Every Point Counts: Pickleball for Montessori Education

Members of the INE collective hope that communities, organizations, and businesses will take part in this initiative.

By: Instituto Nueva Escuela

For 17 years we have walked alongside public Montessori schools, supporting teachers, assistants, families, and communities. We have done so through professional development, environmental projects, psychological services, alternative therapies, and spaces that celebrate community life.

Today, for the first time, we add something different: a pickleball tournament.”

You might ask yourself: What does a sports tournament have to do with education, school transformation, and the community work carried out by INE?

This time, the sport of pickleball—which is rapidly growing—gives us the opportunity to come together as a community and invite companies and citizens to play for a cause: public Montessori education.

This sport is grounded in honor: playing with integrity, respecting others, and fulfilling your responsibility. These are values shared by our organization and the community we serve.

We invite you to participate in this event of connection and fun because your participation helps us continue serving. How? Through the purchase of Montessori materials so that teachers and students can have a well-prepared learning environment.

If we were to estimate the cost of outfitting a Montessori environment, the answer would be $25,000. The investment made in each environment (classroom) lasts about 25 years and impacts approximately 25 students each year. 

Your participation, therefore, is not just a “point” in a tournament:it is a lasting, purposeful investment that creates real opportunities for children, youth, and educators in our country.It is a statement affirming that they deserve an environment that honors their development and human potential.

Our invitation is to play for something greater than a medal: for the Puerto Rico we all want to build—school by school, court by court.

The tournament is open to the general public and to companies that want to make this a team-building activity. Anyone passionate about pickleball and committed to advancing Montessori education can register. Teams may compete in beginner, intermediate, and advanced categories, in women’s, men’s, and mixed divisions. Sponsorship opportunities are also available for companies seeking to increase visibility and social impact. 

The event will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at Pickleball at the Mall, located on the second level of The Mall of San Juan, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.Registration is available on our website: www.inepr.org