CASTANET May 14th 2023, Vernon BC (some edits by Admin):

More than 600 competitors are in Vernon this weekend for the inaugural BC Provincial Pickleball Championships. Held at the Okanagan Wealth Advisors Pickelball Complex in Marshall Fields, the event features players from 13 to 80 years old.

Tournament Director Richard Chambers said the 620 men and women are “from all corners of the province. It's the first ever BC Provincial Championships, it also happens to be the largest provincial pickleball championships held in Canada.”

The 1,000+ matches are being played in the complex and on the tennis courts next to the building.

“You are going to see athletes of all ages waging war,” Chambers said. “Although it has a funny name, it is a really fun game.”

From here, the winners typically go to the Western Canadian Regionals and then the Canadian Nationals. Chambers said if anyone wants to see what pickleball is all about, he invites you to the stop by the Pickleball Depot-sponsored event today's Mixed Doubles events and Sunday Men's Doubles.

Medal winners will be posted on our Virtual Trophy Wall following the close of the Tournament. 

In both Canada and the US landlords have been wondering what to do with all that commercial space left behind by the exit of Bed Bath and Beyond and Old Navy stores. Wonder no more!!

CNN's Nathaniel Meyersohn reports Saturday May 13th, New York: "It may seem like a strange strategy, but the match [Editor: no pun intended I'm sure] offers benefits to both mall owners and pickleball players. Malls need new tenants to fill vacant spaces and draw customers beyond their traditional department store anchors and clothing stores.
Consumers are craving fun, social experiences after years of limited gatherings during the pandemic, and they have shifted their spending from goods to experiences like theaters, arcades and amusement parks. Malls are responding to these trends by turning to a wider range of tenants and activities to draw traffic, real estate investment firm JLL said in a report this week...

The number of people playing pickleball [in the US] grew by 159% over three years to 8.9 million in 2022, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, a trade group.
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Courts have been opening at recreation centers, hotels and retirement communities. However, pickleball’s rapid spread has created dilemmas for public parks and recreation departments, which must balance competing interests with often limited space and funds. Retirement communities and country clubs also face challenges building space for people who enjoy the game without antagonizing others."

So it will not be long before you may be able to visit the Mall with your family and play Pickleball at the same time!!!

Pickleball Canada and Toronto Blue Jays May 20th:

"The Toronto Blue Jays are very excited to celebrate pickleball and Saturday May 20 will be Pickleball Day at the Rogers Centre!

The first 15,000 fans to enter the game will receive a unique Blue Jays paddle, plus there will be a pickleball zone on 500-level concourse where attendees can get a taste of what pickleball is all about. We’re also thrilled to share that Steve Deakin, international ambassador of Pickleball Canada, will be throwing the first pitch of the game! The game starts at 3:00pm ET.
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Stay tuned for highlights on Facebook and Instagram."

 
Press Release May 8th 2023, Vernon BC 8am PDT:
​Inaugural B.C. Provincial Pickleball Championships Coming to Vernon

Pickleball players from across BC are coming to Vernon for the very first Pickleball Depot B.C. Provincial Championships taking place May 11 – 14th at the National Bank Financial, Okanagan Wealth Advisors Pickleball Complex (OWA) and the adjacent City of Vernon Tennis Courts at Marshall Field.  Pickleball BC along with the Vernon Pickleball Association (VPA) have been busy preparing for the tournament since the fall of 2022. 

There are 645 players registered with more than 1,000 matches taking place over the four-day tournament which is sanctioned by Pickleball Canada.  Ages range from 13 to 80 and players are coming from all across B.C. to compete in singles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles and men’s doubles in three different age categories and five different skill levels. Walter Knecht, President of Pickleball BC says, “The response to this, our first provincial tournament, has exceeded projections by more than 25%. This event is bringing players from all over our province together. The 600 plus players registered for this tournament are just a small sampling of the 13,000 players who are Pickleball BC members. The opportunity for bigger tournaments in 2024 is a challenge we look forward to! The Vernon Pickleball Association and the tournament organizing committee deserve a huge thank you for their efforts”.

Richard Chambers is the Tournament Director and member of the VPA, and states; “This has been a monumental undertaking spanning eight months of planning, a leadership team of ten, more than 200 volunteers and forty officials. As the first-ever B.C. provincial championship we have been ‘building the airplane as it's going down the runway’ and we are just about ready to take off! A grant received from the BC Provincial Government Fairs, Festivals and Events as well as the support of the Sport & Culture Society of the North Okanagan has been greatly appreciated".
 
