Shuffling delight at PopUps for a Purpose by Realize Bradenton

BRADENTON -- Kurt Austerman and his wife, Becky Austerman, squinted at the long floor shuffleboard before them. The sun had not yet set, so it was still hot at the Bradenton Shuffleboard Club. The Bradenton couple carried cues and took turns pushing weighted discs away from them on the court.

Nearby, David Kudro stood and observed then from behind sunglasses. Dressed in a referee shirt, the 65-year-old went up to the Austermans a few times to guide them through the game.

To the right of the couple were dozens more people competing during SHUFFLE, a PopsUps for a Purpose event. PopUps for a Purpose is an experimental series by nonprofit Realize Bradenton meant to create vibrancy among millennials in innovative ways. In another part of the club sat people savoring tacos and drinking refreshments and beers.

The first PopUp for a Purpose event, which is part of the Knight Cities Challenge and Realize Bradenton, was held in October. The Knight

Cities Challenge is a competition by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, an organization that works to create informed and engaged communities. Realize Bradenton was one of 26 organizations chosen to receive a grant from more than 7,000 applications.

Becky Austerman, an assistant principal at Palmetto High School, said she learned of the event from Realize Bradenton's Instagram account.

"As soon as I saw it, I was like 'This is something we need to be a part of,'" the 33-year-old said, looking up at her husband. "We got here about 6:15, so we've been practicing for about 20, 30 minutes. We feel pretty confident."

Though it was his first time playing shuffleboard, Austerman predicted he and his wife would make it to the top three in the tournament that was expected to take place later that night. They named their team "Shuffle Up and Deal."

"When I grew up in the Finger Lakes region of New York, I used to watch shuffleboard on TV and I always wanted to play," the 35-year-old said. "Now that I live in Florida, I'm finally able to play shuffleboard."

Kudro, a member of the Bradenton Shuffleboard Club, said he was there Friday evening to help new shufflers and to show them the enjoyment of the game.

"It's a little competitive, but it's a lot of fun," he said. "And I think we need something like this in Bradenton for the younger crowd."

Realize Bradenton Executive Director Johnette Isham spent a part of the evening weaving her way through the crowd of shufflers and spectators.

"How amazing to bring together young people, 18-35, with our mature and experienced shuffleboard players of the Bradenton Shuffleboard Club," she said. "This is truly an inter-generational popup event to showcase one of Bradenton's hidden assets -- the Shuffleboard Park right off of 14th Street."

Isham has played shuffleboard before.

"No," she said when asked if she's good at the game. "But you know what? What's great about shuffleboard is you can be really competitive, and you can just have fun."

Nearby, Anna McClure, 37, stood beside her competitor Valeri Borstelmann, 38. Across the court from them were their respective game shuffleboard partners, Valerie Goff, 34, and Carrie Whaley, 44.

"I've always driven by here," McClure said as she peered down the court. "I grew up in Bradenton, so always was kind of curious and I've always love the look of shuffleboard so we thought it would be fun."

At the moment, McClure and Goff were leading with a 42-16 score.

The event Friday was also the kickoff to the first-ever #4Progress -- Millennial Con, a three-day conference for Manatee County millennials that runs through Sunday. Simone Peterson, who is part of the movement, was shuffling along with others.

"I'm loving it. I'm glad it didn't rain," the 26-year-old Bradenton resident said. "The game is fun, interesting, and challenging all at the same time, so I'm trying to get the hang of it and the flow of it for sure."

Amaris Castillo, law enforcement/island reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7051. Follow her on Twitter @AmarisCastillo.

This story was originally published April 2, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Shuffling delight at PopUps for a Purpose by Realize Bradenton ."