Shepherd's Foundation presents

Courage on the Court

The Camp Maximum Pickleball Classic. One afternoon of round robin pickleball to fund the disabilities programs at Camp Maximum in Ukraine.

  • Sat, Nov 72026
  • 12–4 PMFour hours of play
  • $100Per player, lunch included
  • 60 players100 max
Register to play Become a sponsor
A young camper on the sport court raising a hand for a high five
A camper with a prosthetic leg flying down a zipline against a bright sky

The format

Two divisions.
One long, good afternoon.

Round robin play across both divisions, so you get a full slate of games rather than one match and a handshake. Winners are decided on maximum points.

Experienced Beginner

Casual player, or still working on your third shot. The games are friendly and well matched.

Upper Intermediate
& Advanced

You know where the kitchen line is and you live on it. Expect fast hands and long rallies.

What your $100 covers

  • Round robin play in your division, 12–4 PM
  • A deli lunch, served on site
  • A swag bag and a high-quality, long-sleeved logo T-shirt
  • Direct support for disabled kids and adults in Ukraine

On the day

More than a bracket

Between rounds visit with Vitaly Sobko, CEO at Camp Maximum, and Oksana Magdych, the trauma psychologist at Camp Maximum. There is plenty going on, and every bit of it raises a little more for camp.

Beat the Pros

Take your shot against the best players in the building. Win, and you'll be telling that story for years.

Rent a Pro, Win a Point

Buy a pro for a rally and stack the odds in your favor. Entirely fair. Entirely for a good cause.

Paddle Raffle

Friday paddles and pickleball gear up for grabs all afternoon, including a signed paddle by a celebrity pro. You do not need to win a match to win a prize.

Swag for Everyone

Every player leaves with a swag bag and a high-quality, long-sleeved logo T-shirt for taking part. No one goes home empty-handed.

Why we play

Camp Maximum,
Ukraine

Camp Maximum is a camp for people with disabilities — children, teenagers, adults and the families who care for them. It runs in a country at war, and it keeps running anyway.

Campers climb, zipline, swim and play on real courts, many of them for the first time. Parents get a week where their child is not the exception. For a lot of these families it is the only week of the year that belongs entirely to them.

Shepherd's Foundation builds and funds that work. Courage on the Court is one afternoon of pickleball that pays for a great deal of it.

Learn more about Camp Maximum
An amputee football team on a grass pitch, standing together with crutches
Campers and staff walking together across a green sport court, one using a wheelchair
A camper and a staff member sitting side by side on a wooden bench in the woods
A mother and her son standing together among trees
A goalkeeper in green making a save on a grass pitch

Registration

Claim a spot

Sixty players is the plan and one hundred is the ceiling. Divisions fill in order of registration.

--days
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$100

per player

Date
Sat, Nov 7, 2026
Time
12:00 – 4:00 PM
Venue
Lucky Shots, Minneapolis
Format
Round robin, two divisions
Includes
Lunch + swag bag & T-shirt
Register to play

Shepherd's Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3). Your entry is tax-deductible and goes to Camp Maximum.

Good questions

Which division should I enter?

Pick the one that matches how you actually play, not how you'd like to. Experienced Beginner is genuinely welcoming to newer players; Upper Intermediate / Advanced moves quickly. If you're on the line, say so in the notes when you register and we'll help you choose.

Do I need a partner?

No, you'll play with everyone else in your bracket. Use the notes field when you register to name someone you'd like to play with, or tell us you're coming solo. Either way you'll get a full afternoon of play.

What should I bring?

Court shoes, a water bottle and your own paddle if you have one. Everything else, including lunch and your swag bag, is covered by your entry — the raffle, Beat the Pros and Rent a Pro are extra.

Can I come and watch?

Yes. Observer tickets are $25 and include a deli lunch.

Where does the money go?

We hope to cover all the disabilities programming at Camp Maximum for 2027. This includes:

  • Family Camp, for families with kids who have Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy and other disabilities
  • Camp Possible, our biannual women's amputee soccer camp
  • Disabilities Conferences, our online conferences featuring experts from Minnesota and beyond — last year over 1,500 Ukrainian clinicians attended