PADS (Pacific Assistance Dog Association) and Pickleball BC Team Up For Province-Wide Tournament

CTV Vancouver, September 20th 2023: Today PADS and Pickleball BC announced their plans for a Province-wide Tournament on April 20th 2924. See the CTV news broadcast here. At a news conference held Wednesday, September 20th 11:00am PDT at the beautiful Robert Burnaby Park in Burnaby BC, Walter Knecht President of Pickleball BC welcomed everyone:

"I am very pleased to have you join us as we introduce the first annual PADS Pickleball BC Charity Pickleball Tournament event, scheduled for April 20, 2024...

​We probably all have dog stories – stories of their personalities, their empathy and their undying love. With training, many dogs can pull all these traits together and be of great service to individuals with a wide variety of life challenges. PADS is one great organization – taking on the task of not only training these wonderful companion animals but matching a dogs personality and skill with an individual in need. I and the Pickleball BC Board of Directors are in awe of the work and dedication required and wholeheartedly are throwing our support behind the PADS organization. And therefore our joint province-wide pickleball tournament...
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Furthermore – [one] legend has it that pickleball drew its name from the founder’s family dog. So how could we resist!"

Pacific Assistance Dogs (PADS) breeds, raises and trains fully certified assistance dogs. Our service (mobility & PTSD) and hearing dogs provide life-changing independence to those with disabilities. Our accredited facility dogs work with community professionals such as teachers, RCMP and psychologists to help support healthy communities.PADS is a fully accredited member of Assistance Dogs International.

Pickleball BC and PADS are planning for every community and club in BC to join in with their own tournament or event, so please save the date now: April 20, 2024. We expect to have registration open province-wide by Jan 1 2024. And with our membership size now 15,000+ strong - and we will be open to non-members to join us – we expect thousands to play for PADS that day. Burnaby Pickleball Club and Hollyburn Country Club have already committed, so please do so soon by replying to Walter Knecht President PBC's email announcement and request for expressions of interest!

For more on this story, please go to Cornelia Naylor's comprehensive article in Burnabynow here.
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Pictured above from the left: Cadence getting ready to play; Walter Knecht President PBC with a PADS Lab
(the PADS dog won); rest time; and Walter, Dave Snell (PBC Board Member)
​and the Buraby Pickleball Club with PADS staff and their remits

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