Pickleball Kingdom Centerville to Host the Jovante Woods Foundation Celebrity Pickleball Showcase on Sept. 19

Registration is Now Open to Players at All Levels for Fun Competition with Gridiron Legends While Raising Money for Asthma Testing

CENTERVILLE, Ohio, July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pickleball Kingdom Centerville and Archer's Tavern today announced that registration is open for the Jovante Woods Foundation Celebrity Pickleball Showcase. Set for Saturday, Sept. 19., at Pickleball Kingdom's 13-court indoor facility located at 985 S. Main Street, the fundraiser will bring together pickleball players at all levels for fun, competitive play with current and former NFL players.

Get ready for the ultimate crossover sports event of the fall! The Jovante Woods Foundation team invites you to an exclusive, high-powered day of entertainment, elite athleticism, and community impact. Whether you are a die-hard football fan, a pickleball fanatic, or just love a great party for a great cause, this is the event of the season. Not interested in playing? No worries. Off-court activities will be available for friends and family who just want to hang out and enjoy the day (for now anyway, we'll convert you yet). Let's pack Pickleball Kingdom.

VIP Meet & Greet + Open Play

Rub shoulders, take photos, and collect autographs from your favorite former Cincinnati Bengals legends. After you grab your gear, step onto the courts for an exclusive Open Play session. This is your rare chance to share the court, trade dinks, and test your skills alongside true gridiron greats.

This open play session is for ALL skill levels. All games are played to 11, win by 2, using traditional scoring. Open Play Courts are grouped by: Advanced: Challenge Courts;

High-Intermediate (3.75+): Performance Play Courts; Intermediate (3.0–3.5): Recreational-Intermediate Play Courts; and Novice (2.5–3.0): Beginner Foundations Courts.

The event has two halves and some fun halftime festivities:

First Half: 9 a.m.-noon; Click here for session details and to register online

Second Half: 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Click here for session details and to register online

In addition to the Open Play, the showcase will feature a sports memorabilia display and silent auction; autograph and photo sessions with Cincinnati Bengals' greats Ickey Woods, Solomon Wilcots, as well as other former and current NFL players; asthma testing provided by the American Lung Association; and food and beverages provided by Archer's Tavern. Other businesses interested in sponsoring the event can contact Travis Wilson at (440) 623-4469.

Playing for a Purpose

Every $20 ticket purchased directly benefits The Jovante Woods Foundation. Join us in supporting the mission.

Proceeds from the event will go to the Jovante Woods Foundation as part of its "Score 6 for 24" fundraising campaign. In memory of Jovante, who wore No. 24 as a high-school football player, the Foundation is seeking $600,000 in donations to support the continued expansion of its asthma testing and educational initiatives geared toward families with children susceptible to the disease. Jovante died following an acute asthma attack after football practice in August 2010. Other upcoming events will be part of high school football games throughout Ohio as well as with youth football programs in New York and Florida. Click here to donate to the campaign.

Ickey and Chandra Woods established the Foundation to raise awareness of the need for new medicines and to educate families about overall asthma treatment management. Since its launch, the Foundation has hosted asthma testing events and fundraisers at schools, community centers and other venues in Ohio; California, near Ickey's former home city of Fresno; and Nevada, where Ickey was a student-athlete at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and a member of the school's Athletics Hall of Fame.

More than one million people visit a hospital emergency department each year because of an acute exacerbation with up to 30% of these individuals hospitalized for two to three days. Additionally, in the four-week period following an acute attack, approximately 50% of individuals will experience either a worsening of the initial attack or another exacerbation that requires medical intervention such as a return visit to an emergency department or urgent care clinic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 3,500 people in the U.S. die from asthma each year.

Drafted by the Bengals in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft, Ickey quickly made his mark in professional football. During his rookie season, he rushed for 1,066 yards, helping lead the Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII. He became internationally known for his celebratory touchdown dance, the "Ickey Shuffle," which remains a cultural phenomenon and has led Ickey to star in television commercials.

For more information about the Jovante Woods Foundation and upcoming events, visit https://jovante-woods-foundation.lovable.app/. Follow the Foundation on social media channels: Facebook, Instagram and X.

Main Event Contact:
Travis Wilson
Pickleball Kingdom
[email protected]
(440) 623-4469

Media Contact:
Pablo Prunty-Russo or David Schull
Russo Partners
[email protected]
(858) 717-2310

SOURCE Pickleball Kingdom Centerville