Huntsman Pickleball Golds Won in Registration

Like many, I stayed up till midnight on Tuesday to register for the Huntsman World Senior Games. It was a competition in its own right, and some walked away winners.

Unfortunately, I wasn't one of them.

A note: I have nothing but respect for the wonderful people running the Games, and this is no reflection on them. I just had to take a moment to lament a missed opportunity and share my tale of woe!

The Huntsman Games provided detailed instructions on how to register for pickleball. It was my opportunity to get into the world's largest multi-sport event for 50+ athletes, and with them celebrating a 30th anniversary no less, I wanted to be prepared.

Beginning months before the deadline, I studied the 'how to register for pickleball' formula with engineering precision—hey, I am an engineer!

But alas. I'm no software engineer, and that night I found my technical skills lacking.

I sat on the couch for hours past bedtime watching World Tennis, thinking I was as prepared as Djokavic when he trounced the 47th player in the world.

My mental list checked out: Both partners identified. Both partners had Huntsman accounts and athlete numbers. My USAPA membership number was active and ready. Credit card prepared. Even my lodgings were booked.

When the Athlete Registration countdown screen flashed to zero, I took off. Enter, enter enter!

By 12:02, after hitting the enter screen many times, I was ushered onto the sacred registration screen. I had completed the registration entries for all four pickleball events. The only difficulty I had was entering my skill rating. The screen would not accept my entry for about 20 seconds.

With every entry filled, I hit the 'Continue Registration' button at 12:03. I clicked it again. And again.

After 5-10 minutes and countless clicks, I was rewarded with the next screen. But something seemed off. I owed $199 for 12 events? No time to question it, just pay!

I entered my credit card number and its expiration date. The date worked, but I could only enter four digits for the number.

Who has a four-digit credit card!?

The instructions required payment for registration, so I backed up and started from the beginning. I tried entering only men's doubles, even though the instructions explicitly said to list all partners and events on the registration screen.

Enter! Yet I still couldn't submit my credit card number.

I got an email at 12:10 saying I was waitlisted for men's doubles. Back on the registration screen, all events were full except singles.

I frantically tried to register just for singles, but six attempts later, I'd found no success. As soon as singles showed full I tried my luck one more time for the road, but was again told I was waitlisted.

I may have won in the Grand Canyon State Games four days ago with Larry Moon, but I lost big time Tuesday night.

If only my technical prowess was up to snuff!

Maybe somebody was able to game the system, or maybe I gamed myself. (It wouldn't be the first time.)

Anyone else miss out and want to commiserate?