Players of all ages and skill compete in pickleball at the Coast Coliseum

America’s fastest growing sport made its first stop in Gulfport over the weekend for some pickleball.

The pickleball tour took over the Coast Coliseum as men and women of all ages competed to take home the gold.

Pickleball athletes were divided into brackets based on skill level before dueling it out in doubles and singles competitions.

The top three winners of each bracket went home with gold, silver, and bronze medals. Executive Director of the American Pickleball Tour Aaron Del Mar says he is excited for the sports growth. “Now, we’re pretty excited, we have a professional franchise team. They’ve been bought by LeBron James, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, a lot of NFL and NBA stars are getting into the pickleball craze, purchasing their teams, and getting ready to have some stiff competition.”

The Pickleball Tour is also extending a thank you to the Coastal Mississippi Tourism Agency for its part in helping pickleball grow here in South Mississippi.