Pickleball BC (PBC) Presence Announced at Vernon's Upcoming Western Regionals: As announced in a prior posting here, Pickleball Canada previously announced that the Vernon Pickleball Association (VPA) had been selected to host the 2024 Pickleball Canada Western Regional Championship, which will run July 25 – July 28, 2024 in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. VPA operated Pickleball BC's Provincial Championship in 2023, which involved 620 players from all over the province. The success of this tournament contributed to the VPA being recognized as Canada’s Best Pickleball Club by Pickleball Today in 2023. “Pickleball Canada is thrilled to have the Western Regionals in Vernon at the beautiful Vernon pickleball facility. We look forward to a wonderful event and some great pickleball!”, said Pickleball Canada President Val Vollmin. With almost 700 players registered to date on Pickleball Brackets here, the tournament will be played on 12 indoor and 12 outdoor courts. Franklin will serve as the official ball for the 2024 Pickleball Canada Western Regional Championship, under their partnership as the official ball and paddle for Pickleball Canada." PBC will be attending in many forms to support the Western Regionals. Our BC Head Ref Rick Folk will again be helping Alan Thompson, Canada's Head Ref, with the assistance of several PBC Board members including Sharon MacDonald. PBC will have a tent where several of our Board members will be available for discussions during the tournament, including our newly elected President David Snell. Please drop by or organize a meeting and we will look forward to hearing from you! Update from Walter Knecht Past President and PBC Board Director of BC Tournaments:
"Our PADS Charity Event, which many of you participated in during the last 2 weeks of April, by most accounts can be deemed successful. While the final $$ have not been tabulated it appears that nearly $60 k has been raised by the 22 communities that sponsored these PADS tourneys. And the majority of those communities (clubs etc) reported great success and a willingness to do it again. I have a lot of pictures and many written reports – all to be compiled and posted – a lot of innovation, creativity etc. One big issue for us is a date for the ‘second annual’ event. April is not good. Summer would be better. With about 60 tournaments typically on our calendar, finding a clear weekend is not easy – something may get doubled up or a club may ask to choose an alternate day for their prized non-PADS event. We do need to get on the 2025 calendar early. Given all that – what month / weekend would you suggest in 2025? Please refer to the PBC webpages for both 2023 and 2024 Tournament postings reference information (2025 coming soon). I will be collecting your 2025 date suggestions till the end of May 2024. Again – my thanks to all that participated so fully and I hope we can ‘rinse and repeat’!" Paddles for PADS Events Held Throughout BC April 20th 2024 (and prior): Congratulations to all of the PBC Clubs throughout BC who hosted a Paddles for PADS charity event on or before April 20th! Walter Knecht, PBC Past President and provincial PADS Tournament organizer said "While the final $$ have not been tabulated it appears that nearly $60,000 has been raised by the 22 communities that sponsored these PADS tourneys. And the majority of those communities (clubs etc) reported great success and a willingness to do it again." Estha Parg Murenbeeld, NSPC President, and North Shore Pickleball Club Vancouver hosted the first BC PADS event on Sunday March 24th and presented a donation of $1,000 to PADS. Hollyburn Country Club hosted 60+ players in an individual round robin scramble (organizers and PADS companions below) and will be announcing shortly funds raised for this worthwhile charity. Many clubs and communities hosted similar events in BC through April, and we encourage BC clubs to send us pics and stories about their events to post - please send to info@pickleballbc.ca for consideration. PADS poster, Hollyburn planning session, Abbotsford, Delta and Nikkei events April 14th 2024: North Shore Pickleball Club (NSPC) member Siew Hong Wins Gold NSPC member and pickleball player Siew Hong won the gold medals in the Canada Badminton championship in singles, women's double, and mixed doubles in her age group. This competition was in Hamilton, Ontario the week of April 8th. She will be representing Canada in the world championships this year. Last year, she won the bronze medal in the World competition held in South Korea. PIckleball BC (PBC) celebrates our provincial athletes and encourages our clubs and communities to share the accomplishments of members for coverage in our website News or Virtual Trophy page, Newsletters and on our PBC Instagram account so please send requests for inclusion to info@pickleballbc.ca. North Shore Pickleball Club Hosts First 2024 "Paddles for PADS" Charity Pickleball Tournament in BC24/3/2024
