About this Event
JOIN THE HEROIC UPRISING FOR BLUE!
John and Miriam's son, Blue Iliff, lived almost 18 years on a steady diet of epic movies and heroes—and he was empowered by those stories to face his own battles with fierce joy and quiet (and sometimes not so quiet) courage.
Before he passed, Blue made a bold choice: to donate his brain for research into kernicterus, a preventable but devastating brain injury. His gift launched an unprecedented opportunity to study this condition in a human model—for the first time ever.
This tournament is how we carry that mission forward.Join us for fierce competition, serious fun, and a chance to push life-changing research one step closer—just like Blue would’ve wanted.
****EARLY BIRD TICKET SALE UNTIL 7/28 Midnight CST****
🔥 What to Expect
🦸 Superhero-Themed Pickleball Tournament
Wear your favorite shirt or full costume — bring your team name and your game face!
🏆 Tournament Play
Top teams win medals. Best costume gets bragging rights.
Team pools are organized based on skill level.
There will be a social braket and a competitive one.
You will enter your skill level and other info in AFTER payment, so be sure not to miss it!
🎟️ Raffle + 50/50 Raffle
Exciting prizes including pickleball paddles, gifts & more.
$5 per ticket or 5 for $20.
50/50 raffle winner takes home half the pot!
🎁 Silent Auction
Bid on amazing items — from local experiences to surprise packages.
🍴 Food & Drinks
Available for purchase all morning.
🎶 Music + Vibes
It’s a celebration of courage, community, and fun.
🎽 Shirts Tournament shirts must be pre-ordered by August 3.
**Available in checkout if you KEEP scrolling down below the team options **- and some are for mailing while others are $5 less for tournament pickup, so choose wisely.
🧠 About
Every dollar raised goes to Blue's Gift Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
In the fight to ensure Blue’s precious brain donation was preserved and handled properly for research, his mother, Miriam, founded Blue’s Gift Foundation—creating a pathway for future donations and maximizing the scientific value for those living with kernicterus and similar neurological conditions.
This event directly supports the first-ever human-based kernicterus research, transforming Blue’s legacy into a breakthrough that could lead to treatment, prevention, and lasting change.
🎯 Can’t Attend? Support From Anywhere
- Make a donation: bluesgift.org/financial-donations
- Order a shirt here on eventbrite by 8/3 and represent from wherever you are
- Help spread the word — every share makes an impact
Let me know if you’d like this formatted into a PDF flyer, website copy block, or email blast next!
Blue's Story
On August 23rd, around what would be his 20th birthday, we honor Blue and begin a new tradition of having our own epic battles—on the court—to continue his fight against kernicterus, a preventable condition caused by mismanaged newborn jaundice.
For nearly 18 years, Blue lived with the effects of this condition. At the end of his journey, he made a final, heroic gift: the donation of his brain to science. It was the first-of-its-kind effort to study kernicterus in human brain tissue. Until now, research had been limited to tiny lab rats that survive no more than five days with the condition that Blue lived with for nearly two decades.
💥 This isn’t just a tournament.
It’s a movement. A mission. A moment to rise.
Agenda
Intro
Let the Games Begin! - Music, Play and Social Time
Bling Bling! Winners Announced
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Chicken N Pickle - Overland Park, 5901 West 135th Street, Overland Park, United States
USD 0.00 to USD 1000.00
