Henryetta Chamber hosting event

The Henryetta Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a pickleball tournament Saturday at the high school gym.

Open to men and women of all ages, the day-long tournament will see some 50 teams competing for medals and bragging rights for this inaugural tournament.

Chamber president Jeremy Roberts said the tournament is the first of a series of events to be held in Henryetta.

“We want everyone to know how great our community is and, by holding events like this as well as the disc golf tournaments, the annual rodeos, Labor Day parade and others, we put our hometown in the spotlight,” he said.

The pickleball tournament is open to beginners as well as players who have extended knowledge of the sport. Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, across the sound from Seattle, Washington.

Three fathers created the game after their children were tired of the usual summer activities. Since then, it has evolved from handmade equipment to a sport throughout the U.S. and Canada.

A pickleball court is the same size as a doubles badminton court measuring 20×44 feet. Because of its size, four pickleball courts can be set up in the same space as a basketball court or two in the space of a tennis court.

Players use a paddle to strike a plastic ball in nearly the same style as tennis.