By Emma Mayorga
TAMPA – Teams across Tampa Bay return on Sept. 17 for the eighth year of a shuffleboard league, continuing traditions built on friendship, healthy competition and a weekly escape.
Shuffle the Heights, Tampa’s only women-owned indoor shuffleboard bar, is hosting 13 teams this season, including the “Herding Squirrels” and “Mind Your Own Biscuits,” plus players who bounce between teams to share their knowledge. Over time, some teams have stayed and watched the league’s community grow.
For Denis Domisiw, shuffleboard became more than a game. While going through a divorce, a friend introduced him to the league when he relocated back to Tampa, where he has remained for six years. Domisiw has participated on five teams and is on his fourth championship.
“I came here, and I just love the people. I love the atmosphere. I love everything about it. It’s my second home, and this is why I continue to do it,” Domisiw said.
Shuffleboard, which originated in Florida involves sliding biscuits down a court with a tang to try landing in a high-scoring zone or knock your opponent’s biscuit out. At Shuffle, the sport has evolved into a competitive sport that keeps players coming back while inviting new teams in. Each season allows teams and individuals to improve their strategy while giving them an end goal: to win.
“You get new people in, and I think that’s been the coolest part. New people come in, and the old people will teach the new people strategy and how to play,” co-owner Jennifer Evanchyk said.
As the league has grown, experienced players become involved and ambitious. The environment, though friendly, is more competitive as teams focus on improvement and strategy. Teams spend multiple seasons learning the game and developing techniques to defeat opponents.
“You learn how to win,” Evanchyk said.
For experienced players like Domisiw, shuffleboard has become more of a lifestyle. His involvement has allowed him to compete in tournaments around the country, including a recent competition in Chicago. Although his team did not win, Domisiw has chosen to focus on more than the game. He made connections and memories that matter much more.
“We travel the country now to play these different tournaments, more shuffleboard, and this is what this exact place has done for us. There are no other places other than St. Pete that offer this,” Domisiw said.
The combination of community and competition has helped create traditions that go beyond shuffleboard. Finn Wallings has remained loyal to Shuffle since the beginning.
“There’s nothing like it in this town. So it provides a place where you can go experience all those things in one spot, surrounded by some of the best people,” Wallings said.
Wallings said that the shuffleboard community isn’t limited to experienced competitors; the league is accessible to everyone. For newcomers, the league offers an opportunity to meet people in the community without pressure to win. Experienced players provide a comfortable environment filled with healthy competition and guidance for new players.
“Where it’s like… wayward souls. Like, I’ve been thinking about maybe getting into shuffleboard, but I don’t know what to do,” Wallings said. “There’s no pressure on this team, right? So it’s just like, throw a biscuit.”