Pickleball BC Association’s (“PBCA”) Activating Youth Pickleball In BC (“AYPBC”) Update: Victoria Regional Pickleball Association’s (“VRPA”) Youth Slamboree

The many participants involved in the Slamboree.

​July 5th 2025, Vancouver, BC—In June 2025 at the Archie Browning Sports Centre in Esquimalt BC, 45 students, grades 4 & 5 from 4 elementary schools participated in a pickleball, round-robin tournament with 4 pools of 8-minute timed games. The outcome of this 1st Annual VRPA AYPBC Slamboree was a success for the community involved, including the students who went away with an appreciation and enthusiasm for pickleball and motivation to play it again.
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About AYPBC
From past PBCA news, here is a summary of AYPBC’s successes:

• In June 2024 viaSport British Columbia announced a grant proposal of up to $30,000
  per BC Provincial Sport Organization under a BC Sport Participation Program called the “Provincial Sport Development Fund”. The BCSPP supports programs that attract children, youth, Indigenous and marginalized populations to lead active and healthy lifestyles through involvement in sport, while also helping to support communities delivering physical activity programming throughout the province.
• PBCA was successful in their application and received a viaSport British Columbia $30,000 grant in September 2024.
• PBCA selected three provincial Regions with its respective PBCA Club delegates: Vancouver Island (Victoria Regional Pickleball Association as lead), Vancouver (Vancouver Pickleball Association), and Thompson/Okanagan (Vernon Pickleball Association)
• Goal is to have additional youth programs K – 7 resource package, including a Teachers Guide, curriculum and a tool set for all BC clubs to utilize that will posted on our PBCA website by late summer 2025. Also to meet the objectives of viaSport British Columbia:
  - To provide children with an active and healthy lifestyle through sport participation. 
  - To help support communities delivering those sport-related activity programming.

VRPA AYPBC Slamboree Volunteers
According to VRPA AYPBC Co-Project Leader Connie McCann (former VRPA President): “There were a total of 24 volunteers who dedicated their time and energy to make this event a success. They included … court marshals used to assist in scoring; volunteers to chase balls, “shaggers”; volunteers who assisted each school to get the correct team on the correct court at the correct time; volunteers who gave out snack packs, fruits, and Slamboree t-shirts at the registration table; and volunteers who set out the door prizes and ensured the students received them. All behind-the-scene heroes who gave it their all .”

​Kudos To These Attendees

• Tournament Directors: Ken Quan and Fabian Duque Park
• PCO Pickleball Ambassador: Asaan Maherali who also photographed and videoed the event
• School leaders: Strawberry Vale Elementary - Audra Culler, Rogers Elementary - Karlie MacEvay, McKenzie Elementary - Alex Lymer, and Macaulay Elementary - Darren Comer
• Medal presentation: Roger Graves, President Victoria Regional Pickleball Association, and Jeff Bryon, Manager, Esquimalt Parks and Recreation.
• Trophy presentation: Slamboree Pickleball Powerhouse Top Scoring School by Assan Maherali, on behalf of PCO
• Over 30 parents attended to cheer on their team.
• Sponsorships: Premium sponsor - The Courts at Uptown, and fruits supplied by Fairway Markets.

David Snell, President, PBCA states: “This was a fantastic VRPA AYPBC Slamboree and congratulations to everyone involved! Great work, and again a big thank you to everyone’s dedication to our project and especially our youth—who are I believe the future of pickleball.”

VRPA AYPBC Regional Leader and Co-Chair of the PBCA Youth Committee with Sharon MacDonald Heather Hood added: “It’s been said many times before … ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’, and that is what the youth pickleball adventures continues to be.

For more information contact:
Connie McCaan
AYPBC Vancouver Island Regional Lead
[email protected]