A tournament of this size not only takes months of planning and hundreds of volunteer hours, it also needs sponsors.  Pickleball Depot is Canada’s premier pickleball supply store and has been a big supporter of the VPA for years, and is the platinum tournament sponsor along with National Bank Financial-Okanagan Wealth Advisors. Cara Arding, owner of Pickleball Depot, says “we are thrilled to have the opportunity of title sponsor of such a large scale provincial tournament held in our very own backyard. We’re home to one of the finest indoor pickleball complexes in Canada and we’re so excited to see this state-of-the-art facility come to life with some of the best pickleball in the province,  and cheer on players we’ve gotten to know during our decade in the sport.” 

The tournament is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. daily. In the event of rain, events that were scheduled for outside will be moved inside and will commence as events conclude inside.  

Tournament events, players, match statistics and sponsorship information can be found here:
 https://pickleballbrackets.com/ptd.aspx?eid=14679b04-13cf-4c90-8b75-7315caebdb3d

​Events Include:

• Thursday May 11th – Women’s & Men’s Singles;
• Friday May 12th – Women’s Doubles
• Saturday May 13th – Mixed Doubles
• Sunday May 14th – Men’s Doubles

Spectators are more than welcome to attend, although parking and space inside the OWA complex may be limited.  It is suggested to bring folding chairs to watch the outdoor matches taking place at the adjacent tennis courts. There will be food trucks on-site daily, and the Silver Star Rotary Club will be hosting a pre-paid BBQ for players on Saturday night.
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Contact information:
Richard Chambers – Tournament Director –vpatournaments@gmail.com  250-688-9073 
Walter Knecht – President, Pickleball BC info@pickleballbc.ca  https://www.pickleballbc.ca
Cara Arding – Owner, Pickleball Depot -cara@pickleballdepot.ca  (250)550-5280
Vernon Pickleball Association:  www.vernonpickleball.com

With over 600 BC pickleball players registered on Pickleball Brackets (more info here) and the proficient Vernon Pickleball Association tournament organization lead by Richard Chambers the Tournament Director, the Pickleball Depot B.C. Provincial Championships are ready to go! One media outlet CASTANET introduced the Tournament to their readership in this fashion (full article here):

CASTANET Vernon May 3rd: "The newly trained referees are certified, the porta-potties are coming, and there are only a handful of spots to fill of the 200 volunteer positions needed to successfully host B.C.’s first ever Provincial Pickleball Championship. The four-day event starting May 11 will be the largest of its kind ever held in Canada"...Chambers says all four corners of the province will be represented. “They’re coming from Terrace to Trail, Cranbrook to Kitimat, and there will even be players coming from Masset on Haida Gwaii.”

Your PickleballBC Board of Directors is looking forward to being there to greet many of our Members, some of us playing, some officiating and all of us generally cheering players on! We can't wait for this inaugural Provincial Tournament kick-off in only one week!!

CASTANET posted the following YouTube video in their above referenced story, which includes an interview with Richard:

 Letter to the Times Colonist Victoria BC Courtesy of Ernie Pallot, Parksville BC:

"Pickleball not only encourages a healthy lifestyle, it is also a useful therapeutic tool.

​Last summer my colleague and I put together a team that successfully taught Parkinson’s sufferers  how to play. It not only gives them temporary relief from their symptoms, it extends their life expectancy by slowing the progression of this disease. I have been in discussion with the president of an Okanagan Pickleball Club to offer pickleball to people going through drug addiction therapy. Another project I have in mind is to offer a wellness program to first responders and PTSD sufferers as an outlet to relieve stress. 

Doctors recommend patients that are diagnosed with diabetes, COPD, MS, cardiac problems, and chronic obesity adopt an exercise program. Pickleball fits the bill perfectly. It is easy to learn, equipment is inexpensive, it provides the necessary physical and mental benefits. There is also a social aspect to this sport, can be played year round, but most importantly it is FUN, so it becomes a sport of a lifetime.

It is also a very cost effective recreation facility for communities to build. Compare the annual budget to build and maintain a pickleball complex to that of an ice rink, swimming pool, or grass sports field. No wonder it’s the fastest growing sport in North America." Read the full article with other letters to the editor here and thanks to Ernie for his very insightful and timely comments about the ways in which Pickleball can assist people of all walks of life, age, personal situation and state of health.

Qualicum Beach Oceanside Pickleball Club (OPC) Pilot Project:

Also see further discussion of Ernie's Qualicum Beach Oceanside Pickleball Club (OPC) pilot project conducted with a group of people with Parkinson's disease here and a photo of the pilot being conducted below. The next goal for Ernie is to share the results of the pilot project with Pickleball BC and Pickleball Canada. He hopes the information and data logged and collected during the pilot program can help other pickleball clubs initiate similar initiatives in their communities.

​“Our team has compiled lesson plans and information on how to go about it,” said Pallot. “This information will gladly be shared with other interested organizations.”

