The tournament is held yearly at the East Naples Community Park, a park home to over 60 full pickleball courts!
Photo: Bruce Yeung - @YuengPhotography
Since Gainor would be playing in the tournament in the Women’s Doubles with long-time USA Pickleball client, Hope Tolley, the tournament provided not only a chance for Gainor to sharpen her own game, but continue to build team relationships both professionally and within the sport as well.
Between games, the US OPEN brought Gainor a plethora of opportunities for professional networking while enjoying pickleball under the hot South Florida sun. One of the many highlights was connecting with Pro Players she has been fortunate enough to build relationships with over the last 3 years, as well as entrepreneurs and brands that are helping to grow the sport. Additionally, Gainor is a consultant for Pickleball Magazine, the official magazine of pickleball, and had the opportunity to meet with individuals she had written stories that were published within the magazine.
““Through my collaborative efforts with Pickleball Magazine, I get the chance to tell people’s stories, and love every opportunity I get to meet them face to face and see how this sport affects their lives.””
While the focus of Gainor’s time spent in Naples was on pickleball, the beauty of Naples and the Gulf of Mexico could not go amiss. With her husband and two young children in tow, Gainor was able to make the trip down to the US OPEN a family vacation while spending time on the courts as well. Between games, Gainor and her family spent time taking in the breathtaking scenery that Naples has to offer.
“I fell in love with this sport because I’m able to play with my husband and kids while shaping the sport into a fun and active lifestyle of us traveling to new places,” Gainor revealed. “Travel opportunities such as the trip down to the US OPEN helped me to show my kids how much “community” means with the sport of pickleball,” Gainor said.
Since moving to Florida, one of the main reasons why Gainor decided to launch Pickleball in the Sun is because the sport brings pure joy, a healthy, active lifestyle and quite frequently a fun vacation along with it. The US OPEN provided Gainor with the chance to meet Pickleball in the Sun’s Digital Marketing Manager, Emma Masur, for the first time in-person.
“Emma has brought so much value to helping me bring the Pickleball in the Sun vision to life. This brand was made to celebrate the growth of the sport and the lifestyle that comes with it,” Gainor commented. “I feel so fortunate every day to get to show people how pickleball isn’t just a sport - it’s a lifestyle that brings a sense of community, a healthy, active lifestyle, and brings friends and family together with a common interest…while seeing a lot of fun destinations along the way!”
Photo: Kerry Pittenger - @Kerry_Pittenger_pickleball
Pro Pickleball Experiences
One of the reasons why the US Open Pickleball Championships are so popular is as you’re walking from court to court, you can always get the opportunity to catch up with some of the top pros in the game! Emma Masur (L) and Laura Gainor (R) caught up with top female pro player, Catherine Parenteau, as she was walking to her next match!
To learn more about the 2022 Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships, visit https://www.usopenpickleballchampionship.com/team.html.
Have a beautiful pickleball destination that you think is worth a feature? Send Laura Gainor an email at laura@pickleballinthesun.com for a chance to be featured on the Pickleball in the Sun blog!