North Shore Pickleball Club (NSPC) Hosts First 2024 PADS Event in BC: Estha Parg Murenbeeld, NSPC President, and North Shore Pickleball Club Vancouver hosted the first BC PADS event on Sunday March 24th and presented a donation of $1,000 to PADS. Many clubs are hosting similar events in BC through April, and we encourage BC clubs to send us pics and stories about their events to post - please send to info@pickleballbc.ca for consdieration. Sport BC celebrated the 56th Annual Athlete of the Year and the Presidents' Awards on Thursday, March 7, 2024 The event was hosted by CBC’s Scott Russell recognizing the province’s best in amateur sport including athletes, coaches, teams, and officials for outstanding performances in their 2023 sport season. Each finalist was nominated by their Provincial or Multi-Sport Organization, High School, College, or University. The Selection Committee, led by long-serving Chair Bernie Pascall, included a diverse group of highly experienced British Columbia sport leaders and media members. “The 56th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards celebrated sport in our BC at all levels. We were inspired by the sport stories of all of our finalists, the category winners, and the organizations they represent”, shared Sport BC’s President and CEO, Rob Newman. “We are proud to bring the amateur sport community together and thank you guests, sponsors, and friends in sport.” “This ceremony underscores that we have a lot to be proud of in our sport sector,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “Congratulations to all the finalists of this year’s awards. We are proud to cast the spotlight on all your achievements. Your success is a source of community pride and a testament to your passion and dedication to sport excellence that inspires others and makes our province shine.” Sport BC also honoured the recipients of the 2024 Presidents’ Awards, recognizing contributions of volunteers within the sports community across the province. Among the distinguished honourees is Rod Williams, Pickleball BC (PBC) Registrar and long serving Board member. The PBC Board of Directors congratulates Rod on this well deserved award and all of the contributions and examples of dedicated volunteerism Rod has exemplified in the pursuit of supporting the growth and development of pickleball in BC and elsewhere. Sport BC understands the vital role volunteers play in nurturing and advancing sports. The Presidents’ Awards, sponsored by Sports With Balls, serve as a tribute to those individuals who exemplify the true essence of volunteerism through their relentless commitment and enthusiasm for their respective sport organizations. A total of 49 outstanding volunteers, including Rod Williams, were honoured at Sport BC’s 56th Athlete of the Year Awards ceremony held on Thursday, March 7, 2024. This recognition not only celebrates their remarkable contributions but also highlights the pivotal role volunteers play in shaping the sports community in British Columbia. Sport BC's full media release can be found here. Rod and Sylvia Williams playing the sport they love best - perhaps after receiving his Sport BC Presidents' award in Vancouver, they went to Arizona to play in better weather? Sylvia is also a tournament Level 1 referee so if you see her on the courts especially in and around West Kelowna (or the 2024 Western Canadian Regionals in Vernon), be nice! Special Board Meeting Tuesday February 17th Constitutes New Board and Elects a President for FY 2024: Pickleball BC (PBC) convened a special Board meeting (minutes will be posted soon) to constitute its FY 2024 Board and elect a President given Walter Knecht, PBC founder and past President, stepped aside as President at the recent AGM (read Walter's Tribute here). The FY 2024 PBC President and 11 member Board as elected (or continuing their term of office) with currently assigned remits are as follows:
David Snell said "filling Walter's big shoes (literally) is a challenge but one that I need not attempt alone - we have a full complement of 11 Directors on the PBC Board now with their remits assigned. We are eagerly ready and willing to provide the services that our BC 100+ Clubs and a forecasted 20,000 members this year have come to expect, and are planning new strategic and tactical plans to expand our services in BC." With pickleball burgeoning in BC, Canada and elsewhere, amongst other issues PBC would like to prioritize and address in FY 2024 include but are not limited to: challenges in getting new courts to meet the increased demand experienced by our Clubs and communities; Government and sport association partnerships to benefit our members; purpose built programs to support our BC Clubs and members; designing and supporting inclusive intake programs like youth and players with disabilities programming; supporting BC's coaching, refereeing and information needs; "give-back" events and community and youth grants; and helping to expand pickleball's reach to all age groups. Meanwhile, let's get out there and participate!! PS: Sign up for your local PADS event April 20th :) From left (top to bottom on mobile): David Snell PBC President; PADS companions who may make guest appearances at your local PADS Event;
