In an effort to foster family-friendly pickleball play and get their community in the holiday spirit, NB Pickleball Club, in New Braunfels, Texas, hosted their first annual Pickleball in Pajamas event in mid-December 2023. With a fun and competitive tournament complete with players in their pajamas, they hope to create an exciting Christmas event for all who want to participate.
One unique feature of the Pickleball in Pajamas event is that the teams were comprised of one adult and one child per team. The child participant can be anywhere from 8-14 years old. Kellie Arce, the owner of NB Pickleball Club, says they have had “quite a few families that have been wanting a tournament that they could participate in with their children,” which led her to choose the adult/child team pairings for the event. Further, the Christmas season presents a great opportunity for pickleball clubs to offer these kinds of family-centric events.
Overall, the goal for Pickleball in Pajamas was to “provide an opportunity for kids to play with…their adult in a competitive format.” Moreover, Arce is excited that the event will help grow the game of pickleball in the community, especially among the younger generation, and establish an annual family event that can become a tradition for the club. She hopes the event will “encourag[e] and cultivat[e] interest in the game with the youth of their community.”
The tournament itself was a round robin format with games playing to 11 points. This quick style of game will surely keep participants entertained while allowing them to stay engaged in the social elements of the event. When not actively playing, participants can enjoy hot chocolate, other drink options, and popcorn while getting to know other NB Pickleball Club members and guests. At the conclusion of the tournament, the 1st place team received a cash prize while all other participants received a small Christmas stocking filled with candy.
The Pickleball in Pajamas event has been thoroughly promoted within the New Braunfels community as NB Pickleball Club has emailed their membership base as well as non-member roster to let them know about the event. Further, they “post[ed] flyers inhouse…[and on] social media and [their] website” to promote the event further. During the event, NB Pickleball Club had three staff members present. One staff member was responsible for running the tournament play while the other two were serving treats and interacting with players. The low maintenance nature of the event allows NB Pickleball Club to only need a few staff members present during the event, leaving other staff members to have family time during the Christmas season.
The event is open to both members and non-members, allowing the club to bring in “players that may not have had an opportunity to play at [their] club” and potentially increase their membership. The Pickleball in Pajamas event is set to be an annual event for local pickleball players to look forward to each Christmas break.
