The Bronx River pickleball club attended a spring tournament to put their skills to the test over the break. Jupiter Gomez, Justin Gomez-Bastardo, Alex Disla, Brandon Ford, Jabdiel Alicea, and Leonardo Burgos all attended the tournament in 3 teams of 2.

The results of the first team were 1 win and 4 losses for Jupiter Gomez and Justin Gomez-Bastardo. Another team, Alex Disla and Brandon Ford had 0 wins and 4 losses. The last team, Jabdiel Alicia and Leonardo Burgos ,also had 0 wins and 4 losses. The club tried their best and did well for fairly new and inexperienced pickleball players, especially considering the fact that all of their opponents were adults.

“Our players didn’t come out with the wins they were hoping for, but the experience they gained is the most valuable part of every competition,” stated by Adam Schwenzfeier, a math teacher and the pickleball club advisor. “They came out of the event with a new knowledge of competitive strategy and feeling more motivated than ever to keep developing their skills, with a clear vision of what to practice and how,” Mr. Schwenzfeier adds.

Justin Gomez-Bastardo, a junior, expresses his feelings at the tournament. “It was at least in an actual competitive setting, as we held one in school a while ago, but there were no stakes to that one,” he says. “I learned a lot of advanced techniques like hitting the ball high so that my opponent would have to go to the back of the court,” he adds. “I would attend another pickleball tournament, I love the sport and competitive setting,” Justin mentions.

Though the team may not have won, their efforts are widely recognized and what they’ve learned will pay off.