The Quesnel PIckleball Club and the City of Quesnel were recently presented with funds to help light up the courts at West Fraser Timber Park.

​The Quesnel Observer recently reported "I had the pleasure to present the cheque for $3500 to Jeff Norburn with the City from our donation towards the outdoor lighting (see pic below). Total donation from the Club was $13,500.00. Thank you to West Fraser mills and Dunkley Lumber, City of Quesnel, Fernando Barbosa and Service Electric. We are very happy with the results" said Sharon MacDonald of the Quesnel Pickleball Club.
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Peace Hills Insurance provided $5,000 last week for the $90,000 project which includes the installation of lights at the six pickleball and two tennis courts. City director of community services Jeff Norburn says the city is contributing approximately $72,000 towards the project.

ESPN Reports: Following the lead of several other celebrities in recent months, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is the latest big name to get involved with the growing sport of pickleball as he was announced as a team owner in the new VIBE Pickleball League on Thursday.

"Just like millions of other Americans, I've been following pickleball over the past few years, and I couldn't pass up the chance to invest in the fastest growing game in the country," Cuban said in a statement. "VIBE presents an unparalleled opportunity to launch a new pro league that will feature the best-of-the-best in a highly competitive setting. I can't wait to be a part of it."

The new coed league is operated by the Professional Pickleball Association and will feature six teams. A draft will be held in December ahead of the inaugural 2023 season. Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters are among the players expected to be involved.
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Cuban joins the likes of LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Kevin Love, Draymond Green, Tom Brady, Kim Clijsters, Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman in being involved in the sport, as they all were announced as owners of various expansion teams in Major League Pickleball -- a rival organization -- in recent weeks. On Wednesday, Los Angeles Sparks star and ESPN analyst Chiney Ogwumike revealed she was a co-founder of another new league -- the Women's International Pickleball Association.

Mark Cuban, owner of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Dallas Mavericks, has been announced as the first team owner in the Vibe Pickleball League. ​

Pickleball BC (“PBC”), the British Columbia governing body for pickleball, is pleased to announce their participation at The Vancouver Wellness Show February 11th and 12th 2023 at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre.

The highlight of PBC’s participation will be a full-sized pickleball court where there will be demonstration matches, “try it yourself” opportunities, and experts on hand to answer all your questions about pickleball. “Our participation with a full size demonstration pickleball court underscores PBC’s commitment to a healthy lifestyle through an increasingly popular and easy to learn and play sport" says Walter Knecht, President, Pickleball BC. It is well known that sporting activities are great for both physical and mental well-being. Pickleball with a gentle learning curve (albeit hard to master), low cost of entry and low physical impact is an ideal participation sport which contributes to improved wellness.

Celebrating their 30th year in 2023, The Wellness Show has been bringing new approaches to nutrition, fitness, physical and emotional well-being to help Vancouverites achieve their most holistic, healthiest selves. They connect like-minded businesses and thought-leaders in wellness. They educate the public on health options as a year-round online resource and host Western Canada’s biggest and most established health and lifestyles showcase.
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Deborah Finkel, Marketing & Event Coordinator of The Wellness Show stated “We are thrilled that Pickleball BC will be participating in our 30th Annual Show. Pickleball positively impacts cardiovascular, muscle, joint and mental health making it the perfect fit for The Wellness Show!” Come see for yourself!

​Please see the Press Release and further information here.

Each weeknight, Stephen Colbert takes the stage at CBS “Late Show” to find the lighter side of the latest headlines. In November, he’ll be doing something similar with sports.

The comedian will host a two-hour pickleball tournament, “Pickled,” that will feature 16 celebrities competing for a coveted “Colbert Cup” and benefit the non-profit Comic Relief U.S. “If you love pickleball and you love celebrities and you love helping people, you’re going to love watching these celebrities help people by playing pickleball,” said Colbert in a prepared statement. “Pickled” will debut on Thursday, Nov. 17 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

Celebrities taking part in “Pickled” include Jimmie Allen, Murray Bartlett, Dierks Bentley, Jaime Camil, Will Ferrell, Max Greenfield, Luis Guzman, Phil Keoghan, Daniel Dae Kim, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tig Notaro, June Diane Raphael, Kelly Rowland, Paul Scheer, Aisha Tyler and Emma Watson.  Cari Champion, John Michael Higgins and Bill Raftery serve as announcers and add commentary.
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The tournament will feature a number of celebrities, including Will Ferrell, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tig Notaro, Kelly Rowland, Paul Scheer and Emma Watson, among others, and will raise money for the non-profit Comic Relief U.S. "If you love pickleball and you love celebrities and you love helping people, you're going to love watching these celebrities help people by playing pickleball," Colbert said in a statement.
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Per Steinberg, Cari Champion, John Michael Higgins and Bill Raftery will provide commentary for the tournament.

