Pickleball Charity Challenge 2025
The 2025 Pickleball Charity Challenge was a highly successful inaugural event, shining a spotlight on four local charities and uniting three of BC’s major sports Alumni Associations. On Saturday, June 7th, 2025, history was made as the Vancouver Canucks Alumni, Whitecaps FC Alumni, and BC Lions Alumni came together at the prestigious Richmond Country Club to compete in support of their chosen charities:
Practice (April) and Promotional Shoot (May)
To prepare for the big day, alumni teams began practicing in April, many of them new to the sport of pickleball. In May, excitement ramped up with a promotional shoot led by the ever-energetic Crazy P, helping to build momentum and community anticipation.
Event Day
The morning began with sunshine, coffee, and connection as guests enjoyed a meet-and-greet accompanied by a live DJ. Alumni players, pickleball pros, and guests mingled over refreshments before sitting down to a lively brunch featuring a delicious meal, a live auction, and a special Alumni Hot Stove session offering a behind-the-scenes look at the legends of the game.
The tournament began with action-packed matches featuring iconic athletes like Geroy Simon, Sean Millington, Bob Lenarduzzi, Carl Valentine, and Nathan Lafayette. Four lucky attendees won the chance to play alongside their favorite alumni in unforgettable pickleball matches. Seven professional pickleball players joined in, adding skill and intensity to the afternoon games. The event was capped off with a victory by the Whitecaps FC Alumni, who took home the first annual Pickleball Charity Challenge Cup!
Rick’s Heart Foundation was the presenting sponsor, and featured our main program, Heart for Music, bringing awareness to the need older adults have in local non-for-profit care homes. We chatted with attendees at our table on the courts, and handed out goodie bags at the exit.
By the Numbers:
Attendees: 220
Players: 30
Funds Raised: $13,020 (distributed among alumni groups for their chosen charities)
Thank You’s
To everyone who contributed, your generosity, presence, and unwavering support made this event not only possible but truly unforgettable. Because of your passion and dedication, we brought communities together in the name of sport, camaraderie, and giving back. From the laughter shared over brunch to the cheers echoing across the pickleball courts, your contributions created a one-of-a-kind experience, one that we hope will spark even greater impact and momentum in the years ahead.
To the Alumni and Pro Players:
We’d like to pass on our thanks to The Alumni players and The Professional Pickleball Players – to all of those who participated in the pickleball games. The combination of the past-paced games and the welcoming atmosphere was enjoyed by the attendees and the volunteers. This Pickleball event would not have been possible without everyone’s support and contributions.
To Our Incredible Volunteers:
You were all so positive, helpful, and attentive to the event’s needs, and this truly made a remarkable difference in the event’s success. Thanks to your efforts, we were able to raise funds and awareness for important local charities while creating a fun and memorable day for all. We really depended on and so appreciated you, and were grateful you would spend a Saturday to support local charities. A few highlights that stood out: everyone being so welcoming and engaging; jumping in to tasks that arose, moving equipment and signage around, a bit of fun watching the tournament ;), goodie bags, parking, engaging… We couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for sharing your time and passion to make this day special for so many.
To Our Amazing Sponsors:
Your support brought this event to life! From product donations to auction items, your generosity made this event memorable. Special thanks to:
Poach Pickleball Company – official paddle sponsor
Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks – beverage sponsor
Onix Pickleball and Steve Deakin – net donation
Vancouver Rise – event support
Dayne Gingrich & Pickleball Yogi – book donations for winners
Zenkai Sports & Doug Lynch (Filium) – volunteer apparel
Biobi Health – footage capture & auction item
Love Crunch & Nature’s Path – snacks & gift baskets
Urban Rec, Kitchen Blockers, Hobbs Pickles, Trail Appliances, The Keg, Old Spaghetti Factory, Tsawwassen Springs
South Arm United Church – additional parking
BC Lions, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and Vancouver Canucks – merchandise, tickets, and mascot appearances
- The Girls at the Games, for capturing content and donating their time
To The Richmond Country Club:
Thank you to the entire team at Richmond Country Club for hosting our Charity Pickleball Tournament this past weekend. Your hospitality was instrumental in bringing our community together for a wonderful cause! The venue was beautifully organized, and your staff were incredibly attentive and helpful throughout the day. Our guests had a fantastic time, and the atmosphere was perfectly suited to our event’s needs. Thank you again for your support and for helping us raise funds and awareness for important local charities.
Special Thanks To:
Crazy P, for hyping up the day and leading the promo shoot
Rae, our event coordinator, for making it all happen
The dedicated event committee, for countless hours of prep and support
Thank you all for helping us make the inaugural Pickleball Charity Challenge a tremendous success. We can’t wait to see what next year brings!
