2022 PHOF Inductee

Larry Moon

Competitor

Larry Moon

CITIZENSHIP: USA

BORN: April 10, 1954 in Coalinga, California

PLAYS: Right-handed

EDUCATION:

  • Rincon High School, Tucson, Arizona
  • BSEE, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS:

Larry volunteers his expertise to help cities and municipalities with court layouts and lighting.

Background

Larry played a lot of racket sports before discovering pickleball. In 1978, after his college days, the sport of racquetball was booming. He joined a club and began playing virtually every day. By the mid-1980s, he was winning numerous Utah Open Tournaments including a few Utah State Championships.

In 1988, Larry injured his right shoulder. The injury caused a lot of pain with his normal racquetball swing. As a result, he began playing tennis, which was much easier on his shoulder. After a few years of play, his USTA rating was 5.5. At age 38 he was playing tennis singles. The wear and tear on his shoulder finally caught up with him and in 2003, he had shoulder surgery. By 2004, he was able to play racquetball again. Larry entered the Huntsman World Senior Games in racquetball over the next 9 years, missing a year or two due to injuries. He won his age group in singles every year he was able to play.

Larry began playing pickleball in the spring of 2012. At the same time, he stopped playing racquetball, but he was able to incorporate his racquetball grip and tennis strokes to help pick up the sport quickly. His first tournament was the 2012 USAPA Nationals where he won his age group in singles. However, his doubles skills needed a lot of work. Determined to improve, Larry drilled all winter with Tyler Wren and by the spring of 2013, he was playing competitive 5.0 doubles.

From the 2009 Huntsman World Senior Games, Larry was presented with the Gene Pletcher Award for Exceptional Devotion to the Spirit of Racquetball.
Larry Moon and Hillary Marold making it happen at the 2017 USAPA Nationals!
Larry Moon and Tyler Sheffield taking Gold for Mens Skill/Age Doubles at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Larry Moon plays pickleball with Tyler Sheffield

Larry Moon and Helle Sparre taking Gold at the US Open in Mixed Doubles Age 60+

Larry Moon and Helle Sparre taking Silver in the Mixed Skill/Age Doubles

COMPETITION AWARDS IN MAJOR TOURNAMENTS:

2012 USAPA National Tournament

  • Men’s Singles 55+ – Gold

2013 USAPA National Tournament

  • Men’s Singles 55+ – Gold

2014 USAPA Nationals VI

  • Men’s Singles 60+ – Gold
  • Men’s Doubles Sr Open – Gold (with Tyler Sheffield)

2014 Huntsman World Senior Games

  • Men’s Doubles 55-59 – Gold (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Mixed Doubles 60-64 – Gold (with Sarah Gaines)
  • Men’s Doubles 50-54 5.0 – Gold (with Scott Clayson)

2015 USAPA Nationals VII

  • Men’s Doubles 55+ – Silver (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Mixed Doubles 60+ – Gold (with Hilary Marold)
  • Men’s Doubles Sr Open – Silver (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Mixed Doubles Sr Open – Bronze (with Lydia D. Willis)

2015 Tournament of Champions

  • Men’s Doubles Legends Open – Silver (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Mixed Doubles Legends Open – Silver (with Mona Burnett)

2016 USAPA Nationals VIII

  • Men’s Doubles 60+ – Gold (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Men’s Singles 60+ – Gold
  • Mixed Doubles 60+ – Gold (with Hilary Marold

2016 Tournament of Champions

  • Men’s Doubles Legends Open – Bronze (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Mixed Doubles Legends Open – Bronze (with Mona Burnett)

2016 Huntsman World Senior Games

  • Men’s Doubles 60-64 – Gold (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Mixed Doubles 55-59 – Silver (with Mona Burnett)
  • Men’s Doubles 50+ 65+ – 5.0 Bronze (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Men’s Singles 60-64 – Gold

2017 USAPA National Championships

  • Men’s Singles 60+ 5.0 – Gold
  • Men’s Doubles 60+ 5.0 – Gold (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Mixed Doubles 60+ 5.0 – Gold (with Hilary Marold)

2017 U.S. Open Pickleball Championships

  • Men’s Doubles 60+ – Gold (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Mixed Doubles 60+ – Silver (with Cookie Drake)
  • Men’s Doubles Sr Pro – Bronze (with Tyler Sheffield)

2017 Huntsman World Senior Games

  • Men’s Doubles 60-64 – Gold (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Men’s Doubles 50+ 5.0 – Gold (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Mixed Doubles 60-64 – Gold (with Hilary Marold)
  • Men’s Singles 60-64 – Gold

2017 Pickleball Canada National Tournament

  • Mixed Doubles 50+ – Gold (with Jennifer Lucore)

2018 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships

  • Mixed Doubles 60+ 5.0 – Gold (with Helle Sparre)
  • Men’s Doubles 60+ 5.0 – Gold (with Tyler Sheffield)

2018 Minto U.S. Open Pickleball Championships

  • Men’s Doubles 60+ – Gold (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Mixed Doubles 60+ – Gold (with Helle Sparre)

2018 Huntsman World Senior Games

  • Men’s Doubles 60-64 – Gold (with Jim Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Doubles 60+ 5.0 – Bronze (with Jim Hackenberg)
  • Mixed Doubles 60-64 – Gold (with Hilary Marold)

2019 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships

  • Men’s Doubles 60+ 5.0 – Gold (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Mixed Doubles Sr Pro 65+ – Gold (with Hilary Marold)
  • Men’s Singles Super Sr Pro – 65+ Gold

2019 Huntsman World Senior Games

  • Men’s Doubles 60+ 5.0 – Silver (with Tyler Sheffield)
  • Men’s Doubles 50+ 5.0 – Bronze (with Tyler Sheffield)

    2021 Minto U.S. Open Pickleball Championships

    • Men’s Doubles 65+ – Bronze (with Tyler Sheffield)
    • Men’s Doubles 65+ 5.0 – Silver (with Tyler Sheffield)