Pickle Ball Joy Projects
View our amazing projects till date
Island of Palau gets introduced to pickleball and is the inspiration behind the start of PBJ!
Steve Chang is a dentist, world traveler, and missionary extraordinaire. Years ago he started the Adventist Wellness Center on the island of Palau w/ its very own dental clinic. In the spring of 2024, he brought 17 pickleball paddles, 6 nets and introduced this island to pickleball! This was a huge blessing as inactivity is a rampant epidemic on this island as it is in most places of the world. My dad shared Steve’s FB post w/ me. We loved it and this was the inspiration behind how Pickleball Joy got started! We want to share the joy and inherent blessings (physical fitness/social/health/emotional) of pickleball to communities and developing countries where the sport is not yet known!
Chuuk- June 2024
Cardiology mission team was heading to Chuuk in the Micronesian islands June of 2024. They were asked to please bring some kind of activity for the residents. PBJ collaborates and supplied paddles, nets, balls, and resources to introduce pickleball to Chuuk! The locals loved it and pickleball is a hit.
Chuuk- June 2024
Cardiology mission team was heading to Chuuk in the Micronesian islands June of 2024. They were asked to please bring some kind of activity for the residents. PBJ collaborates and supplied paddles, nets, balls, and resources to introduce pickleball to Chuuk! The locals loved it and pickleball is a hit.
Shout out to Paddletek
for donating 10 paddles to PBJ! These paddles will be going to orphans in Nepal!
Philippines/Japan August 2024
Ernie Medina shared the joys of pickleball on his three week whirlwind trip as he traveled from one place to another on his trip to the Philippines and Japan. This included public speaking appearances, interview on a podcast, teaching lessons and putting on clinics at universities/colleges.
Philippines/Japan August 2024
Ernie Medina shared the joys of pickleball on his three week whirlwind trip as he traveled from one place to another on his trip to the Philippines and Japan. This included public speaking appearances, interview on a podcast, teaching lessons and putting on clinics at universities/colleges.
Scottsdale AZ- Oct 2024
Calvin Kim, David Koh, Steve Chang, and Ernie Medina got to represent and promote PBJ at the NASDAD dental conference where they were holding their first annual pickleball tournament!
Nepal – Oct 2024
Steve Chang and his mission team headed to Nepal to provide dental care. Steve had the fun experience of introducing the joys of pickleball to orphans and students while on their trip!
Nepal – Oct 2024
Steve Chang and his mission team headed to Nepal to provide dental care. Steve had the fun experience of introducing the joys of pickleball to orphans and students while on their trip!
Loma Linda University- November 2024
Pickleball Joy is a proud sponsor for the Loma Linda University Collegiate Pickleball Team! We are not only a platinum sponsor but have had the opportunity to equip the collegiate team with PBJ shirts/visors/hats for their team practice sessions!
We are excited for our LLU collegiate PB athletes!
Guam- December 2024
We received a request from the Guam SDA clinic to introduce their staff and family to pickleball. They were looking for a healthy activity that would also bring people together. Pete Lingas one of our PBJ board members lead a team to Guam. PBJ supplied them with nets, balls, and paddles. Our team taught beginner classes and it was a hit.
Guam- December 2024
We received a request from the Guam SDA clinic to introduce their staff and family to pickleball. They were looking for a healthy activity that would also bring people together. Pete Lingas one of our PBJ board members lead a team to Guam. PBJ supplied them with nets, balls, and paddles. Our team taught beginner classes and it was a hit.
Saipan – January 2025
Dr. Jeff Schroeder was in Guam end of December with our PBJ team and then headed to Saipan. Dr. Schroeder is one of our PBJ ambassadors. During the day he works in the local dental mission clinic and in the evening he spread pickleball joy with the locals. He has not only donated paddles but a very nice net for the public locals in Saipan to use.
Loma Linda University Winter Classic Pickleball Tournament- February 2025
Loma Linda University was gracious and allowed us to do a paddle drive. Many donated used paddles and pickleball gear to PBJ to share abroad. Many of our board members participated in the Winter Classic tournament fun and did very well!
Loma Linda University Winter Classic Pickleball Tournament- February 2025
Loma Linda University was gracious and allowed us to do a paddle drive. Many donated used paddles and pickleball gear to PBJ to share abroad. Many of our board members participated in the Winter Classic tournament fun and did very well!
Loma Linda School of Public Health – February 2025
LLUSPH promoted the health benefits of pickleball for homecoming!
Two of our PBJ board members- Pete Lingas and Calvin Kim were asked to present about the blessings of pickleball.
Nepal – March 2025
Steve, our PBJ chair and his dental mission team just introduced pickleball to locals in Pakistan. It is quite possible that Pickleball Joy is the first to introduce pickleball to Pakistan and they loved it!
Steve said,
“Several hundred kids all learning at the same time was like herding cats. They did all eventually got to play.”
Dental clinic and pickleball clinic being run simultaneously!
Nepal – March 2025
Steve, our PBJ chair and his dental mission team just introduced pickleball to locals in Pakistan. It is quite possible that Pickleball Joy is the first to introduce pickleball to Pakistan and they loved it!
Steve said,
“Several hundred kids all learning at the same time was like herding cats. They did all eventually got to play.”
Dental clinic and pickleball clinic being run simultaneously!
Ensenada, Mexico – June 2025
Pepe Zavala found Pickleball Joy while looking for an organization that could help him introduce pickleball to teens and young kids at the public parks in Mexico as he has a passion for helping youth. Pickleball Joy donated 12 paddles to this project to help spread the joy of pickleball to Ensenada, Mexico
Philippines- August 2025
12 paddles donated by Pickleball Joy to support missionary James Kirtley and his ministry in the Philippines. Picture below of the first tournament he organized for the locals in June of 2025
Philippines- August 2025
12 paddles donated by Pickleball Joy to support missionary James Kirtley and his ministry in the Philippines. Picture below of the first tournament he organized for the locals in June of 2025
Pacific Union College Angwin, CA – July 2025
Pickleball Joy was asked to host the first ever pickleball tournament for the annual West Coast Korean Campmeeting! Turnout was fantastic and a great time was had by all. Big thanks to Euni Cho for serving as our tournament director and teaching us the ropes on how to run a tournament!