POCATELLO — A local pickleball club is turning its courts over for a big cause this summer, hosting a week-long tournament to help a Pocatello family facing more than $1 million in medical bills for their infant daughter’s heart condition.
Auzzy Price, two months old in this May 2026 photo, looks directly into the camera at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, where she has spent much of her young life.
Poky Pickleball will hold its Baby Auzzy Fundraiser Tournament from Aug. 3-7, coinciding with the annual Chubbuck Days celebration. All proceeds from registration fees, a silent auction and direct donations will go toward the Price family — Lauren, Saxton and their daughter, Auzzy.
Auzzy was born Feb. 26 with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a serious congenital defect in which the left side of the heart is too underdeveloped to pump blood effectively. She underwent her first surgery at just eight days old, followed by a second operation weeks later to repair a complication from the first. She is expected to need at least two more surgeries in the coming years, including a procedure this summer.
Lauren Price told the Idaho State Journal that the financial strain has been staggering, with one hospital message estimating a balance of more than $1 million.
POCATELLO — With all the medical needs her two-month-old daughter Auzzy has, Lauren Price sa…
The Prices moved to the Salt Lake City area in early 2025 before learning, midway through the pregnancy, that their daughter would be born with the condition. Lauren’s mother, Dana Shail, is a regular at Poky Pickleball, which is how club owners Jared Huckstep and his wife came to know the family.
“We wanted to do something to help them out,” Huckstep said. “We’ve all been there, where we’re in a hard spot and we need help. They’re not the type that are going to ask for help, so somebody’s got to kind of step in and help them out.”
The tournament will run nearly every night of Chubbuck Days week, with no play scheduled for Saturday. Players will be kept as set partners for the duration of each division.
Brackets include true beginner mixed doubles, intermediate-skilled mixed doubles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and an advanced bracket. There is also a lower-priced family bracket to allow for accessible parent-and-kid pairings to play together. Huckstep said the bracket encourages fun rather than competition, adding that he plans to play alongside his 8-year-old daughter.
The week builds to the tournament’s centerpiece, a special event called “Beat the Owners” on Friday, in which anyone can challenge Huckstep and his wife on the court, with the pair donating $10 for every point scored against them. Depending on how many teams sign up, matches will be played to 11 or 7 points.
Auzzy Price rests in the NICU following one of her heart surgeries, the fresh surgical scar across her chest a testament to the battle the infant has already fought.
Registration costs $35 per player per bracket, or $25 per person for the family bracket. Organizers say all proceeds go directly to the Price family.
Beyond the tournament itself, organizers have lined up a variety of items for a silent auction, including a spa day and gift certificates to local businesses.
Those who can’t attend or play can still contribute via Venmo on the Poky Pickleball club website at pokypickleball.com/events#fundraiser or through the Price family’s GoFundMe at gofund.me/047287e41.
Full tournament details, bracket schedules and registration information are available at pokypickleball.com/events.
Huckstep said the response reflects the character of the Gate City community and the culture of the club.
“We live in a pretty cool spot,” Huckstep said. “People are generous and caring, so I think it’s the perfect place for it.”
Lauren Price has said the outpouring of support means as much emotionally as it does financially. Her daughter, despite the ongoing medical needs, has continued to reach developmental milestones. Family members describe her as having a strong personality of her own, smiling and reaching for the people around her even during long hospital stays.
Organizers say they hope the tournament raises both money and awareness for a family navigating one of the hardest seasons of their lives, while giving the wider pickleball community a reason to come together for an altruistic cause.
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