KINGSBURG – Community members are encouraged to bring their competitive spirits in remembrance of one of the city’s beloved youth.
On the morning of Sept. 26, the Rafer Johnson Junior High School courts will be bustling for a fundraiser pickleball tournament in support of the recently-established Christian Crabb Project. The nonprofit aims to promote wellness and recreational opportunities in the community while honoring the legacy of Christian Crabb, a Kingsburg High School student who was killed by a drunk driver in November 2025.
Whether competing themselves or applauding those who are, all in the community are invited to attend and show their support for a local cause.
“Even if people don’t play pickleball, we’re wanting people to be a part of this in whatever way feels right to them,” said Lisa Crabb, founding member of the nonprofit and mother to Christian. “We can’t just have players, so we’ll need a cheering section too,” she added.
The tournament will be played in a doubles format, and will kick off at 7:30 a.m. Registration is $55 per person, and those who register before Sept. 15 will secure a t-shirt in their size. The final day for registration is Sept. 23, and all proceeds will go toward the nonprofit.
On the day of the event, Lisa shared that there will also be vendors on offer such as 7 Oaks Coffee, Pelican’s SnoBalls and J’s Taco Shop.
Honoring a legacy
Pickleball was chosen as the fundraising activity because it was a favorite pastime among Christian and his friends. Lisa shared that the boys had even started their own pickleball club with one another, which served as the primary inspiration for this event.
After his passing, the Kingsburg Covenant Church also set up a memorial fund in Christian’s name, which Lisa said has been used to build pickleball courts at the church which are dedicated to him. Although the emotional impact of the loss is still deeply felt by loved ones, Lisa said she’s been amazed to see how the community has rallied around her family in the past year.
“We’ve just really been amazed at the power of the community, the people and the support, and I think it’s a really unique thing in our small community,” Lisa said.
The Christian Crabb Project is still in its infancy as a nonprofit organization, but Lisa hopes that with the funds raised through this tournament, the team can begin its mission of offering and promoting recreational opportunities inspired by Christian’s reputation for athleticism.
As a tribute to Christian’s goal of studying kinesiology in college, the nonprofit hopes to eventually begin hosting community classes ranging from sports activities to yoga and even physical therapy. Once the organization fully establishes its presence in the community, Lisa said the plan is to begin seeking partners who can help run these classes.
“The kid had big goals, and we’re doing this in his spirit,” Lisa said. “He had big goals, so we’re gonna see how we can fulfill them.”
Tickets for the tournament can be purchased online at christiancrabbproject.com, and those who wish to support further can also make donations online. Lisa added that the nonprofit is always looking for feedback about community needs, which can be sent to admin@christiancrabbproject.com.
