Hi gang!

I keeping getting stopped on the street by people asking me who won last weekend’s May 16th Gleason Family/Wareham YMCA Spring Fling 2026 Pickleball Tournament.

A lady in front of the post office asked, “Did Tim Bailey win again?” At Lowe’s, the checkout lady picked up on my pickleball t-shirt and blurted out “Let me guess… Bailey again?” Finally, the guy stocking blueberries at Shaw’s asked me, “Is anyone ever going to beat Bailey?”

The answers: yes, yes, and maybe…

Yes, Tim “The Terminator” Bailey took home the GOLD medal in the Y’s popular spring tourney. In nice conditions, with a Kono Pizza food truck nearby to feed fans, and a sentinel drone silently recording the event from above, Bailey frolicked.

Despite lugging around a right knee exoskeleton of titanium, kevlar, black plastic and velcro, Bailey looked as menacing and graceful as ever prancing around the court, closing up the middle, finessing aggressive putaway dinks, and crushing overheads. He was a pickleball podcaster’s dream demo of balance, poise, and precision.

Yes, fans are beginning to compare Bailey to the apparently unbeatable Anna Leigh, dominating the Wareham pickleball scene for yet another season. Yes, he’s the man to beat. Beating Bailey is worth serious bragging rights. Everyone’s gunning for The Terminator.

Now for the “maybe...” Bailey was looking over his shoulder Saturday at youth and athleticism that could end his reign someday.

After 3 rounds of play, the ever-popular Lynne “Slice and Dice” Velozo and new kid on the block, 14-year-old Tristan “T-Del” Delacampa, sat tied for 1st place atop the pack with Bailey, Tristan’s dad, Jason “Argonaut” Banning, “Spike” Lee McCaffrey, “Bazooka” Bob Rego, and Mark “The Gentleman” Robidoux in hot pursuit. To the delight of fans, John Wiliszowsi made a guest appearance, filling in during round 1 for Robert “Rocco” Ingemi in a skillful 9-5 win that got Rocco off to a nice start.

Round 4 was an exciting preview of the battling to come. Leaving T-Del in her rear view mirror, Velozo assumed sole position atop the field partnering with the ever-spry Linda Mingace in a convincing 9-5 defeat of T-Del and Robidoux that sent Kalshi fans and Las Vegas bookies scrambling to cover their bad bets. Bailey and Rego kept the pressure on, defeating Frank Pruchnik and Rocco decisively, 9-2. Banning stayed on Velozo’s tail with a gem, partnering with the ever-stylish Sandy Edgell in a 9-5 win over Ron Areano and Spike. Looking good, Edgell proceeded to go on a tear, winning four straight, rounds 4-7, helping to spread the field.

The first injury of the contest in round 5 sidelined the ever-game Ron Areano with a pulled muscle and brought in the Brito Brothers. Lu Brito, the YMCA’s ever-passionate pied piper of pickleball, jumped in, crocs and all, to finish the round for Ron. The ever-friendly Paolo Brito took up the baton and finished out the tournament for Ron.

Despite a slow start, Rego began looking like a serious threat. Pulling out his bazooka only sparingly, Rego displayed a veteran’s command of the soft game, deft drop shots, court sense, aggressive dinks, hand battles, and skillful placement to power his rise to contender status, winning three straight, only to be stopped in his tracks with partner, T-Del, in a stunning body blow 9-2 beatdown at the hands of Bailey and McCaffrey in round 6.

The middle rounds were tough on the twins. Despite playing through an apparent injury and limited mobility, Frank Pruchnik teamed up with Robidoux to tame Velozo’s march with a solid 9-5 win over Slice and Paolo. Pruchnik and Velozo then partned up in round 7 for one of the best matches of the day, a 9-8 nailbiter and Rocco/Paolo gem that seriously stalled Velozo’s ascent to the GOLD.

Sister, Lee, despite excellent play throughout the early rounds, including a 9-1 win in round 5, followed by a 9-2 win round 6, hit the Bailey/Robidoux wall in round 7 in a heartbreaker 9-8 loss with partner, Banning.

It was about this time, “Tristan Time,” as the fans were shouting, that Delacampa hit his stride and really showed his stuff. With an impressive combination of fast, deep serves with a cut to the right, impressive drop shots, agility, grace, classic dinks, smarts, and laser-guided placement, T-Del and partners Edgell, Rocco, McCaffrey and Paolo finessed four straight wins, including a devastating “pickle.”

With Velozo hitting turbulence, Bailey digging in and stringing together six straight Ws, Robidoux looming, and T-Del on the rise, the top four in medal contention began taking shape.

Robidoux and Mingace combined to pull off an impressive and spine-tingling 9-8 cliff hanger round 8 upset of Rego and Brito.

Banning started an impressive late run at the podium with victories in rounds 8-11, but too late to catch Bailey, Robidoux, Velozo, and T-Del.

Final top five when the dust settled were:

GOLD (and still Champion): Tim “The Terminator” Bailey, 9 wins, only 2 losses.
SILVER: Mark Robidoux, 8 wins, 3 losses.
BRONZE: Lynne Velozo, 7 wins, 4 losses.

Only point differentials separated Velozo, Delacampa, and Banning. All three chocked up 7 victories, but Velozo’s dominating +31 point differential carried her to the podium. Delacampa was actually 3rd overall for the tournament in point differential (Bailey +41, Velozo +31, Delacampa +21), with dad, Jason, a +17.

All-in-all another fun day at the Y, raising just over $300 for important community programs. While Bailey keeps his belt for another season, the handwriting may be on the wall… Velozo just keeps getting better. The handicappers, pro scouts, and adoring fans want more Tristan Time, and time is definitely on T-Del’s side. Stalwarts like Robidoux and McCaffrey will always be in the hunt. And, potential break out talents like Edgell, Rocco and Rego might still upend The Terminator. Stay tuned!

Dan