Pickleball Tournament Benefits BIAPA

BIAPA sends a big thank you to Montour High School senior Autumn DuMontier and the MHS Future Business Leaders for sponsoring a Brain Injury Awareness Pickleball Tournament in March, Brain Injury Awareness Month, which raised $600 for BIAPA.

Inspired by a family friend who received a brain injury as a child, Autumn began planning the event in October.  She chose a pickleball tournament, which most of the school’s students had played in middle school, as the focus. 

Her goal was to recruit 40 teams composed of MHS students, to build awareness about brain injury and to raise funds for BIAPA. She presented her detailed plan to the school’s principal.  After it was approved, she worked closely with Gina Ligouri, the Faculty Sponsor of MHS Future Business Leaders.

The event was a tremendous success!  Registration was $6, and 104 teams registered to play on Friday, March 17.  Since it was also St. Patrick’s Day, Autumn chose green, which is also associated with Brain Injury Awareness, for the event’s posters and T-shirts.  She began the tournament with a presentation about brain injury. The participating students were excused from class to play and to watch the other teams when they weren’t playing.

Reflecting on the experience, Autumn says, “Doing this tournament was such a unique experience for me. It tested my ability to be continuously diligent, but getting to see the change and the lives it will affect proves that anyone can make a difference. Even getting to watch my classmates be stress-free and enjoy the day was such a satisfying feeling of accomplishment.”

In September, Autumn will enroll in Clarion University’s Paralegal Program. “The Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania is grateful for Autumn’s enthusiasm and initiative, and for everyone who participated in the MHS Brain Injury Awareness Pickleball Tournament,” says BIAPA Board member Anne Sears. “We will use the funds they raised to support scholarships for brain injury survivors to attend BIAPA’s Annual Conference in June.”

Photo: Autumn DuMontier with the winning Pickleball team.