and, Walter Knecht and his doubles partner (at least for the picture) Ben Johns, world's number one mens player. Pickleball BC (PBC) AGM Tuesday February 20th 2024: Walter Knecht Formally Announces Stepping Back as President PBC Walter Knecht stepped back from the President's role at the annual PBC AGM last week, but will remain on the Board as a Director through his FY 2024 term. Given the number of initiatives we have in the works this year, including many of his own, this is welcome news! As Estha Parg Murenbeeld, President of the North Shore Pickleball Club (NSPC) aptly stated: "...over a period of 10 years, Walter has built a significant and lasting structure upon the foundations laid by earlier BC founders. BC pickleball players, today and in the future, are thankful for Walter Knecht’s abilities, passion and gift of time in the pursuit of pickleball excellence." As further mentioned on the NSPC website that Estha posted "when pickleball took hold of Walter in the summer of 2013, he insisted on taking us all along for the ride! Beginning on the North Shore, Walter organized indoor and outdoor play (2014), chaired the BC 55+ pickleball games (2015 in North Vancouver and 2016 in Coquitlam), started up and ran the North Shore Picklemania tournament (2016-2018) and established the very successful North Shore Pickleball Club (2017)." Here is a chronology of early "Walter Events" courtesy Kerry Strongman NSPC:
Rod Williams PBC Registrar said "I met Walter around the beginnings of PBC. I was pleased to be asked to work with him on a couple of early projects surrounding ratings and performance recording, before he approached me to get involved with the project to help birth a membership program for all Canadian Pickleball Players. Walter always has asked, expected and recognized that those working on any level of organization in Pickleball provide their best efforts. But we have always known that he has worked even harder than us. He has compiled a large list of successful accomplishments that have helped make our sport a success. And specifically he has helped our Provincial organization operate in a manner that has made us a respected part of our National Organization. He has never lost sight of who is really important in the Individual, Club, Provincial and National hierarchy of our sport, and continues to be a Champion for local organizations and members. As the Founder of Pickleball BC, he has left an indelible mark on our sport." Amongst other more recent accomplishments, these are a few that stand out to us:
Congratulations and thanks to Walter on behalf of our PBC Board of Directors and what we forecast will be our 20,000 members this year! We'll look forward to yet another year of accomplishments with Walter's continued assistance. :) From left (from top on mobile): Walter and a PADS companion; PADS Management and Burnaby Pickleball Club; Walter (his serious look); Provincials 2023 at Vernon Pickleball Complex; Walter with Ben Johns world #1 ranked mens player; PBC full court at the Vancouver Wellness Show 2023 and 2024 The Grand Forks Pickleball Group play pickleball outdoors all winter long: They clear the snow from the courts with a snowblower and shovels. Then they use squeegees and towels to dry them. It is pretty dry in Grand Forks so the courts often stay clean for days. Four ladies played outdoors on Jan 16, 2024 at -16°C. They play everyday at noon at Barbara Ann Park in Grand Forks. Usually there are 12-20 players each day. Evidence below and congratulations to the club/group with the best winter perseverance on behalf of playing pickleball in the province that we have seen so far!! The PBC Board wishes to visit them - this summer :) Yes actually snow blowers, shovels and squeegees - the pics are real!!! And bottom picture proves they are not just a winter club :)
North Vancouver February 8th 2024: Hollyburn Country Club (HCC) Pickleball Committee has donated $15,000 to various BC based charities over the last 18 months, and has continued with their "giving back" tradition today. Below, a cheque for $1,600 from their recent Bash N' Dasher event was presented to Family Services North Shore (FSNS). The event included a pro exhibition arranged by Tim MacVinnie HCC pro and included our very own Steve Deakin, a member round robin with the pros and a well-attended and enjoyed reception. HCC PC gave thanks to HCC for hosting, and all the volunteers and participants for their help and donations to FSNS which go to help approximately 2500 individuals in need on the North Shore through their programs and services. About FSNS Family Services of the North Shore is a non-profit, community-based agency. For over 60 years, they have been committed to making deep and lasting impact across the entire North Shore, from Deep Cove to Bowen Island and every point in between. They offer counselling, support, education, and volunteer engagement opportunities to help you reach your full potential throughout your life, whenever you need them most. Pictured above from the left are: Rebecca Telfer (FSNS); Dave Snell, Barb Soos and Jamie Dean (members of the HCC Pickleball Committee); Alison Sawers (HCC organizer of pickleball-themed donated products); and Amy Lynn Taylor and Mihira Appnender (FSNS).
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