The sound of pickleballs filled the air at the Duluth Indoor Sports Center (DISC) on Sunday, but there wasn’t normal pickleball attire.

The Halloween pickleball tournament was for all ages and skill levels – the beauty of the sport itself.

“You don’t have to be Rafael Nadal to win this. I’m 70 years old and I play this game every day and I enjoy this game,” said Lou Campbell, the tournament organizer. “We have people who have never touched a ball or never held a paddle. People who were former tennis players, former tennis stars, all out here enjoying having a good time.”

“I think it’s really cool that we have 80-year-olds here to play today and we have like 12-year-olds here. That’s really cool. In no other sport can you see that and play at the same level,” said Kaylee Christensen, a player in the tournament.

The best part about the tournament, with the donation of a few pickleballs, players entered for free. It may not seem like much, but it takes some pressure off those to perform.

“A lot of tournaments that we play in are pretty expensive, whether you’re traveling to a PPA tournament or just local to the Cities,” said Melissa Grover, Christensen’s tournament partner. “I mean, there’s times when you’re paying $100 plus to play in a tournament. So to be able to just come and give a couple balls, like, that’s awesome.”

“There’s no use coming to a tournament thinking you’re going to lose it and pay a lot of money,” added Campbell. “So in order to feel comfortable, you’re not going to lose anything, no money, just your time. Play up, play against better players. It’s important to try and improve your game if it is that what you’re looking for.”

The tournament shined a light on the ever growing pickleball community in the Northland, as men and women flocked to the DISC. The outcry for new courts was heard, and with good reason – the sport puts community first.

“I think because it is an easy game to learn and then to get better at too takes a little bit of time,” said Grover. “But it’s nice, as you get older to find a new hobby that you can actually improve at. It’s such a good way to meet a bunch of people and make friends that you never thought you’d be friends with.”

A future schedule for pickleball tournaments can be found on pickleballduluth.com or the Duluth Area Pickleball Association’s Facebook page.