Tomorrow's Major League Pickleball Season 2 draft event in NYC won't just mark a change in team rosters. MLP will also announce a new sponsor at the event: Pickleball Cares.
The nonprofit partner is a new philanthropic organization that will provide resources and opportunities for underserved communities through pickleball.
Pickleball Cares will host a debut clinic for 75 New York City-area youth in collaboration with CityPickle at Wollman Rink’s ongoing community programming Wednesday, July 12, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. ET.
The clinic will feature five MLP professional players serving as clinic instructors: Parris Todd, Rafa Hewett, Connor Garnett, Federico Staksrud, and Pablo Tellez.
“Pickleball Cares uses pickleball to get kids moving again,” said Geoff Nguyen, Executive Director of Pickleball Cares. “This initiative focuses on the importance of physical activity and social-emotional well-being from sports.”
Other initiatives Picklebal Cares aims to tackle include:
- Provide high-quality pickleball clinics and coaching workshops to underserved youth with an interest in the sport at no cost to them
- Provide resources and guidance for junior players to form community leagues, introduce competitive pickleball to their schools, and advocate for pickleball as a part of their school's Physical Education curriculum
- Remove barriers for youth, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographic location, to enjoy pickleball
- Provide opportunities for young pickleball enthusiasts to earn college scholarships
- Benefit communities with court revitalization and construction projects