​BREAKING NEWS
Pickleball BC and the Vernon Pickleball Association are excited to announce the first annual BC Provincial Pickleball Championship Tournament which will be held in Vernon at the National Bank Financial Okanagan Wealth Advisor Pickleball complex. Additional court space will be provided for play on the adjoining tennis court facility.

The dates for this inaugural event are May 12 through May 14, 2023.

While there are many details to be sorted out, we are confident, elated and looking forward to welcoming everyone to Vernon mid May 2023! Please hold these dates and make plans to participate.

Richard Chambers                                              Brett Forsythe
VPA Tournament Director                                   PBC Tournament Director

Myron Hocevar                                                   Walter Knecht
VPA President                                                    PBC President

October 14, 2022

Richard Chambers, Vernon Pickleball Association tournament committee chair (from left), Cara Arding , owner, Pickleball Depot, Leah Peebles, Pickleball Depot and Brent Bolin, VPA vice-president at the National Bank Financial Okanagan Wealth Advisors Pickleball Complex on Okanagan Landing Road. (Anne Longley photo)

DALLAS, Oct. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first timers, the top pros, and everyone in between, pickleball.com will be the place to ride the wave that is pickleball. New players can learn how to pick the perfect paddle to start their pickleball journey. Longtime recreational players can enhance their game or find a local court. And fans of the best professional players in the world can access the news, stats and live coverage of the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour in one click.

"The incredible growth and interest in pickleball will drive us to keep investing in premier resources for players, clubs, media, and content providers," said Tom Dundon, avid pickleball player and investor in pickleball.com.
Pickleball is a fun and accessible sport promoting health and wellness, social and community building, and at the tournament and pro level delivering equity in play and pay. As a result, the pickleball.com site will lead in innovation and evolve to continue to surprise and delight players of all capabilities.
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ABOUT PICKLEBALL.COM
Launched in October 2022, pickleball.com brings together the data, content, and expertise of the following companies: the PPA Tour, home of the best pro players in the world playing over 20 events at top venues across the country; Pickleball Tournaments and Pickleball Brackets, the leaders in tournament software which are combining their expertise to deliver a next-generation experience for tournaments, leagues, and ladders; TopCourt, a leader in online pickleball and tennis instruction, and Pickleball Central the leading pickleball eCommerce platform with gear for people of all ages and levels. The next evolution of pickleball.com will include a mobile app, expanded player features, and fan engagement elements. For more information and to sign up for free visit pickleball.com.

SIRC (Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council) Announcement: "On September 30, individuals and communities will be honouring Orange Shirt Day, as well as the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. The Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council has partnered with viaSport, BCRPA and SportBC to mark this important occasion by encouraging members of the sport, physical activity, and recreation sectors to actively participate in this day of Truth and Reconciliation.

​The individual and collective journeys of Truth and Reconciliation are enduring. It isn’t a destination, but rather a lifelong path of reflection, learning, and understanding. Accordingly, we are inviting everyone within the sport, physical activity, and recreation sector to make a personal and/or organizational commitment to reconciliation.
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Click here - Opens in a new window for a shareable list of resources and supports.

Click here - Opens in a new window for a printable Reconciliation Commitment card, including examples of actions individuals and organizations can take to advance reconciliation. We encourage everyone to share your Reconciliation Commitment on digital platforms including social media and websites, and be sure to include the hashtag: #NDTRCommitment and #ISPARCCommitmenttoNDTR."

Austin, TX., – Major League Pickleball is welcoming a new ownership group made up of LRMR Ventures, the family office of global icon LeBron James and entrepreneur and CEO Maverick Carter, investment firm SC Holdings, NBA Champions Draymond Green and Kevin Love, The SpringHill Company CMO Paul Rivera, and Relevent Sports Group co-owner and CEO Daniel Sillman.

