26/09/2026
💙 THROWBACK | WHEN PLAYERS WERE ALSO REFEREES… MISSION IMPOSSIBLE! 😂🏓
As we celebrate another Bacolod Pickleball anniversary, it feels good to look back at one of our milestones, our very first Bacolod Pickleball Tournament, May 11–12, 2024.
What an experience it was. 😅
We welcomed players from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, including international and much more experienced players. And yes, we honestly thought we already had some of the best… until our best got PICKLED by the Luzon players! 😂 Talk about a reality check!
But instead of being discouraged, our players took it as a rare opportunity to play alongside stronger players, learn from them and enjoy the experience. And of course, if you couldn’t beat them… get a picture with them! 😂📸
Perhaps this will also go down as the only tournament in our history where the players were also the referees! 😅 Play a match, referee a match, then play again - Mission Impossible! 😂 They complained, mostly in silence 😆, but it built resilience, confidence, sportsmanship and character.
We prepared seriously, training with PG platform officials, undergoing referee training through PQLab, with much-needed guidance from our Tournament Officiating Director, Pax Jojie.
Making it even more memorable, then Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez did the honors of the first ceremonial serve together with the founder of Bacolod Pickleball Club. 💙
Looking at these faces today, some have gone on to play internationally, some are now great coaches, while others continue to play low-key just to enjoy the game and stay active. And I wonder if anyone actually quit pickleball altogether 😅 or just said they would and bought another paddle. 😂
Wherever life has taken you, this was part of our humble beginnings and yours too.
And look at Bacolod pickleball today- new trainees almost every day and an exponentially growing number of courts… at this rate, the courts might soon outnumber the players! 😂🏓 Who would have thought?
But one thing hasn’t changed: ang potluck, wala gid na ya nadula halin sang sugod diri sa BPC HQ 😂🍲 Some traditions are simply here to stay.
Kudos to everyone who was part of it. The medals may be tucked away somewhere, but the friendships and memories -good or not so good 😊are definitely worth keeping. 🤍
Happy Anniversary, Bacolod Pickleball! 🏓💙
From humble beginnings… look how far we’ve come.