The Canadian Press/TSN - ESPN Airs the Pickleball Slam Sunday April 2nd 9am PDT: 

When Andy Roddick agreed to join John McEnroe, Andre Agassi and Michael Chang at the Pickleball Slam, the 2003 U.S. Open champion figured he had two distinct advantages against the three other International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees participating in the made-for-TV exhibition in Hollywood, Florida.

At age 40, Roddick is the junior member of the quartet (McEnroe is 64, Agassi 52, Chang 51). And Roddick’s serve, which topped 150 mph back in his days on the tennis tour, was the fastest among the group of retired Grand Slam title winners who signed up for something that features a $1 million purse and airs Sunday on ESPN at noon Eastern, before the March Madness women’s championship game.

“As I’m walking through the (pickleball) rules, I saw they took away my youth with (limited) movement, and they took away my serve with having to serve underhand,” Roddick said with a chuckle, “so I’m not really sure what’s left.”
He will face Chang, then McEnroe will take on Agassi, before a McEnroe-Chang vs. Agassi-Roddick doubles competition at the Pickleball Slam — the latest in a series of attempts to draw eyeballs to a sport taking over courts in neighborhoods all over while still finding its footing on television.

“Everyone likes it instantly. It’s pretty well-regarded by people that play it,” Roddick said. “But you also don’t know if it will ever translate to TV and be a very watchable product without knowing the ins and outs and nuances that, frankly, I don’t know that people have the time to learn.”

ESPN/ABC have shown pickleball in the past, there is a deal in place with one league for some of its competitions, and there are ongoing discussions with others. Full story here.

Canadian National Pickleball League (CNPL) Vernon Event:

CNPL are holding a 3 day event in the Vernon complex June 16-18 this year. Combination of clinics, a day of scramble tryouts plus more!

Player applications are welcome and here is the link to their website. Spectators are welcome and CNPL has an April 15th target date for qualified applicants.

Kim Bachrouche SportsEdTV:
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"There is this sport called pickleball that has been around for over 50 years, yet it is just now taking over the sports world. We see it on television, we see Hollywood stars playing, and even news stations covering this phenomenon that has revamped abandoned tennis courts everywhere.
What is it that draws us to this simple sport? 

​The short answer…it is what the sports world needed. In our over-booked, over-stressed, and over-everything lives, we found something we did not even know we were looking for…"

As we all know, pickleball is a combination of many dynamics, the perfect storm of elements that created something magical. It speaks to players of all ages, all demographics, and all athletic abilities. We share the court with individuals that are 30 years older or younger than us, yet we blend as if we were in the same social circle every day. The more we play, the more we want to play…. we are blissfully addicted to this sport!

Read the full article here.

Sport BC celebrated the 55th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards on Thursday, March 9, 2023. 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 sport in either 2021 or 2022 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. 

“This was our first in-person event since 2019 and the 55th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards was a true celebration of sport in our province, the recipients represent an exceptional 2021 and 2022 in BC sport and we are inspired by the sport stories of all of our finalists, the category winners, and the organizations they represent”, shares 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.” 

Sport BC congratulated all the Athlete of the Year Awards’ Recipients and the President's Awards which included PIckleball BC's President Walter Knecht. Walter stated "I was honoured to receive one of Sport BC's President's Awards March 9, 2023 [recipients outlined in attached PDF] held in conjunction with their 55th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards Ceremony. I was nominated by my peers in recognition of my efforts to promote and organize pickleball here in B.C. and at the National level as well. I was one of 55 recipients this year." The President's Awards Ceremony took place in the hour preceding the Sport BC Athlete of the Year Ceremony.

The Athlete of the Year Ceremony ("AOY") was a gala event. Five hundred guests in a Juno Awards style ceremony affair. The Presidents' Awards recipients were piped in by the Vancouver Police Pipe & Drum Band and then shown to their assigned seats at one of fifty banquet tables." The AOY award presentations, was complete with short video presentations of all finalists (usually 5) in each of about 20 categories, one category at a time. Winners were announced, a presentation was made and thank you words were spoken. Several of the recipients were not able to attend but prearranged thank you videos were shown.

The AOY concept has been designed to showcase the growth of sports in BC, and the results of many British Columbians who are achieving their goals in a multitude of sports, at all ages! It was very impressive and moving to see how far and to what levels of success many amateur sport programs in BC have achieved. 

A supporting set of statistics was offered in support of the B.C. success stories. The Province of B.C. accounts for 14% of our national population. Looking at the last 2 sets of Olympic competitions including the Para Olympics (that is 4 sets of games), B.C. residents and others with strong B.C. connections accounted for more than 50% of the medals nationwide. The Government of B.C. through a variety of agencies and programs is very supportive of both all recreational sport at all levels, and is very supportive in the highly  competitive arena as well! 
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This AOY ceremony and awards made that statement in spades!

PS: Please see all the award winners on our new Virtual Trophy Page here...