Atlanta, GA
Major League Pickleball’s Atlanta Bouncers begin season Friday
BUFORD, Ga. (Atlanta News First)—If you can’t get enough sports, listen up: Major League Pickleball will play its 2024 season this weekend in metro Atlanta.
You might have heard of the local MLP team, the Atlanta Bouncers, but the players are brand new.
“My name is Angie Walker. I am a professional pickleball player and play for the Atlanta Bouncers,” Walker announced.
Unlike your grandma, the Bouncers, made up of Walker, Jaume Martinez Vich, Todd Fought, and Genie Erokhina, don’t do this for kicks.
“Pickleball allows me not to have another job,” Martinez Vich said.
Most players come from tennis backgrounds. Martinez Vich was a three-time all-American tennis player in college at Hawaii Pacific, Walker played at Idaho State, and Fought at Weber State.
The four Bouncers were drafted by Atlanta in April’s MLP Draft.
Walker
“Every day, I wake up and get to do something I genuinely love and call it my job,” Walker said.
But the time for excitement is over, and Chris Wolfe, who runs pickleball operations for Competitive Sports Ventures and acts as the Bouncer’s coach when they’re in town, has one goal in mind.
“I think we have one of the top teams, and we’re ready to move on to Premier [Level],” Wolfe said.
Major League Pickleball works a bit like European soccer. There are 22 teams spread into two leagues: Premier and Challenger. At season’s end, the top four Challenger teams move into Premier.
“They need waters, they want me to sing to them, I’ll do whatever,” Wolfe said.
The team practices at one of CSV’s businesses, the popular Pickle & Social in Buford.
The Bouncers are the Deep South’s only team, partly owned by Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young.
And a nearly 30-match season begins Friday, May 10, at the Peachtree Corners Lifetime Fitness.
It’s the start of Walker and Martinez Vich hope are long careers in a successful league.
“I hope so,” Walker said. “Definitely the next five. Hopefully forever.”
“We’re going in the right direction, and that’s what matters,” Martinez Vich said.
Copyright 2024 WANF. All rights reserved.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta sisters win big on Family Feud — and say the real prize was being together
The Norman sisters definitely have something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving: they just won big on Family Feud.
The five sisters — four living in metro Atlanta and one in California — brought their energy, humor, and unmistakable charisma to the popular Steve Harvey-hosted game show. Their episodes, filmed back in March, finally aired this month.
As soon as they hit the stage, their enthusiasm was impossible to miss.
“We’re the Normans! Wooooo!” they cheered in their opening moment on screen.
Even Steve Harvey couldn’t help hyping them up: “From Atlanta, Georgia… It’s the Norman Family!”
A dream come true for a lifelong Family Feud fan
For sister Liz Knipe, who lives in Atlanta, appearing on the show was a bucket-list moment more than a decade in the making.
“I’ve wanted to be on Family Feud forever. My first audition was in 2014,” she said.
The sisters say their chemistry — and very different personalities — helped them stand out during the audition process.
“Seeing us all together, I think it just resonated with people,” said Ericka Grant, who lives in Buford.
Their big win: $60,000 and a luxury Las Vegas trip
And their on-screen charm paid off.
The Norman sisters walked away with $60,000 and a trip for all of them — plus a guest each — to the Bellagio in Las Vegas for a six-day, five-night getaway.
“Bam,” Liz said with a laugh. “Not just a vacation for us but a plus-one for each of us.”
Each sister has her own plan for how to spend her share of the prize money:
- Liz Knipe (Atlanta): “Praise the Lord, I’m going to be able to pay all my bills.”
- Ericka Grant (Buford): “I’m going to use it to have some fun with my boys and my husband.”
- Michelle Norman (Atlanta): “A nice down payment.”
- Alex Norman (Marietta): “I’m going to spend a little on myself. And my kids. And then some bills. But I’m paying myself first.”
Winning together meant more than the money
Despite the big payout, the sisters say the real reward was the time spent with each other.
“It’s a great bonding moment,” said Alex Norman. “We don’t always get a chance to do stuff together — all five of us.”
They say family and friends were thrilled to see them on national TV, laughing and playing as a team.
“It was nice for our family to see us together on TV, winning and having fun,” said Ericka.
Could the Norman sisters return to CBS on another show?
The sisters aren’t ruling out more TV in their future. In fact, they already have their eyes on other CBS competition shows.
“I’m trying to get my sister on The Amazing Race with me,” said Michelle. “But the goal is Survivor! That’s the goal.”
Where to watch their episode
The Norman sisters’ Family Feud episodes are now streaming.
You can catch them on Paramount+.
Atlanta, GA
Christmas tree sales fund student scholarships across metro Atlanta
Trees for Tuition raises money for scholarships
A holiday tradition that began as a small side project for two Atlanta teenagers a decade ago has grown into a major scholarship program helping local students pursue college dreams — all through the sale and delivery of Christmas trees.
ATLANTA – A holiday tradition that began as a small side project for two Atlanta teenagers a decade ago has grown into a major scholarship program helping local students pursue college dreams — all through the sale and delivery of Christmas trees.
What we know:
The effort, called Trees for Tuition, started in 2015 when founders Jack and Will decided to use a pickup truck to deliver a few Fraser firs to neighbors. That first year, they sold about 30 trees. Last season, the business expanded dramatically, with nearly 4,000 trees delivered across metro Atlanta and more than $50,000 donated to support scholarships and local nonprofits.
Trees for Tuition now operates seven locations across the metro area. Customers can visit in person to select a tree or schedule a delivery online as early as the next day. The group sources most of its Fraser firs from North Carolina, with additional Noble firs shipped in from Oregon.
The founders say their goal is simple: make buying a Christmas tree easier for families while giving Atlanta teens and young adults a financial boost toward their education.
What you can do:
Tree lots are open from noon to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends, including Friday. More information is available at treesfortuition.com.
Atlanta, GA
Update on travel conditions at Hartsfield-Jackson airport
It’s a busy day of travel at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. And although there are a few delays, there have not been any cancelations as of noon. We also now have more info about what happened to the flight to Amsterdam that was canceled on Tuesday night.
-
Science6 days agoWashington state resident dies of new H5N5 form of bird flu
-
News1 week agoHow Every House Member Voted to Release the Epstein Files
-
World1 week agoPoland to close last Russian consulate over ‘unprecedented act of sabotage’
-
News1 week agoAnalysis: Is Trump a lame duck now? | CNN Politics
-
Business3 days agoStruggling Six Flags names new CEO. What does that mean for Knott’s and Magic Mountain?
-
World1 week agoZelenskiy meets Turkish president as word emerges of new US peace push
-
New York1 week agoDriver Who Killed Mother and Daughters Sentenced to 3 to 9 Years
-
World1 week agoUnclear numbers: What we know about Italian military aid to Ukraine

