The Cowtown Classic, a charity pickleball event, is set to return for its second year from October 2 to 4, aiming to raise $100,000 to support campers with disabilities at Camp Summit. The weekend kicks off with a dinner and auction on Friday night in the Cultural District, followed by two days of tournament play.
This initiative finds its roots in a personal story. Over 15 years ago, Paul Straten’s daughter, Jackie, experienced Camp Summit for the first time, establishing a deep connection with the residential camp located in Paradise, Texas. Straten began his fundraising journey through golf and later organized a small pickleball tournament in 2020, drawing around 30 teams. In 2025, tournament director Bill “Maty” Matyastik envisioned a larger event that would pair amateur players with touring professionals, culminating in the first Cowtown Classic, which successfully raised $65,000 with participation from over 70 amateur teams and 12 PPA professionals.
<p“Camp Summit gave Jackie a place where she is celebrated exactly as she is,” stated Straten. “This weekend is Fort Worth’s way of handing that same week of belonging to the next 40 campers.”
The upcoming event will commence on Friday, October 2, at 6 PM with a 200-seat dinner and both live and silent auctions hosted at Blue Mesa Southwest Grill in Fort Worth. Tournament matches will take place on Saturday and Sunday, October 3-4, at Picklr West, featuring brackets for various skill levels, a new division for players over 60, and the signature PPA Pro-Am event where amateurs will be paired with professional players. At least seven professionals from the previous year are already confirmed to participate again.
Every dollar raised during the Cowtown Classic will go directly to Camp Summit, a nonprofit organization that has been providing outdoor experiences for individuals with disabilities since 1947. The cost to send one camper for a week of activities like swimming, fishing, and horseback riding is $2,300. “You do not have to play pickleball to be part of this,” Matyastik emphasized. “Buy a dinner seat, donate an auction item, sponsor a court, or send a camper outright. Every dollar ends up in a cabin at Camp Summit.”
Registration for players, dinner tickets, and donations are now available at cowtownclassic.org. Sponsorship opportunities range from a $500 dinner table to a $20,000 title package, including a $2,300 level that fully funds a camper’s week. Organizers are also collecting auction items valued between $25 and $5,000, with all contributions being tax-deductible.
For additional information about the event, visit CowtownClassic.org.
