So last month our tennis club needed cash real bad. Court lights kept flickering like a disco party, and that ancient ball machine finally coughed its last fuzzy ball. Time to get creative with fundraising. Forget boring bake sales – we wanted tennis-themed fun that actually puts bucks in the jar. Here’s how it went down.
Brainstorming Like Crazy
Sitting around a wobbly picnic table after practice, six of us just threw every dumb idea out there. Seriously, some were awful. Someone suggested “Sponsor a Pothole” on the court – yeah, no. Then Jamie remembered this pro-am event she saw online. Ding ding ding! That sparked it. We wanted stuff where people play, laugh, and maybe get a little competitive… all while opening their wallets.
What We Landed On:
- “Beat the Pro” Challenge
- Crazy Costume Round Robin
- Silent Auction with Tennis Swag & Lessons
Making “Beat the Pro” Actually Work
First hurdle: finding the “pro.” Our assistant coach, Dave, who played D3 college ball years ago? He volunteered. Close enough! We charged $10 for three tries. Goal: win one point off Dave, get your money back. Simple, right? We made flyers with Dave’s goofy photo saying “Bet You Can’t!” Hung ’em up everywhere – grocery store bulletin boards, coffee shops, library. People thought it was hilarious.
Day of the event? Chaos! We roped off Court 3. Dave served just hard enough to make it tough but possible. People lined up! Old guys in white pants, high school kids, even moms dropping their kids yelled “Lemme try!” Best moment: 10-year-old Mia surprised Dave with a crazy lob. Crowd went wild. She got her ten bucks back plus a free ice pop we sold. We made almost $300 just from entries in two hours.
Costume Round Robin: Silliness Sells
This was pure fun. Entry fee: $15 per player, bring a partner or get matched. Rule? You MUST wear a costume. Tennis related or not. We advertised it as “Tennis Like You’ve Never Seen.”
Oh man, the outfits. We saw tutus over tennis skirts, Superman capes flapping during serves, one guy dressed as a giant tennis ball (swinging was… interesting). Local party store donated discount coupons for costumes as prizes. Split people into random doubles teams based on costume themes. Princesses vs. Superheroes first round! We played short sets, music blasting, everyone laughing. People paid extra for silly fines – like $1 for whiffing an overhead smash. Raised another $200 easily, just from people having a blast.
Silent Auction: The Sneaky Money Maker
This ran alongside the events on a big table under the clubhouse awning. Trick? Get stuff people want, not just dusty club trophies.
- Begged the head pro for two 1-hour private lessons. Boom, instant value!
- Hit up sporting goods stores: got fancy tennis bags, sunglasses, grips.
- Local restaurant? Scored a $50 dinner gift card.
- Club members donated too – barely used rackets, cool vintage tennis posters.
Set up sheets with starting bids and pencils. People circled all afternoon, especially parents waiting for kids to play. Those lessons? Bidding war between two dads! Ended up getting $75 for one! Lesson learned: Free stuff donated by others raises pure profit. Kept it simple.
Did It Work? Heck Yeah!
Total haul after expenses? Right around $900 bucks! We tracked everything in a beat-up notebook – entry fees, auction sales, even the $1 fines for missed shots. Biggest surprise? The sheer fun factor. People kept asking, “When’s the next one?” Way more energy than just selling candy bars door-to-door. Plus, the club looked awesome with people laughing and playing in wild outfits. New ball machine fund? We’re halfway there! Lesson learned: Make donating feel like playing, and folks will pay for the privilege.