A Year of Courts, Connection, and Community

2025: A Landmark Year for Pickleball in El Paso 

In the words of PEPA Founder Jamie Fisher:

"A huge shout-out to ALL El Pasoans promoting our sport. Exercise keeps us healthy; open play builds community."

As we head into 2026, it’s the perfect time to acknowledge and celebrate another year of milestones for pickleball in El Paso. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Pickleball El Paso (PEPA) board and members, 2025 was a year of growth, community building, and court expansion.

The year began with the official re-opening of Veteran’s Park in January. In March, the Inaugural Nusenda Credit Union Sun Bowl Pickleball Tournament was held and showcased El Paso's desire to host larger-scale, divisional tournaments. In April, six dedicated courts opened at Skyline Park, with PEPA proudly donating the windscreens. The first half of the year rounded out with the grand opening of Serve, the city's first dedicated pickleball private enterprise. 

PEPA advocacy efforts were again visible in August, with City Council approving the addition of new courts and lines across four different parks:

• Mary Frances Keisling Park (Upper Valley)

• Argal Park and Ralph T. Cloud Park (Eastside)

• Mesquite Hills (Northeast)

This was followed in October by the exciting debut of another private venue, Pickle and Par, which became PEPA’s first corporate member in November! 

Let’s carry this incredible energy into the new year. Whether you are a seasoned player or just picking up a paddle to learn, your support and membership keeps our community thriving. Here’s to more dinks, drives, and paddle taps in the year ahead! 

18 Teams Participate in PEPA Newbie and Rookie Tournament

On December 5th PEPA hosted the Newbie and Rookie Tournament at Sun City Pickleball Club. Eighteen teams participated in a fun-filled day on the court! Thank you to Richard Martinez for hosting PEPA's Newbie and Rookie Tournament and for providing a fantastic environment for the event. A special shout-out to Tyron Kim for his enthusiasm and help. We are also deeply grateful to everyone who donated snacks and lunches to keep players fueled, and to our incredible volunteers who kept score, chased balls, and cheered from the sidelines.

Please join us in congratulating our winners:

The Newbies

1st Place: Deal & Casillas

2nd Place: Sawyer & Russell

3rd Place: Dunes & Jackson

4th Place: Dee Dee & Veronica

The Rookies

1st Place: Hector & Gus

2nd Place: Joah & James

3rd Place: Bruce & Mary Ann

4th Place: Steven & Mario

To every participant: thank you again for playing and for supporting the game and our Association. We loved every minute and hope you did too. We can't wait to see you back on the court soon!

Highlights Gallery

El Paso Excellence in Arizona!

Three El Paso pickleball players took first place finishes at the Mesa Arizona Open:

• Amanda & Laketrick: 1st Place in the 4.0–4.9 Open Age Group Division.

• Amanda & her sister, Sarah: 1st Place in the 3.5 Division.

Way to represent El Paso! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Horizon Pickleball Group

Congratulations to the Horizon Pickleball Group for their creatively designed float, 'Traveling the World One Pickleball at a Time,' which took home 3rd Place in the Horizon City Christmas Parade held on December 13th. Way to represent our ever growing pickleball community!

Nolan Richardson: A fun time was had by all at the Nolan Richardson Christmas Party and Potluck held on December 16th.

Members of the UTEP OLLI Pickleball Club gathered for their Annual Luncheon. The club continues to thrive under the dedicated leadership of PEPA Vice President Ben Avalos and PEPA member Don Smelser.

Membership Matters: Growing the Game Together 

2026 is calling! Keep an eye out for your membership renewal email. A huge thank you to everyone who has already renewed their annual membership, and a warm welcome to our newest members! Your membership makes our advocacy work possible.

Still looking for the perfect last-minute gift? Give the gift of community! You can now Gift or Sponsor a PEPA membership directly through our website. Our Join It platform makes it seamless—you can even include a personalized gift message to your favorite player. It’s the perfect way to help a friend get on the court while supporting efforts that bring more courts to El Paso!

On the Court: The Accessory You Might Be Forgetting

Pickleballs are small enough to fit directly into the eye socket. I learned this the hard way last year during casual rec play when a ball ricocheted off my own paddle and smacked me in the eye at full force. It required a hurried trip to the ER and weeks of follow-up exams. I remember thinking how easily this could have been prevented if only I’d invested in protective eyewear like I’d always meant to. Lesson learned.

As paddle technology evolves, players are hitting the ball with more power and spin, making trajectories harder to predict. Pickleballs can be driven at speeds of 40 to 60 mph! Combine this with the fact that players at the kitchen line are only 14 feet apart, and you are often left with less than a second to react!

The American Academy of Ophthalmology notes that 90% of sports-related eye injuries are preventable with proper eyewear. If fogging is the reason you’ve opted out, did you know manufacturers now even make lens-free pickleball glasses specifically designed to protect the orbital bone?

Don't wait for a trip to the ER—make protective eyewear a permanent part of your pickleball bag today!

On behalf of the PEPA Board, we wish you a safe and joyous season of celebration.

Here's to an even better year of play ahead in 2026!

See you on the courts,

Liz Luscombe

Newsletter Director