TCU’s All-Campus Pickleball Tournament: TCU’s first-ever all-campus pickleball tournament proved to be a smash hit, offering a unique opportunity for staff, faculty, students, and alumni to connect beyond the classroom and office. The event showed a blend of campus groups, with nine teams competing in total, including two from the student pickleball club, three from the employee pickleball club, two from the Silver Frogs group, and two teams from the Burnett School of Medicine.
A Vision to Connect
The idea for the tournament came from Tee Tyler, an associate professor of social work, who saw pickleball as the perfect way to unite the TCU community. Tyler was introduced to the sport in 2022 while playing with his sister during Thanksgiving.
“I played pickleball over Thanksgiving in 2022. My sister played pickleball, and I had never played before, and I knew she was passionate about it. While playing, I thought, ‘This is a game that a 60-year-old and a 16-year-old can both play, and it’s accessible to both and both can get into it and join.’” – (Tee Tyler)
The concept quickly gained traction, surprising Tyler with an overwhelming response. After launching a survey to gauge interest in forming an employee pickleball club, he was astonished by the number of sign-ups.
“Within an hour, 50 people signed up. Overnight, 100 people signed up.” - (Tee Tyler)
Growing the Game
The success of the employee pickleball club, which now boasts 170 members, led to even greater engagement. Tyler was thrilled to see people from various areas of the campus, including faculty and staff from the Neeley School of Business, student affairs, and human resources, coming together to form new connections.
“They’re getting to know each other and they’re becoming friends, and it’s been a really neat thing to witness this semester.” – (Tee Tyler)
Inspired by this success, Tyler saw the potential to expand the event. He extended invitations to members of the Silver Frogs group, made up of those 50 and older in TCU’s Extended Education program, as well as students from the Burnett School of Medicine and the student pickleball club. The result was a vibrant, inclusive community of Horned Frogs sharing in the fun of pickleball.
The Power of Community
For Tyler, the tournament was more than just a competition—it was about building connections. “Not only is the game fun, but it’s also a really good game for building community,” he said, emphasizing the broader benefits of the event for the TCU community.
Tournament Results
- First Place: Burnett School of Medicine
AJ Khawaja
Mebeli Becerra - Second Place: Burnett School of Medicine
Sean Canfield
Timur Seckin - Third Place: TCU Employee Club
Cole Marchi
Sam Davis
News in Brief: TCU’s All-Campus Pickleball Tournament
TCU’s first all-campus pickleball tournament brought together students, faculty, staff, and alumni from various campus groups. The event featured nine teams, including participants from the student pickleball club, employee pickleball club, Silver Frogs group, and the Burnett School of Medicine.
Initiated by Tee Tyler, the tournament highlighted the game’s ability to unite people of all ages and backgrounds. The Burnett School of Medicine claimed both first and second place, with the employee pickleball club finishing third. The tournament fostered new friendships and strengthened community ties across TCU.
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