Behind the Scenes at Kenect: Pickleball Tournament

Kenect employees braved the scorching weather to take part in the annual Pickleball tournament, and along with the weather, the competition was heating up this year.

We had a great turnout. 16 two-person teams signed up to play in the tournament. It was held at Veterans Memorial Park which is close to Kenect’s headquarters in Pleasant Grove, Utah. The competition was held over two days, during our lunch break so people could come out and cheer on the players.

The first day, each team got to play two matches to narrow down the field. Teams packed lots of water and Gatorade to stay hydrated, one group even had some ice standing by to help them cool off.

On the second day, Kenect provided lunch for everyone so we could get a good crowd out to cheer on the top teams.

One of players in the finals said it was great to see all the support! Gentry and his teammate Jordan finished third last year and were looking to take home the title this year. However, they were up against a powerful duo.

In the end, Kenect CEO Shaun Sorensen and Account Executive Jake Lauritzen won the championship. Gentry says it was a hard-fought battle.

“The pressure of all our peers and co-workers watching was greater than any other pickleball tournament I have played in… Shaun and Jake were a better team. Their placement and patience was key to their victory.

Gentry says the turnout was great, and he hopes the tradition will grow even bigger next year.

“For Jordan and I, we finished 3rd last year and 2nd this year. It wasn't the jump we hoped for but jump in the right direction. We will be there again next year.”

For is win, Shaun was treated to an ice bucket bath, a small price to pay for the victory!

Despite the heat, this year’s tournament was a great success, with dozens of players, and people taking time to head down and cheer on their Kenect co-workers.

See you on the court next year!