HATTIESBURG, Miss. – In April of this year, Hattiesburg hosted the Hattiesburg Pickleball Classic, the largest pickleball event in Mississippi history.
In a partnership between the USM Wesley Foundation and Younglife, the tournament at Tatum Park brought in nearly 300 participants from 10 states. The event also served as a platform for philanthropy, benefiting multiple charitable organizations.
Spread over Tatum Park’s 10 outdoor tennis courts, the tournament outfitted the space into 24 pickleball courts spanning multiple brackets and divisions. Participants ranged in age from 12 to 70-plus competing in skill levels from beginner to advanced. There was also an “Offspring Open,” a fun division made up of all family member pairings.
In addition to tennis and pickleball, Hattiesburg’s Tatum Park sports complex features 18 soccer fields, baseball and softball parks, an 18-hole disc golf course, and practice facilities. Ample parking, wayfinding signage, and updated lighting make it an ideal location to host tournaments of all types.
The new Tennis & Pickleball Complex at Canebrake Country Club celebrated its grand opening on April 4. The new racquet sports venue includes 12 tennis courts, 12 pickleball courts, and a pro shop. Other amenities include an open-air pavilion with seating for 80, a cafe-style eatery, and a refreshment bar, making it suitable for multi-day events.
Several additional sites in Hattiesburg continue renovations for pickleball play as part of a large-scale sports development strategy by the city. Tatum Park saw improvements with lighting and widescreens on its courts, completed in 2021. The project prepared the park to host the South Mississippi Singles League Invitational tennis event and highlighted the facility as the site for this year’s pickleball tournament.
Hattiesburg’s Kamper Park also saw vast facility upgrades in winter 2023. The $500,000 project provided new court overlays, nets, widescreens, and lights as well as ADA-compliant ramps. “These improvements, added to several other indoor and outdoor pickleball facilities found throughout the city, make Hattiesburg an ideal spot to play one of the nation’s fastest-growing sports,” a news release states.