MLP is the standard-bearer for pickleball in the United States, delivering the highest-quality and most exciting experience in the sport. Expanding from 12 to 16 teams, MLP will continue to offer the highest prize money payouts per event to its players. In 2023, players will compete in six tournaments across six U.S. cities for more than $2M.  
The new ownership group announced today brings unparalleled experience and impact across sports, media, entertainment, and branding. With this group, MLP aims to expand the community beyond its current participants into more diverse communities globally.  

“Having SC Holdings, LRMR Ventures, and their incredible group as owners and investors in Major League Pickleball is not just great for MLP, it’s a watershed moment for pickleball in general,” said MLP Founder Steve Kuhn. “Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country, building communities in cities and towns all over the world. This investment and the platform that this group provides will significantly help us with our goal to reach 40 million pickleball players by 2030.”
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See MLP Press Release here. History of other sport's Major League beginnings and status (PDF) here.

Fortune Magazine September 28th 2022: "Recently, a certain sport has caught the eye of NBA star LeBron James—and it’s not basketball. Rather, it’s a relatively new leisure activity that’s quickly gaining traction."

INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION COURSE UPDATE

We have been thrilled at the response from people who have participated in Instructor 1: Introducing Pickleball. This is the first course on the Coach Education Pathway and focuses on making sure new players have a great first experience with pickleball.
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These are the numbers so far in 2022 (through August 31):

1. Total # of courses: 25
   
2. Total # of provinces / territories to host courses: 10
   
3. Total # of participants: 330

Upcoming Courses:
Level 1: 

• Halifax, NS - October 6th, 2022  
• Vancouver, BC - October 23, 2022  
• Vernon, BC - October 27th, 2022  

Level 2: 

• Vernon, BC - October 28th & October 29th

INSTRUCTOR 2: DEVELOPING RECREATIONAL PLAYERS

We are excited to announce that this Fall we will launch the second course on the Coach Education Pathway - Instructor 2: Developing Recreational Players. This course takes place over two days and will concentrate on developing the coaching skills needed to help people who play at the 2.5-3.5 levels become even better. There is a considerable focus on developing intermediate tactics and technique, and participants will enhance their knowledge of group management as well as analyzing players and identifying solutions to solve problems. The first pilot took place in Toronto September 12/13 and the second in Kingston September 17/18.

Course Participation Requirements:

• Has successfully completed Instructor 1: Introducing Pickleball or earned equivalency
• Listed as a 3.5 level player on pickleballbrackets.com or meets playing skills standards.

Cost: $399+tax

PICKLEBALL COACH EDUCATION WEBSITE

Want to see the course calendar?  Looking for coaching resources? Want to know who in your area is a certified instructor? Head to tpacanada.com and click the big white Pickleball Coach Education tile on the right-hand side of the page. 

COACHING TIP: EXPLAINING WHAT, WHY AND HOW?

Whether you are a coach working with beginning, novice, intermediate or advanced pickleball players, you’ll likely be introducing new skills to them. And in order to develop these skills, you’ll need to introduce specific drills or games that will give them opportunities to practice:

1. If you want your players to really buy into what you’re asking them to do, make sure that you always explain what, why and how.
   
2. What is it that you are asking them to do? Are we talking about serving and returning deep? Are we looking to hit a low third shot? Put away a high ball? Roll a volley? Be specific about what it is you are asking your players to accomplish.  
   
3. Why does it matter? Is this about causing trouble for the opponent? Are you looking to avoid trouble yourself? Is this about being more steady? Give them a clear rationale and help your players understand how this new skill will help them to play pickleball better.
   
4. How does the activity work? Show them exactly what you want them to do. Help them understand the target, goal, scoring and rotations.

Effective teachers are crystal clear on the what, why and how of any drill or game. And the more you can make it a habit to always explain these things, the more eager your players will be to learn from you. 

FEATURED VIDEO: RECEIVING SHOTS WITH SPIN

Being able to handle shots with spin is as important as being able to send spinners of your own. Check out this video — made possible by Pickleball Ontario and the Trillium Foundation— so you’ll be ready to handle anything your opponents throw at you. This is just one of forty-five instructional videos that are available on the Pickleball Coach Education webpage as reference materials for NCCP coaches.