Macon’s first pro pickleball tourney complete; Covenant drops football for 2026 season

Macon hosted a pro pickleball tournament for the first time ever last week, with talent coming from across the country to compete at the Rhythm and Rally facility at the old Macon Mall.

While Macon had hosted plenty of prior tournaments at its state-of-the-art pickleball complex — still touted as the largest pickleball facility in the world — the 2026 Macon Pro Pickleball Association Challenger was the first involving the PPA and pro-level players.

Rhythm and Rally General Manager John Roberts, who has a long personal history in sports and has been with the pickleball facility since its inception, said the tournament brought a brand new skill level to Macon’s premier courts.

“The movement that these pros can put on the ball, even to the neophyte, with the naked eye it’s pretty clear,” Roberts said. “You can immediately see and hear the difference.”

Several players ranked on the PPA Tour leaderboards appeared in Macon. On the men’s side, No. 47 Tristan Dussault won the singles tournament. Rafa Hewitt, ranked No. 34, also made an appearance. The No. 47 women’s singles competitor, Nicole Conard, also played at the event.

The high-caliber of play also allowed spectators to get a taste of the next level.

“To have this in our backyard, where Macon has such a vibrant pickleball community, it’s huge,” Roberts said. “It’s a great opportunity to see the next level of pickleball.”

Beyond the more competitive play, there’s also the tournament itself, which represents years of growth for the sport and facility alike, Roberts said.

“It’s definitely the next milestone for Macon pickleball. Our first tournament in town going back to 2018, it was entirely local,” he said. “We were putting the thing together with pencil and paper. Just the sophistication of the pro tournament software and watching it come together … has been gratifying.”

Find the full tournament results here.

Covenant to drop football program for 2026

Covenant Academy, a Macon school that was a member of the GIAA as an 8-man football program, will not play on the gridiron this year, the school confirmed this week.

Coach Clint Humphrey told The Melody the decision came because of a lack of players. In recent seasons, most of the Rams’ roster would play both offense and defense. The school hopes to have football back next year with better numbers, Humphrey said.

The Rams had found success at the 8-man level in the past, going a perfect 12-0 in 2021 and defeating local rival Windsor Academy. Windsor moved back up to 12-man last season and made the playoffs. Covenant finished 4-6 last season and 5-5 in 2024.

Bloomfield LL team wins trophy

A 10U Macon little league squad from Bloomfield won the USSSA 10U Rec All Star World Series earlier this month, according to a Facebook post from Bloomfield Little League.

The tournament was hosted in Baton Rouge, from July 9-12 and featured teams from across the country, with several from Alabama and Louisiana making up part of the field. 

The Bloomfield Pride team actually lost early in bracket play and had to fight through the loser’s bracket to win the 10U championship. The team’s final three wins, which included two wins over the same team to “reset” the bracket, saw Bloomfield score 7, 20 and 11 runs, respectively.

The Facebook post, which showcased the team’s youngsters wearing red, white and blue jerseys reading “Field” with some retro ballcaps to match, included an old adage that proved true for Bloomfield: “It’s Not How You Start, It’s How You Finish.”

Mercer lacrosse coach resigns

The coach of the Mercer men’s lacrosse team resigned last week, the university’s athletic department announced in a press release.

Head coach Ryan Danehy will leave to be the assistant coach with Ohio State’s lacrosse team, the school said. Danehy had 15 years of experience with various schools before Mercer hired him in Fall 2022, before the 2023 campaign.

“These last four years have given me memories that I would hold close for the rest of my life,” Danehy said in the press release. “I want to express my sincerest gratitude for all of the support that has been given to this program and myself since I arrived on campus in 2022. Mercer will forever have a special place in my heart.”

The men’s lacrosse team went 18-39 from 2023 to 2026, with bookend appearances in the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament, though the Bears could not pull off wins in the postseason in that span.

Mercer began a search for a coach immediately.

“Ryan led our program to impeccable heights over the last four years, including a historical 2026 season that culminated with a berth into the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament for just the second time in 11 years,” Mercer Athletic Director Jim Cole said in a press release. “We are incredibly grateful for his dedication and commitment to our program and wish him nothing but the very best in his new role at Ohio State.”

MGA enters next phase of athletics upgrade

Middle Georgia State University will enter the second phase of its move from NAIA to Division II after NCAA Division II officials approved the move to Provisional Year 2 this week, the university announced.

The NCAA requires schools jumping up to new levels to hit certain benchmarks — like attending NCAA meetings and rules seminars, for example — to continue the process, a press release said. Middle Georgia State met those requirements and got approval to advance to the second year July 10.

“The first year of the transition challenged us to build a strong foundation, and our coaches, staff, student-athletes, and University leadership embraced every expectation placed on us,” MGA athletic director Michael Brown said in a press release. “Advancing to Provisional Year 2 reflects the commitment across our institution to operating at the NCAA Division II level. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished and look forward to continuing to strengthen our compliance efforts while building on the competitive success our teams experienced during the first year.”