Back in May, we shared the news that Blue Bee PKB had joined the Premier Pickleball League. On Saturday 18th July, all that anticipation turned into action. Our team headed north to Bolton Arena for their first weekend of competition in the Challenger division, and while the results didn’t go our way this time, there was a huge amount to feel good about and plenty of signs of what’s still to come.
The team steps out together for the first time
Weekend 1 marked the very first time our six strong squad had come together and played as a unit: captain Jack, along with Niall, Linda, Jayne, Romeo and Kirsty. The group had trained and prepared individually in the build up to the league, so this was genuinely the first chance for everyone to gel as a team under real match conditions.
The good vibes kicked off the night before over dinner, where the squad had the chance to relax, get to know each other properly and talk through the day ahead. That same energy carried all the way through to breakfast on match day and never once let up, even as the scorelines got tight. A big thank you as well to Luke and Kelly, who made the trip to support the team and doubled up as photographer and videographer for the day, capturing plenty of great moments both on and off the court.
So close in so many matches
The morning fixture against Friday Pickleball ended 0-6 on paper, but that scoreline really doesn’t tell the full story of how the match unfolded. The opening singles match went the full distance, all the way to a third and deciding set, showing just how evenly matched both sides were from the very first point. Several other matches throughout the morning were only lost by the narrowest of margins, sometimes as little as two clear points. Romeo and Kirsty also pushed their mixed doubles match to a decider, adding to the sense that Blue Bee PKB were competing toe to toe with a more experienced side, even if the final result didn’t reflect it.
The afternoon against Dinking Partners showed real progress. Jack and Linda claimed Blue Bee PKB’s first ever competitive win in the blended singles, then won again in the mixed to close the gap to 3-2. The final match was the closest of the whole day, with an epic first set ending 23-25, before the fixture finished 4-2.
Early days, but plenty more to come
One member of the squad summed the weekend up perfectly: “although we didn’t manage to convert this weekend, the team was full of great vibes, very supportive of each other and I’m excited for the coming fixtures and to see how we grow as a unit.”
That really does say it all. A first competitive win now on the board, a genuine bond already formed between six players who’d never played together before, and a team that everyone involved believes will only get stronger from here. There’s clearly still work to do, but the foundations are there and the appetite is obvious.
Next stop for Blue Bee PKB: Tunbridge Wells on 5th September, where the team will look to build on the progress shown at Bolton Arena and pick up more wins along the way.
