Billy McGehee’s 2nd Annual Great American Music City Pickleball Fest exceeded expectations.
Billy McGehee is a Nashville and Florida sports legend. Now, he hopes lightning will strike twice and that a horde of cool kats will storm into the ranks and join the growing camp of crazed enthusiasts who love all things pickleball. And – on July 3, 2023 – those hopes and dreams yielded a terrific turnout at the Nashville Fairgrounds.
Billy McGehee: I believe Nashville can become the Pickleball City.
The former NHL and Arena Football executive sees the sport’s and city’s potential to grow together by combining the nation’s fastest-growing game with the established music base that already exists here in the state capitol of Tennessee. The 2nd Annual Great American Music City Pickleball Fest certainly met its billing. The athletic affair ran from 8a-8p, and the courts were filled from dawn to dusk, proving that the ongoing love affair with the quirky sport is alive and well in middle America.
We arrived mid-afternoon to observe all courts packed with players. DJ Randy was spinning records adding to the energy in the indoor facility with A/C. He even played MCN’s Rockin’ Rich Lynch. His latest hit single, Pickleball at the Mall, was well-received by the room full of athletes. In addition to open play, there were opportunities to Beat the Pros, a coaching court, and areas to unwind with food & drinks available for purchase. This Fest was also a place for people to socialize around their shared love of this booming racquet sport.
LISTEN HERE! Pickleball at the Mall | Rockin’ Rich Lynch (bandcamp.com)
Billy McGehee is the brains behind the Great American Music City Pickleball Fest. This second incarnation was more extensive than last year’s Fest. His short-term plans and long-range goals include expanding the scope of the event at the Fairgrounds with an eye on eventually filling Nashville’s largest convention center in the heart of downtown. Billy also aims to expand the sport in Mid-Tenn year-round by advocating for access to more courts in the city’s core.
McGehee elaborated: “We are assembling a team of professionals whose goals will be to establish our brand as a premiere brand in the sport, build additional pickleball facilities to accommodate the millions of players who will enter the sport over the next five years, provide management services and certified professional coaches for these facilities, partner with corporations interested in educating, promoting and marketing the sport, host camps, clinics, and special events, create exciting promotions and finally team-up with charities who are dedicated to making the world a better and safer place.”
Several organizations on-site, including the Mid-South Liver Alliance, gave a two-sided fact sheet about the liver countered by 12 quick pickleball tips. Optimize U offers lab panels paired with programs and supplements to optimize good health.
“Simply Sherri” at the event (photo courtesy Music City Nashville)
We also had the pleasure of meeting Simply Sherri. Sherri Holzer, a cooking instructor, and health coach, shared that she started playing pickleball over a year ago. She did not know anyone the first time she went to a court, but folks quickly introduced themselves and showed her the sport. She found a real community in the pickleball world that connected perfectly with her passion for happiness and health, so much so that she is working on a cookbook with a nod to pickleball that is due out in August of 2023.
“Simply, your best, one meal at a time” is part of Sherri’s lifestyle philosophy. “This motto means more than just the power of healthy eating and nurturing your body. It is an all-encompassing practice applying to all facets of living your best life, one step, one meal, one day – at a time.”
Holzer mentioned that her mother was from Greece, so many recipes in the book are from the Mediterranean. However, she emphasizes it is not just about food but a Mediterranean Lifestyle focusing on community, fun, positivity, and wellness. You can sign up for Sherri’s Masterclasses in the Nashville area or check her out online.
Billy McGehee’s Wild WORLD OF PICKLEBALL and our encounter with Sherri reinforced what we have heard about pickleball. The sport continues to grow in popularity. It seems that people who pick up a paddle often become avid competitors. Pickleball appeals to generations as it can be learned relatively young and played well into retirement.
Like any sport, injuries are associated with it, but pickleball is not as aggressive as tennis, yet more challenging than ping-pong. It is a fun social sport with broad appeal. With a wealth of knowledge in sports, Billy McGehee is one of many hoping to grow it here in Mid-Tenn. If they are successful, Nashville will be known as Music City and Pickleball City, too!
Related Links: For more information on BILLY MCGEHEE and the other organizations mentioned, please visit the following links – Billy McGehee’s Wild World of Pickleball | Simply Sherri | Nashville Fairgrounds
