The summer may not be the season of competition for Jones County High School’s wrestling and tennis teams.
But last Friday showed that the willingness to support the Greyhounds and Lady Greyhounds takes no offseason as a benefit pickleball tournament to benefit both programs was held on the courts at the Vallant Bank Recreation Complex.
“We’re super excited. We’ve had a lot of support from the community, and we hope this will also propel attention to the tennis program and the wrestling program, as well,” Jones County head tennis coach Kim Hanner said. “We’re always excited when two teams can work together like this, so it’s been good.”
A diverse mixture of more than 60 pickleball players hit the court with one goal — to support the Greyhounds and Lady Greyhounds on either the tennis court or wrestling mat. And the field of entrants, which used all 14 of the recreational complex’s pickleball courts on Friday, showed a broad spectrum of willingness to help the purple and gold, ranging from student-athletes or novice pickleball players to those that are enthusiasts of the sport. All of that support amounted to the raising of more than $1,000.
“Our boys have been putting in work and going to camp after camp all summer,” Greyhounds head wrestling coach Bryan Ulrich said. “So for them to have a night like this, it’s an amazing thing. It means a lot to them and their families to see this kind of support.”
