Tony Spurlin was introduced to pickleball in 2019 by a fellow volunteer at the Shriner’s Open golf tournament. Initially skeptical about the game, Tony quickly realized how much pickleball would impact—and even save—his life. After becoming hooked, he was recruited to help run the 2021 USA Pickleball Mountain Regional tournament at the newly built courts in Sunset Park, Las Vegas. Despite never having played in a tournament before, Tony was appointed Tournament Director for this major event.

To prepare, Tony competed in a dozen tournaments across Utah, California, and Arizona, leading him to a key realization: the player experience should be the priority in tournament management, a concept often overlooked by others. This insight gave birth to Excel Pickleball, which started by running tournaments but quickly expanded as Tony recognized the broader demand in Las Vegas for leagues, lessons, and clinics.