Pickleballers Compete in St. Pete Tournament

Author Larry Blundred and other pickleballers will compete in the St. Pete Grand Slam Pickleball Tournament Feb. 13 at Coquina Key Park in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Inspired by the support he received from the Cincinnati pickleball community, Blundred wrote a children’s book, How Pickleball Saved Ollie Otter, which was released in hardcover and paperback editions by Winters Publishing in December 2020.

“The sport challenged my athletic skills and other players became a source of support, in the game as well as in life,” Blundred said. “Pickleball was just what I needed physically, mentally, socially and emotionally.”

Blundred lost his wife, Donna Blundred, 67, in August 2020.

“I wrote two books with Donna while she battled a brain tumor diagnosis,” Blundred said. “This book is for her.”
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The tournament will include men and women with skill-level rated at 3.0 to 4.5 and up.