• Clinics Announced here.
• Medford Parks & Rec Pickleball Instruction
• Pickleball Skill Level Definitions
• Download Rules Changes for 2021

MEDFORD SUMMER CLASSIC 2023

PHOTO ALBUMS ARE UP.

 > Go Here <

Ladders for various levels of play starting soon!

Ladder play is awesome! You get to play with a variety of people each session, but through the format mechanics, after a couple of rounds each group should be evenly matched, making for more competitive play. Watch here and the FaceBook group for announcements about signing up. Limited numbers per ladder. Learn more about ladders here.

Big news from Ashland Parks, they have the funds and will be replacing the lights at Lithia with new LED units that work! This will be great for late evening play. And as a friendly reminder, M-W-F from 8:00 to noon ALL courts are used for Open Rec Play. All are welcome and must follow normal court rotation protocols. Also, dogs are not allowed off of the roadway path. As a good pickleball citizen, I will be leaving my dog at home when I play at Lithia.

SOPA will be organizing a second Women's Ladder Matchplay for more advance players in the near future. It will run six weeks and use the same format as the current Wednesday group at Don Jones. Watch here for sign-ups and details.

And finally, as a sign of the times, on August 13, Pro pickleball was broadcast on CBS. Pickleball is moving mainstream everywhere around the US and world. Help it grow in Oregon by supporting SOPA as a member!

Southern Oregon Pickleball is much more than just playing games in beautiful locales. SOPA's first pickleball social event (that I know of) was a wonderful success. We shared food while getting a chance to learn more about each other and then we jumped on the courts for some fun and silly pickleball games. 

We have two more planned with the next at Don Jones Park on August 8th and then Ashland to make sure we make it easy for all of our Rogue Valley members and friends to play on their local courts

Over four days in early June, SOPA hosted our annual pickleball tournament and it was a huge success! We had over 200 registered participants, vendors, food trucks, and typical Oregon weather.

Thursday started off with two new features, a clinic helping newer players sharpen their play and tournament skills and a Youth Clinic to introduce younger players to the game. We have received positive feedback from participants at both clinics.

Friday saw brilliant weather and even better womens doubles play (Results links at bottom of article). Saturday the play was moved indoors to the Santos Center for mixed doubles play. Huge thank you to the Medford Parks and Rec department for coming through again with this backup option. Finally, we saw some heated competition on Sunday with mens doubles plays. 

Finally, let's have a huge round of appreciations for all the volunteers that made this fund raiser a success! Norman and Susan Eisenber lead this effort, putting in stacks of hours in the months proceeding the tournament and full-time work in the final weeks.

To see lots of nice photos of each day, go to our new Photo Album page.

Results for each event found here.

Over the past four years pickleball in Southern Oregon has grown in numbers and popularity. We offer jamborees, round robin tournaments as well as a summer classic tournament attracting players from many Western States. We offer a fun experience, easy to learn sport, meet fun loving group of people and play just about year round.

The Southern Oregon Pickleball Foundation (SOPF) is a 501c3 corporation. It's an organizational arm of SOPA that's set up to receive your tax-deductible donations. These charitable contributions will help build and maintain first-class dedicated pickleball courts in Southern Oregon.

September 8^th 2021

Pickleball helps raise money for fire victims:

On the 8^th September 2020 a devastating fire swept through the East end of the Rogue Valley in Oregon. Driven by winds over 40 mph, it left a 9-mile-long swath of destruction burning over 2,800 structures of which 2,500 were residential homes destroyed in just a few hours, devastating the towns of Talent and Phoenix.

In June 2021, Southern Oregon Pickleball Association held the very first pickleball tournament in Southern Oregon, attracting 304 participants. Roughly one third of the participants came from as far as Baja, California, Phoenix, Arizona, Reno, Nevada, Helena, Montana and St George; Utah. A raffle was organized, with prizes including, lessons by local pros, paddles, wine and catered lunch and pickleball on a private court. In total $1,250 was raised. A check was presented to the local chapter of United Way who is in charge of distributing the funds for the children still displaced and in need from the fire.

Left to right – Doug Godwin (Southern Oregon Pickleball); Norman Eisenberg (USAPA Ambassador and Marketing Director – Southern Oregon Pickleball) presenting the check to Dee Ana Everson (Executive Director – United Way of Jackson County) and Lucy Brossard, (Executive Asst. Phoenix/Talent School District).