The Southern Nevada Pickleball Club (SNP) Supports the Community, Helping Seniors, Veterans and Kids

Shares Giving, New Courts, Upcoming Tournaments and Key Partners

The Southern Nevada Pickleball Club (SNP), a 501 (c)(3) member-driven organization, with a mission to cultivate a pickleball community that welcomes all, advocates for the sport and pursues resources to have player experience.

SNP has touched the community in many ways:

– In one year, they have seen an 83% growth in our reach to players.

– The volunteer base has expanded and helped others. – SNP members were there to show people how to play and improve skills.

– The players now have a mascot, the Desert Bighorn.

– SNP shared its expertise with private venues, Clark County and the Cities of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and Henderson; raising awareness of pickleball and the value it brings to the community and will continue to promote access to and the addition of more public courts.

– SNP interaction with others brought players together in the spirit of fun organized competitions and events while partnering with some great organizations. Because of the community; a tot received a toy, an Alzheimer’s patient is one step closer to a cure, our police and fire associations received donations, our veteran’s program can grow, and our young players now have youth leagues. Toys 4 Tots raised $12,965 and filled 8 oversized boxes with toys for this Marine’s charity.

– SNP worked with the Clark County School District and trained over 250 teachers on “How to teach pickleball to kids.”

– The Professional Pickleball Association visited Vassiliadis Elementary School. Pros AJ Koller and Lea Jensen had the opportunity to orient students to pickleball. What a great day of learning and laughing! The school’s Assistant Principal and Special Education Facilitator are fellow “picklers”.

– Four pickleball courts were painted at Vassiladis Elementary which has approximately 1200 students. (Miles from Sport Courts donated paint and SNP donated equipment and supplies.

– The Nevada Senior Games sponsored a pickleball tournament September 16 -18, 2022. This marked the 10th anniversary of Pickleball as a sporting event in the local senior games. The event was held at the Sunset Park Regional Pickleball Complex in Las Vegas with 214 players competing for gold, silver, and bronze.

– Veterans had an opportunity to learn pickleball through a grant program at Dula gym.

– Seniors now have more choices, especially for indoor play.

The next tournaments are:

2023 Bullhead City/Laughlin Senior Games – Jan. 20, 2023

Non-sanctioned tournament. Registration is through Pickleball Brackets.

2023 Winter Blast @ the Plaza Hotel & Casino, Feb. 16, 2023

This is part of the US Senior Pickleball circuit.

Shamrock 2023 Open, March 15, 2023

Non-sanctioned tournament.

Partners featured are: USA Pickleball, Las Vegas Toys for Tots, Wounded Warrior Project, Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), Excel Pickleball, Inspiring Children Foundation, Sunset Park Pickleball Complex, New Dinkers of Las Vegas and Military Adaptive Court Sports.

The Board of Directors include: President: Patti Chess, President-Elect: Brien Vokits, Secretary: Courtney Loughridge, Treasurer: Augie Costanzo, Director: Earl Stitt (Advocacy; veteran programs), Director: John Williams, Director: Faruk “Fish” Williams and Director: Jennifer Bradley.

“We depend upon the contributions of players, volunteers, venues, partners and sponsors to make magic happen.”

The community’s financial support, gift of time, cooperation and personal efforts made all the difference. For more information, donate, volunteer or to become a member; visit the website at https://southernnevadapickleball.org or email: snpickleball@gmail.com .