Rockwall’s Lesson: Why Shreveport Should Court the NCPA 

I've wondered what Omaha was like before they turned themselves into a Collegiate Sports Mecca. Omaha hosts the College Baseball World Series, the Omaha Slumpbusters, a youth baseball tournament in conjunction with the CWS. They've hosted the Olympic Swimming Time Trials, as well as professional baseball and indoor football.  Success breeds success.

And there's no reason Shreveport couldn't do the exact same thing.  Logistically, Shreveport is in an enviable location with easy access nationally with interstates running north and south.

Shreveport’s proposed pickleball complex is a chance to turn weekend play into real tourism. Rockwall, Texas, just showed the model. The Oasis Pickleball complex hosted a National Collegiate Pickleball Association regional with 27 colleges, hundreds of visitors, and LSU at the top.

The NCPA, founded by CEO Noah Suemnick, is widely regarded as the premier collegiate pickleball body, known for structure, scale, and well run events.  

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Suemnick launched the NCPA after starting a club at Point Loma Nazarene University and has grown it to 200+ universities and 3,000+ athletes nationwide, with Regionals feeding a Top 64 Nationals and $75,000 in prize money.  

Why the NCPA Matters for Shreveport 

Quality organizers attract quality fields. The NCPA runs conferences, leagues, and fundraising events that create year-round pipelines for travel teams, families, and fans. Their footprint already spans 30+ states and 20+ collegiate tournaments a year, which is exactly the kind of reliable calendar a city needs to justify new courts and bid fees. ncpaofficial.com 

A Weekend That Moves the Needle 

The Rockwall regional drew 27 different universities to compete in the tournament including LSU, Washington, UConn, Michigan, Baylor, SMU, Arkansas, Mississippi State, UTSA, Texas State, UT Dallas, Creighton, DePaul, SDSU, CU Boulder, UMHB, SFA, and Houston, among others.  

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That roster represents long drives and flights plus parents, siblings, and alumni. Assume each of the 27 schools brought at least six players and two coaches. Add one guest per athlete across a Friday to Sunday schedule and you reach roughly 378 visitors paying for rooms, meals, rides, and retail in a single weekend. 

A Conservative Shreveport Tourism Impact Snapshot 

Use modest numbers for two hotel nights: $150 per night equals $300 per person. Meals at $50 per day for three days equals $150. Add $40 local transport and $30 retail. That is $520 per person. Multiply by 378 visitors and you reach about $196,560 before flights or extra family. A larger complex and a locked-in NCPA regional could repeat that impact multiple times a year. 

Why LSU’s Win Helps 

LSU won, and the standings show multiple SEC and Big 12 programs within regional driving distance of Shreveport. That matters for repeat travel. A modern Shreveport complex can host NCPA Regionals, team championships, clinics, and junior qualifiers midyear, then fill weekday leagues for locals the rest of the calendar. The combination is steady hotel nights and fuller tables at local restaurants.