PURE Pickleball High School Expansion: PURE Pickleball & Padel is working to make pickleball a major high school sport in Arizona. The group plans to open a nearly 200,000-square-foot indoor facility near the Loop 101 and Via de Ventura in early 2026. By the end of this school year, PURE aims to launch up to 100 school-affiliated pickleball clubs across the state.
Through its “Powered by PURE” program, schools receive up to $2,500 in equipment, certified youth coaches, and a framework for match play. Arizona’s first high school state championships will be held December 6–7 at the Dink & Dine Pickle Park in Mesa Riverview.
Brett Warner, co-founder of PURE Pickleball & Padel, said, “We don’t want to wait to have an impact. We believe that PURE’s impact, specifically in pickleball, is to help the game go younger and faster.”
Teachers and Students Lead the Way
Schools already showing interest include Desert Mountain, Saguaro, and Chaparral in Scottsdale, Corona del Sol in Tempe, and Mesa Mountain View. Cory Newton, a cabinet-making teacher at Mountain View, is leading the student club. He said, “I just love the game of pickleball. I’ve never seen a sport quite like it, where kids can just pick up a paddle and start playing. Before they know it, they’re doing well, having fun, and feeling like part of a team.”
Dan Ray, a math teacher at Corona del Sol and CRUSH Pickleball ambassador, started his club last year with borrowed gym space and donated paddles. “Almost every single kid can participate and have fun at whatever level they want. It’s inclusive, it’s social, and it’s a sport for life,” he said. Ray added, “Some of my best players are baseball or volleyball athletes. The idea of a state championship gives the club real teeth. It adds structure and something to shoot for.”
Building a Statewide Pickleball Community
PURE’s long-term goal is to establish enough clubs and competitions to petition the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) for official sanctioning. Warner said, “We’re trying to prove the concept. It starts with the clubs, public schools, private schools, homeschool groups, boys and girls clubs. Then comes competition. Eventually, that opens the door to formal recognition.”
The December state championship will feature boys and girls singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Each school club is run like a mini-business, with students creating constitutions, electing officers, and building team identity. PURE also offers a pro-shop affiliate program that returns 20% of sales to clubs.
Warner said, “We’re assigning certified youth coaches, setting up inter-club ladders, helping with fundraising, the goal is to make sure these clubs last.” Cory Newton added, “Off the court, I want students to feel like they belong to something. Team sports made me who I am. I know this club can do that for others.” Dan Ray agreed, “When students feel like they’re part of something, they perform better. This sport connects them with friends, with school, with community.”
“This sport was invented by families for all generations to play,” Warner said. “We’re just building the infrastructure so that the next generation has a place to compete, to learn, and to grow.”
News in Brief: PURE Pickleball High School Expansion
PURE Pickleball & Padel aims to make pickleball a high school sport in Arizona. The group will open a massive indoor facility in 2026 and start up to 100 school clubs this year. Arizona’s first state championship is set for December 6–7, offering inclusive, competitive play for students statewide.