Kenny Loggins has used his musical talent and called on show business friends to support the Santa Barbara Unity Shoppe for nearly 40 years.
After doing concerts and telethons for fund raisers, Loggins is taking a different approach this year.
Loggins is raising money for the organization with a pickleball tournament. His second annual Pickleball in the Danger Zone event will benefit the Unity Shoppe and its many programs that serve local families, seniors and children in need throughout Santa Barbara County.
The doubles competition runs Friday through Sunday at the Santa Barbara Municipal Courts. Action each day starts at 8 a.m.
The women kick off the tournament on Friday followed by mixed doubles on Saturday and men’s matches on Sunday. The skill levels are 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0 and the age brackets are 15-34, 35-49, 50-64 and 65+.
An avid pickleball player who has competed in the American Riviera Classic in the springtime, Loggins is playing in the men’s 3.0 level with partner Mark Scher.
There are 479 players registered for the tournament. The biggest division is the mixed 3.5 with 37 teams over four divisions followed by the mixed 50-64 group with 24 teams and two on a waiting list.
The largest division for women is the 3.0, ages 50-64, with 23 teams. For the men, the 3.0 (50-64), 3.5 (50-64) and 4.5+, which combines three age groups, each have 12 teams entered.
Dominik Stefanov, a former San Marcos tennis star, is the lone 5.0-rated player in the men’s competition. He was a bronze medalist in the American Riviera Classic 5.0 division. He’s playing with his brother, Alex, who also was a tennis standout at San Marcos.
On the women’s side, Cierra Gaytan-Leach is the lone 5.0 entrant. She is playing with her mom, Noel Gaytan, a senior pro. Another strong women’s team Courtney Cox and Shannon Minne; they are both 4.5 players.
The tournament field includes several players from out of state, including Hawai’i, South Carolina, Arizona and Washington.
