3rd Annual Volley for Hope for Second Harvest, June 6-8
Southern Pickleball presents 3rd Annual Volley for Hope benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee at Pavilion of Pickleball, 701 Racquet Club Way in Knoxville, Friday, June 6 through Sunday, June 8.
Registration is $60 and includes up to two events. To sign up, visit Second Harvest’s Volley for Hope page: SecondHarvestETN.org/volley-for-hope Signups also can be done at pickleballtournaments.com Registration ends after Sunday, May 25.
Women/girls doubles is June 6, with mixed doubles June 7 and men/boys doubles June 8. All ages are welcomed, with bracket set-ups dependent on age-group sign-ups according to Jon Rice, SHFBET Engagement and Communications manager.
Competition the final two days may begin as early as 8 a.m. “Specific start times for each event will be posted and e-mailed to players approximately one week prior to the event,” a SHFBET press release stated.
“It’s been a lot of fun entering this pickleball (event) over the past couple of years,” Rice said. “There’s a lot of passionate pickleball players in Knoxville. It’s a fun weekend for them — but also supporting a good cause.
“We really encourage people — even if they’re a beginning pickleball player — to sign up, come out and support the Food Bank and have a good time with their friends and family,” he added.
Basis rules, perks
As registration proceeds, tournament management reserves the option to combine brackets as needed if certain brackets do not fill.
Brackets will be combined by age, if possible, to avoid combining skills.
Skills levels include 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5-plus; skill levels will be divided by age after registration is completed.
A team must play at the skill level of the higher-rated player and the age group of the younger player. Age is calculated as of 12/31/2025.
Tournament players each receive a swag bag full of pickleball goodies. Snacks and beverages are available throughout the tournament.
*The last day to be guaranteed a tournament shirt is Sunday, June 1,” the release further stated. “Shirts are unisex and run larger than gender sizes specifically for women.”
Beneficiary details
Having raised roughly $500,000 at the first two Volley for Hope fundraisers, Second Harvest is “leading the community in the fight to end hunger,” the release stated, adding, “202,560 East Tennesseans are at risk of hunger, uncertain where their next meal will come from.
“… We are working to change that statistic in 18 East Tennessee counties.”
