What a day! Day 3 at the MLP Dallas Classic was one for the books—and extra special because I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Dallas Flash table, something I was genuinely excited about.
Originally, when I checked the volunteer sign-up, all the slots were taken. I was a little bummed but decided to reach out to the coordinator anyway, just in case something opened up. Luckily, she got back to me and said a few spots had freed up. I jumped at the chance!
Before heading to Pickler Universe, I had to bring Ericson with me since we needed to get his glasses fixed before our upcoming family trip to Boston. Once that was squared away, we made our way to the venue, where I checked in, received a lanyard and volunteer shirt, and got ready to represent the Flash.
On top of volunteering, I was lucky enough to win two VIP tickets to the event through an Instagram giveaway from the LA Mad Drops. The usual format: like the post, follow them, and leave a comment. I went with “I’d rather be here hyped up than at a Coldplay concert”—and it worked! They messaged me to say I’d won, and I was honestly shocked. I’ve never really won a giveaway before, so this was a first and I was ready to make the most of it once my volunteer shift wrapped up.
Volunteering was a blast. I helped run the Dallas Flash merch table, which gave me a great perspective on how I might sell Whatabangers gear at future social or tournament events. It was fun, easy, and a great way to meet new people. During the slower moments, we’d sneak over to catch the matches on the Championship Court, which kept the energy high. Meanwhile, Ericson—rocking his own VIP badge—had a great time exploring the venue.
After my shift, a few of my Whatabangers teammates rolled in, also rocking VIP passes. We all headed over to the VIP section together—and it was amazing. Killer seats, up-close action, and an unreal view of the pros battling it out on the court. The matches were intense and electric. Pure adrenaline.
While I was hanging out in the VIP section watching the matches, I spotted Anna Leigh Waters from the New Jersey Fives playing on the Grandstand Court. I called out to her and told her I had a Labubu-themed shirt of her team since I knew she was a fan of Labubu. She smiled, thanked me, and even showed me the Labubu she had with her—turns out she already had a Fives shirt but my was featuring the clown-style logo. Still, it was a cool moment, and I just wanted to say thanks to her in person for the signed Paddletek shirt she gave me previously. She's always been super kind and down-to-earth—made my day!
We took a break to enjoy the VIP perks—free lunch, comfy seating, and full access to the Vendor Village. There was a little bit of everything: jewelry, drinks, gear from Pickleball Central, and even the main sponsor was Advil Relief. Huge props to the event organizers for putting that together.
To top it off, the Dallas Flash “Road to the Minors” event was happening as well, with a few of our friends competing. We wished them luck and cheered them on—it was awesome to see people we know repping Dallas Flash on the court.
All in all, it was an epic day at the MLP Dallas Classic. I’m already hoping I can volunteer at PPA Tour Worlds in November. Even if I don’t get a volunteer spot, you better believe I’ll be there.
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