Teddy Taylor’s parents were both top-tier college athletes, so organizing a sporting event to benefit the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation was a natural fit. Teddy has severe hemophilia A, which was diagnosed right after he was born in 2021.
Maggie Carruth and Lucas Taylor were thinking about doing a fundraiser when Taylor’s friend, Ben Van Hout, suggested a pickleball tournament. Van Hout and Taylor had been on the tennis team together at Northern Arizona University. Van Hout now works for Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR), a rating system for pickleball players worldwide.
“It was a perfect fundraising idea because the sport is growing so much, and it’s a fun thing to do,” Taylor says.
The Rally for Teddy pickleball tournament was held July 8 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and raised $12,000 for the foundation, exceeding its goal by $2,000.
Players registered for the tournament through the DUPR app. There were five events: men’s doubles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles, singles, and a 60-plus event. “In total, we had over 100 event sign-ups and about 70 individual people compete,” Taylor says. Donations and raffle tickets also contributed to the fundraising total.
“I still have quite a few connections through the tennis world,” Taylor says. “One of my friends works for a company called Head, and they sponsored the event. They sent a ton of paddles and pickleballs, so we handed those out to event winners and for raffle prizes.” A number of local businesses also supported the event by donating restaurant vouchers and hockey season tickets.
“We had great support from the local community,” he says.
Taylor and Carruth plan to put on the event again this year, and Taylor is hopeful that people with hemophilia may be able to join. “Pickleball is definitely a sport anyone can play. I know people with hemophilia are typically blocked out of certain sports, but the end goal is for them to be able to participate in as many sports as possible,” he says.
Carruth stresses how much her family appreciates NBDF, and how eager they are to continue supporting the foundation. “We are really passionate about raising awareness around hemophilia and all bleeding disorders, and grateful for all of the work other parents have done in the past to get the treatment where it is now. Without all of that advocacy, there might not be as much funding and research as there is now.”
Need some tips for your next fundraiser? Start with these four creative fundraising ideas.