Players compete in inaugural Angeline Pickleball Classic to support Moffitt Cancer Center
LAND O LAKES, Fla. (WFLA) — The echoes of pickleball dinks filled the brand new Medley Club at the Angeline Active Adult Community in Pasco County on Sunday morning.
“You can’t help but get caught up in it and when you start playing, it is a bit addictive,” said Randy Wiemer, a pickleball player and Angeline resident. “Then, you want to get better and you want to beat the people you’re playing with, and you know how that goes.”
Randy and his wife Marianne Wiemer live in the “55-and-better” community and competed in the inaugural Angeline Pickleball Classic, which supports Moffitt Cancer Center.
“We have two nieces who developed leukemia, childhood leukemia,” Randy said. “Were very sick and treated for cancer, and they’re 20-year cancer survivors now, and flourishing, which is great.”
Lennar Homes and Metro Development Group helped host the three-day event. Friday was for advanced players, Saturday for intermediate, and Sunday for beginners.
“I was diagnosed with cancer in January of this year and underwent surgery roughly six weeks ago to remove a tumor,” Steve Smith said. “I’m still early in my treatment, but on the path to getting better.”
Lennar Homes Division President Steve Smith and his wife both have cancer experiences.
“Walking through the hallways and seeing the faces of people that are really suffering,” recalled Smith. “It doesn’t take much to make you understand this is real suffering and there’s really more that we can all do to fix this.”
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