Officer Elections

It is time to VOTE for your 2026-2028 BVPA Officers (open positions). The ballot will be open until the board election meeting in November. Each candidate provided a bio/reason for running and a photo, included below.

Candidates for President

Joe Hegwood

It has been a pleasure to serve as your president for the last 2 years. I would like to serve one additional term to complete outstanding projects to improve member’s pickleball experience. My goals for the BVPA continue to be:

be a friendly, welcoming organization that encourages members of all skill levels.
provide organized recreational and competitive play opportunities for members.
provide organized skill improvement opportunities for members.
advocate for improvements to or additions to local courts.
be a resource to our community for all things pickleball.
update the BVPA bylaws to clarify conflicts.

Tracey Forman

Tracey has been a member of the Brazos Valley Pickleball Association (BVPA) since 2017. She served as the Secretary/IT Officer from 2018 - 2021 and then IT chair from 2023-present. Tracey also has prior leadership and organizational planning experience. She currently serves as part of the leadership team in Disability Resources at Texas A&M University. From 2011-2014 she was elected to and served on board of directors for the Association on Higher Education and Disability in Texas as Membership/Communications Director (2011-2012) and Treasurer (2012-2014).

Tracey has seen BVPA grow from 50 members to over 300 members throughout the past eight years. The group has a variety of members of different abilities, ages and skills levels. Tracey would like to see the organization leadership grow to better represent the membership and member interests. She would also like to develop additional connections and collaborations with the local parks and recreation staff and regional pickleball clubs. Personally BVPA has been a great social outlet and opportunity to stay active for Tracey. She looks to continue providing opportunities for members to meet each other and find other players at their levels to play with. Tracey looks forward to continuing to spread the love of pickleball with the Brazos Valley community.

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Candidates for Vice President

Cole Lamkin

I have been part of BVPA for the last 3.5 years and on the BVPA Board as the current vice president for the past two years. Looking forward to the opportunity to serve the BVPA community in the vice president role again.

Having spent the last two years as vice president I think I can continue to bring valuable insight, continue to build the BVPA community, and keep us heading in the right direction. We’ve made lots of progress the last couple years but ready to tackle some new challenges.

Cliff Leyba

I wish to serve the Brazos Valley Pickleball Association (BVPA) as the incoming Vice President. Here are my current pledges to the association should I be elected.

Develop strategies to increase community engagement and visibility
- First Friday
- Food Drives
- Toys for Tots
Establish a strong relationship with the Bryan city council to address issues/concerns
Renegotiating fees for access to the City of Bryan facilities
- Pickleball only fee
- Senior discounts
- Student discounts
Creation of an annual scholarship award(s) and funding strategy for BVPA Member students
Develop friendly, yet competitive play with other local organizations

I believe that there is strength in numbers, and I have carefully listened to many of the BVPA members’ ideas and concerns. We have an amazing group of pickleball enthusiasts at all skill levels who can contribute greatly to our future. We have had rapid growth with some challenges along the way. All BVPA members have a valuable voice that deserves to be heard. I seek your vote for Vice President.

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Candidates for Secretary

Shellie Stasny

My name is Shellie Stasny, and I’m excited to run for the position of Secretary for the Brazos Valley Pickleball Association.

I am a Texas native and have been living full-time in the Brazos Valley for the last 26 years. I graduated from Texas A&M in 1995 with a BS in Agricultural Journalism. I worked in the cattle industry for four years and then returned to A&M in 1999 to obtain my Master's Degree in Education as a Master Reading Teacher and Reading Specialist. I taught in elementary education for 14 years, in both Bryan and College Station ISD, as well as in the private sector. As a former competitive swimmer, I have a love and passion for the sport, as well as a strong belief in the importance of learning how to swim at an early age for safety purposes, since drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages 1-4. I began teaching swimming at the age of 12 and also served as a lifeguard for 5 years. In 2011, I received specialized training and became certified to teach infants, toddlers, and young children survival swimming skills. In 2012, I started my own business, Survival Swim School of the Brazos Valley, and have taught nearly 5,000 students the skills to rescue themselves should they reach the water alone. Because I love to teach, in 2021, I also became certified as a Master Instructor and have now trained and certified others to become survival swimming instructors.

In addition to running my own business, I have over a decade of experience serving on executive boards. I am currently serving on two different boards. The first is Still Creek Ranch, a therapeutic boarding school for children at risk of abuse, abandonment, and/or neglect. I have been serving on the SCR board for 11 years and have been the Secretary for the last 5 years. I also serve on the board of the Judah Brown Project, which is a drowning prevention organization that was started after the founder lost her 3-year-old son Judah to a pool drowning. I have been on the JBP board as their instructor expert for 6 years. My brother and sister-in-law introduced me to pickleball in January 2025, and in March 2025, I began playing with a group of ladies from BVPA on Wednesday mornings, and I absolutely love it. It has quickly become my new obsession, and I would love to see the sport grow throughout the community! I believe that my experience running my own business and serving on two executive boards is a great asset, and that I can serve BVPA well. In addition, I bring strong organizational skills, attention to detail, passion, and great communication skills.

Lisa Williams

My name is Lisa Williams, and I am passionate about pickleball! I love pickleball because it brings people of all ages and backgrounds together to enjoy friendly competition, build lasting friendships, and stay active. Our BCS pickleball community is truly special and I am very thankful for all the amazing people I’ve met—and continue to meet—through the Brazos Valley Pickleball Association (BVPA).

Over the past two years, I have had the privilege of representing the BVPA and working with President Joe on several initiatives, including:

Collaborating with the College Station Parks and Recreation staff to plan and design the Anderson courts, and
Coordinating and managing multiple Americano tournaments this fall.

It would be an honor to continue serving the members of the BVPA as your next secretary. I am committed to supporting the organization’s growth and helping foster a welcoming, inclusive, and vibrant community for all pickleball players.