PICKLEBALL POINTS: JULY 12th, 2026

Coachella Valley Scorpions vs. LAXtreme Showdown

On Thursday night at The Show at Agua Caliente, I had the pleasure of attending the "Meet & Dink," followed by three incredibly fun pro exhibition pickleball matches. Many of my students attended, and the turnout was awesome. Be sure to look out for the event photos on the Desert Sun website!

Here is what attendees had to say about the event:

• Bonnie: “The drill stations had great variety, great flow, and friendly, helpful coaches.”

• Laura: “Great giveaways for prizes!” I can personally vouch for that—I left with t-shirts, towels, nutritional supplements, and a signed poster!

• Amy: “Great contests at the stations, and everyone was so high energy.”

• Lynn & Molly: “Fabulous coaching tips, organized, and the Agua Caliente staff was awesome.”

• Elaine, Kim & Deb: “Great music and an intimate venue. We wish we had come to the Dink & Meet part!”

Tim O’Brien from our local NBC Palm Springs station hosted the evening, bringing incredible energy to the venue and keeping the crowd pumped.

One of the major highlights was a star-studded celebrity match featuring Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills, Sumo Dogs owner Jeff Lunak, and star football player turned avid pickler Terrell Owens.

Our very own Scorpions player, Marcin Rozpędski, absolutely stole the show with his great humor, fantastic shots, and high energy. I even managed to get his autograph on my poster!

Expanding the Scorpions Franchise

During the event, I had a chance to talk to team owners Don Zuker, Rob Zwemmer, and Kim Jagd. They all shared a fantastic vision for expanding the Scorpions program. While last year’s squad numbered 14 players in the 50-and-over category, this year they have expanded to include 40-plus and 60-plus divisions, bringing the total roster to 22 players!

An event like this wouldn't be possible without local backing. Agua Caliente Casinos, Ace Hardware, Sumo Dogs, Eisenhower Healthcare, JOOLA, Rod Davis, and The Pickler are just a few of the major sponsors on board.

Looking Ahead: The Need for an Indoor Home

The team's major upcoming goal is securing a large indoor pickleball facility to host home competitions. Because they lack a dedicated local venue, all of the Scorpions’ official matches are currently played away.

A local indoor facility would be a massive win for our community. It would provide a cool place to play during the scorching summer months, while opening up opportunities for clinics, school programs, local tournaments, and more. When asked, everyone I interviewed said they would buy a membership in a heartbeat!

Want to learn more?

For more information about the team, upcoming matches, and events, check out the official website: Coachella Valley Scorpions.

Everyone is already planning on coming back next year!