The Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation is hosting its inaugural Spring Pickleball Smash for Schools, an action-packed weekend-long tournament, to raise much-needed funds for educational opportunities and scholarships for students within Okaloosa County.
- The highly anticipated event will take place from April 28-30 at the Mooney Tennis & Pickleball Courts in Fort Walton Beach.
The Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization, is dedicated to supporting and extending educational opportunities for students in Okaloosa County.
The Spring Pickleball Smash aims to raise funds to cover the cost of additional scholarships, support the Okaloosa Teacher Grant program, and promote overall student success through other initiatives.
One of the Foundation’s primary focuses is the Take Stock in Children scholarship program, which currently provides two-year college scholarships and one-on-one mentoring for sixty academically deserving high school students from low-income families.
- Funds raised for the program are matched dollar for dollar by the Florida Prepaid Scholarship Program, doubling the impact of any local contribution.
“We have an ambitious goal to increase the number of scholarship recipients to one hundred students over the next five years,” said Assistant Superintendent Steve Horton. “That will take a significant financial investment as our portion of each scholarship is $3,900.”
Horton says the Foundation hopes to make the Spring Pickleball Smash an annual event, similar to its successful BBQ and Bingo fundraiser held each fall.
The Spring Pickleball Smash is expected to be a well-advertised event with room for over 250 entries. Food vendors are currently being organized, and the Foundation is looking forward to a great weekend-long event. With the rising popularity of pickleball, the sport’s fastest-growing demographics are players over 50, making it an ideal event to bring the community together.
The tournament will feature various brackets for men’s and women’s doubles, mixed doubles, and singles matches, catering to different skill levels and age groups. For those interested in learning to play pickleball before signing up for the Novice Division, a lesson will be held on April 1st from 1-3pm at the Mooney Tennis & Pickleball Courts.
- All equipment will be provided, and participants can contact Performance Pickleball Academy at 850.533.0937 for more information or to register.
To make the tournament a success, the Foundation is seeking sponsorships from local businesses and organizations. Sponsorship opportunities include tournament sponsorship, court sponsorship, medal sponsorship, fence banner sponsorship, wall sponsorship, and pickleball net sponsorship, with prices ranging from $250 to $3,000. Other sponsorship opportunities such as food sponsors, swag bags, and yard signs are also available.
By sponsoring the Spring Pickleball Smash, businesses will not only contribute to the Foundation’s scholarship initiatives but also gain visibility and recognition during the event.
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