The United Pickleball Association (UPA) has announced that it will host the Pennsylvania United Pickleball State Championship Series at Pickleball Lehigh Valley from Sept. 13-15. The event will take place at Pickleball Lehigh Valley in the new St. Luke’s SportsPlex in South Whitehall Township.
The Pennsylvania UPA State Championships will identify the top amateur pickleball players in the country, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the St. Luke’s Rising Stars Fund, which benefits children and families from underserved communities.
Pickleball Lehigh Valley (PLV) is a community that focuses on fun, competition and connecting with others while playing the game we love. Housed within six 8,000-square-foot bays, there are 12 hardcourt pickleball courts, 12 hardwood courts and an Event Center which is also lined for pickleball, bringing the total indoor courts to 25. PLV is also home to a 22-court, 3-acre outdoor pickleball venue that offers ample parking on and off site for large local, regional and national tournaments. St. Luke’s SportsPlex is one of the largest pickleball and indoor/outdoor sports facilities on the East Coast.
“Pickleball Lehigh Valley is proud to host such a high-profile tournament of this caliber at our brand new facility,” said John Hauth, Senior Network Administrator, Sports Medicine Relationships. “Never before has a championship pickleball series of this magnitude been held in the Lehigh Valley or anywhere else in the region for that matter, and we are thrilled to welcome players from across the state here to Pickleball Lehigh Valley and the St. Luke’s SportsPlex.”
Skill levels include 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0. Age groups are 18U, 19+, 35+, 50+, 60+ and 70+ and playing divisions include MS, WS, MD, WD and MXD. Each state championship medalist will qualify for the elite Champions Division brackets, earning the potential to move on to the UPA World Championships at the Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas, Texas, from Nov. 4-10, 2024. State champions receive free registration into the UPA World Championships and will compete in the exclusive Champions Division brackets to determine the best amateurs in the country. Second place finishers will receive 50 percent off their registration fee and third place finishers will receive 33 percent off.
“This is a tournament we are thrilled to have at our facility,” said Deb Schlosser, Tournament Director, Pickleball Lehigh Valley. “For a few days, PLV and St. Luke’s SportsPlex will be pickleball central because the UPA World Championships is the ultimate pickleball party. It’s the fastest growing sport in the country and we are at the forefront of that popularity here in the Lehigh Valley.”
To register for the Pennsylvania UPA State Championship Series, visit PickleballBrackets.com. PLV and St. Luke’s SportsPlex are located at 3646 Crackersport Road, Allentown, PA 18104. Space is limited. For more information about registration and sponsorship opportunities, contact PL********@gm***.com.
This community health news is brought to you in partnership with St. Luke’s University Health Network.
