HonorHealth Named Title Sponsor for Arizona High School Pickleball Championships Dec. 6 & 7, 2025
Red Mountain, Mountain View High Schools to Square Off in Pre-Championship Challenge Match and High School Pickleball Social Announced
MESA, Ariz., Oct. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HonorHealth has signed on as the title sponsor of the inaugural Arizona High School Pickleball Championships 2025, powered by PURE, elevating the event and supporting a movement to make pickleball a high school sport in Arizona. The Championships will take place Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6 & 7, at Dink & Dine Pickle Park in Mesa.
Event registration is now open to all high school-aged pickleballers, including reserved spots for 18 newly chartered high school pickleball clubs that will compete for five state champion titles in Girls Doubles, Boys Doubles, Mixed Doubles, Girls Singles and Boys Singles events. Securing a permanent place in state sports history is also on the line. A sixth champion title will be awarded to the high school with the most points based on podium finishes across all events.
“HonorHealth is proud to serve and support youth pickleball in Arizona. We are excited to be named title sponsor for the inaugural Arizona High School Pickleball Championships,” said Dr. Erik Dean, DO, HonorHealth’s sports medicine director. “Pickleball is a sport that is fun to play and supports lifelong physical benefits, but it can also be demanding on a player’s muscles and joints, which is why our sports medicine team will be onsite and available to these young athletes throughout both days of events.”
The Championships will welcome a lineup of Arizona’s pickleball-celebrity star power to oversee and emcee the matches.
“These high schoolers are about to make history,” said Wende Steiner, a USA Pickleball-certified referee and professional-level official who will serve as the event’s head referee. “I’m honored to be head referee. My team will ensure fair play, use of USA Pickleball-approved paddles, and always promoting sportsmanship.”
Joining Steiner at The Championships is Jim “The Smartest Guy in Pickleball” Kloss, a local-area player, promoter and part-time commentator for PPA Tour. Kloss will serve as head announcer for the live-streamed medal matches, which will take place on Dink & Dine’s center court.
“We love pickleball because it’s a perfect blend of competitiveness and fun,” said Max Ziomek and Kaiden Boyer, the two presidents of Scottsdale’s Saguaro High School Pickleball Club. “The sport has taught both of us the importance of friendship and community. Pickleball is one of the most fun sports ever, and we’d encourage all students to join and support your school pickleball team.”
In a lead-up event for The Championships, Arizona High School Pickleball has planned a free "Friday Night Lights" all-club social from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24 at Dink & Dine. Invitations will go out to high school pickleball clubs and their classmates and families to gather and play relaxed pickleball games and enjoy chef-inspired food in a fun, pre-Championships event.
Also announced, Red Mountain and Mountain View High Schools will square off in the first inter-club challenge match; an event initiated by Bentley Halvorsen, Mountain View Pickleball Club’s President on Arizona High School Pickleball’s Instagram social hub @arizonahighschoolpickleball. The challenge was accepted, and Red Mountain has agreed to host the match at its 16-court facility, inviting students, faculty and the respective pickleball communities to cheer on the athletes. A date will be announced in the coming weeks.
While the inaugural Arizona High School Pickleball Championships will take place in Mesa, future installments will occur at PURE Pickleball & Padel’s forthcoming 196,000-square-foot North Scottsdale megaplex, which will be the largest indoor pickleball facility and pro arena in the world when it opens. The venue will feature 40 indoor pickleball courts, eight padel courts and a 1,200-seat pro arena to accommodate spectators at national and international-level pickleball events, with Wolfgang Puck Catering serving as the exclusive food and beverage provider for the venue’s restaurant, bar, grab-and-go marketplace and more.
“At PURE, our key focus is growing the game for players at every skill level,” said PURE Pickleball & Padel Co-Founder & CEO, Kevin J. Berk. “By creating more opportunities for high school players, we’re making big moves toward making pickleball a recognized high school sport, both in Arizona and beyond.”
High school pickleball clubs are student-led and staff-sponsored with additional support by Arizona High School Pickleball, powered by PURE. The following pickleball clubs will be likely contenders for state champion titles in 2025:
- Bulldogs Pickleball Club – Barry Goldwater High School, Phoenix
- Broncos Pickleball Club – Brophy College Preparatory, Phoenix
- Cobras Pickleball Club – Cactus High School, Glendale
- Spartans Pickleball Club – Camelback High School, Phoenix
- Champions Pickleball Club – Cesar Chavez High School, Phoenix
- Aztecs Pickleball Club – Corona del Sol High School, Phoenix
- Wolves Pickleball Club – Desert Mountain High School, Scottsdale
- Hawks Pickleball Club – Highland High School, Gilbert
- Knights Pickleball Club – Higley High School, Gilbert
- Eagles Pickleball Club – Horizon Honors High School, Ahwatukee (Phoenix)
- Lions Pickleball Club – Liberty High School, Peoria
- Toros Pickleball Club – Mountain View High School, Mesa
- Longhorns Pickleball Club – Payson High School, Payson
- Mountain Lions Pickleball Club – Red Mountain High School, Mesa
- Sabercats Pickleball Club – Saguaro High School, Scottsdale
- Eagles Pickleball Club – Sandra Day O’Connor High School, Phoenix
- Warriors Pickleball Club – Westwood High School, Mesa
- Gators Pickleball Club, Xavier College Preparatory, Phoenix
For more information, email info@purepickleball.com. Subscribe for updates at purepickleball.com.
For additional information or to arrange an interview with PURE Pickleball & Padel co-founders Kevin J. Berk or Brett Warner, or PURE’s Youth Director Stephanie Newton, please contact Jennifer Parks-Sturgeon at JParks-Sturgeon@roseallynpr.com or (480) 495-3806.
About PURE Pickleball & Padel
PURE Pickleball & Padel is building the world's largest indoor pickleball & Padel facility and pro arena in Scottsdale, Arizona, with a target opening date of early 2027. The 196,726 square feet state-of-the-art facility will boast 48 indoor courts (40 Pickleball and 8 Padel), a 1,200-seat pro arena, along with country club level amenities that include a restaurant and bar by Wolfgang Puck Catering, retail pro shop, gym and recovery spaces by HonorHealth, VIP lounge, office space, childcare and teen room. PURE is a member-focused, program-driven concept that will connect the two fastest growing sports in the world with the Scottsdale community across all ages, skill levels, and backgrounds. With an estimated 500,000 visits annually, the facility plans to host the largest pickleball/padel tournaments in the world.
About HonorHealth
HonorHealth is one of Arizona’s largest nonprofit healthcare systems, serving a population of five million people across the greater Phoenix metropolitan area and Florence, Arizona. With nine acute-care hospitals, an expansive medical group offering primary, specialty and urgent care, a comprehensive cancer care network, outpatient surgery centers, clinical research, medical education and community services, we help our patients protect and preserve their most valuable asset – their health – through a unique combination of collaborative care and approachable expertise. Our vision is simple: To be the partner of choice in transforming healthcare for our communities, driven by our values and a commitment to delivering the best experiences and services to you, your family and our communities.
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