The sound of paddles meeting plastic balls will echo across Rowan Park on Saturday, May 16, but the real impact of the Fayetteville Young Life Paddle Battle Pickleball Tournament will reach far beyond the courts.
Hosted at 725 W. Rowan St., the tournament invites players of all skill levels to compete in an open doubles format while supporting a growing youth ministry rooted in connection, mentorship and community. Registration is $40 per person or $80 per team, and participants will be placed into beginner, intermediate and advanced divisions. The day begins with round-robin pool play before advancing top teams into a single-elimination bracket. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. and play begins at 9 a.m.
Presented by Chick-fil-A Skibo Square and Teasley Ayers CPAs, the event blends competition with a festival atmosphere. Food vendors, music and community engagement will surround the courts, transforming the park into something closer to a neighborhood gathering than a traditional tournament. Every participant will receive a commemorative T-shirt, while winners in each division will earn championship prizes, including custom YETI Ramblers and cash awards.
Still, to understand Paddle Battle, one has to look past the structure of the brackets and into the purpose behind them. For Dr. Randy Griffin, committee chairman of Fayetteville Young Life and a retired Army chaplain, the tournament is less about winning and more about what happens in between the points.
“This is not your normal pickleball tournament,” Griffin said. “It’s a community gathering. It’s fun, it’s music, it’s people coming together in a way that feels welcoming and unified.”
That sense of unity is not accidental. It is foundational to Young Life, an international nonprofit ministry that operates in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Though its global reach is expansive, Fayetteville’s chapter is relatively new, officially launching in August 2020 after years of groundwork.
Griffin’s connection to the organization began long before. While serving as a garrison chaplain at West Point, he watched his youngest son become involved in Young Life as a high school student. What started as participation quickly became transformation.
“It really changed the trajectory of his life,” Griffin said. “He stayed involved through high school and college and eventually went on staff full-time. Seeing that kind of impact up close—it stayed with us.”
When Griffin and his wife began considering life after military service, they carried that experience with them. Fayetteville, a city defined by its military ties and constant movement, felt like a place that could benefit from the same kind of relational ministry.
Building it, however, required patience, assembling a volunteer base, forming an adult committee and raising the initial operating budget. By the time Fayetteville Young Life officially launched, it had already become a labor of conviction. Today, the ministry is sustained not only by its volunteers and staff, but also by community-driven fundraising efforts like Paddle Battle.
“Every Young Life area needs events that help support the mission,” Griffin said. “A lot of places do golf tournaments, but we wanted something different, something that felt more accessible, more engaging.”
Pickleball, one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, offered that opportunity. Last year’s inaugural tournament exceeded expectations, drawing players and spectators from across the region.
“It was incredible,” Griffin said. “The turnout, the energy, the way people connected, it was clear we had something special.”
That success led to a simple decision: make it annual.
But Paddle Battle was never meant to be just a sporting event. Griffin is careful to describe it as something broader, something intentionally designed to reflect the heart of the organization behind it.
“As a chaplain, you’re always looking for ways to bring people together,” he said. “That’s what this is. It’s a space where families, service members, and the community can gather and just be together.”
That philosophy shapes every detail from the open invitation to all skill levels to the layout of the event itself. Courts are only one part of the experience. Around them, vendors set up, music plays and conversations unfold in the spaces between competition.
It’s that environment Griffin believes leaves the most lasting impression.
“We want people from all walks of life to feel like they belong here,” he said. “Every background, every story, this is a place where it doesn’t matter. You come, you’re welcomed, and you’re part of something.”
The proceeds from the tournament reinforce that mission in practical ways. Every dollar raised goes directly into sustaining Fayetteville Young Life’s operations, supporting programs, purchasing supplies and creating opportunities for youth engagement throughout the year.
“It all goes back into the ministry,” Griffin said. “It helps us continue doing what we’re called to do: showing up for young people in this community.”
Even with its emphasis on connection, the competition itself remains real. This year, organizers have refined the tournament structure to ensure more balanced matchups, particularly in the advanced division, where Griffin expects a heightened level of play.
“There’s going to be some serious competition,” he said with a smile. “We’ve made adjustments, and this year the brackets are going to be strong.”
But when the final point is scored and the prizes are handed out, the lasting takeaway may not be who won. In a city shaped by transition where families arrive, serve and often move on, moments of shared experience can be fleeting. Paddle Battle offers something different: a pause, a gathering, a chance to belong, if only for a day. And for Griffin, that may be the true victory.
“We hope people walk away understanding that we’re here for the community,” he said. “This is about unity. It’s about creating something meaningful together.”
Registration closes on May 11. For more information and to register, visit https://nc220.younglife.team/paddlebattle2026.