Junior League of Columbia serves up pickleball fundraiser, networking weekend

The Junior League of Columbia is turning its second annual pickleball tournament into a full weekend at the Cayce Pickleball Complex, blending competition, networking and fundraising into one spring event. Presented by ProMotion Rehab and Sports Medicine, the tournament runs April 24-25 and is built for players who want the court time, and the social time, to count for something.

The format starts Friday evening with the Play It Forward Kickoff Party from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The party includes open play, heavy hors d’oeuvres, an open bar and a raffle with prizes, making it as much a mixer as a warmup. Registration covers the kickoff party or allows it to be purchased separately, a setup that opens the door to players, supporters and guests who may not want a full tournament bracket but still want in on the weekend.

Tournament play follows Saturday with single-gender doubles and mixed doubles divisions open to players across multiple skill levels. Registration is available for one or both events, a structure that gives the weekend the flexibility of a retreat and the competitive edge of a local tournament. The registration deadline is April 20, leaving only a short window for anyone still looking for a spring event in the Columbia area.

The venue helps sell the idea. The Cayce Pickleball Complex in Cayce, South Carolina, has 16 dedicated outdoor courts, professional-grade lighting for evening play, spectator seating, restrooms, concessions and shaded viewing areas. That mix of amenities makes it well suited for an event that needs to handle both organized matches and a crowd that wants to linger, watch and socialize between games.

For the Junior League of Columbia, the tournament also reflects the organization’s larger mission. Founded in 1924, the league says it exists to advance women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration and training, with a vision of strengthening the health and well-being of children and families in the Midlands. Proceeds from the tournament support that work, giving the event a direct connection to the league’s civic goals.

Libby Mathias, a co-chair, framed the weekend as a way to bring the community together for fun, fitness and philanthropy. That pitch fits a broader shift in how pickleball shows up in community life. USA Pickleball says the Pickleheads court database added more than 2,300 new locations in 2025, bringing the national total to 18,258 places to play, and the Sports & Fitness Industry Association says pickleball has remained the fastest-growing sport in the United States over the past three years. For groups like the Junior League, that growth is creating a new kind of fundraiser, one where the bracket, the venue and the networking all work together.