VPA, EVES Project and June 13th "Slamboree"

​Vancouver Pickleball Association and the EVES Project
 
EVES (East Vancouver Elementary Schools) project was initiated in the summer of 2022 sponsored by the Vancouver Pickleball Association (“VPA”).  This youth programs’ project is all about embedding the remarkable sport of pickleball within the fabric of a school - planting and nurturing pickleball in school settings is the goal.
 
EVES is a collaboration of the Vancouver Pickleball Association, Vancouver School Board, now including Pickleball BC (“PBC”), teachers and school communities. The EVES belief is that children and youth of all abilities are more likely to be inspired to play pickleball if their school encourages, embraces and celebrates pickleball.  Positive and supportive school environments enable young people to experience the joy of pickleball through the concept of a “Pickleball School”.
 
A Pickleball School provides pickleball through the physical education curriculum, intramurals, noontime and after-school casual play, inter-school competition, and family pickleball with brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents. 
 
Highlights so far
Pickleball has arrived in Vancouver schools through the dedicated and enthusiastic leadership of school teachers and administrators, community pickleball coaches and volunteers from the Vancouver Pickleball Association.
Currently twenty-three (23) Vancouver schools, 103 teachers and 1558 students have participated in EVES activities since the Fall of 2022. 
The teachers have engaged in professional development sessions and introduced their students to that special game with the interesting name!  This includes school-wide programs in some schools --- with students and their teachers from kindergarten through grade seven all participating.
Here’s a sample of activities and events that have taken place since mid-2022.

• Strategic planning sessions with teacher/leaders and VPA certified coaches
• Fund raising and subsequent purchase of balls & paddles and equipment
• Teacher pickleball workshops at professional development sessions
• Grant received from Pickleball BC
• “Experiencing pickleball events” in a series of  elementary schools
• Development of EVES school-specific pickleball curriculum and unit plans
• Recruitment of eight NCCP certified coaches and 12 volunteers for EVES
• Training the certified coaches to instruct in elementary schools through use of the EVES curriculum
• Delivery of school-wide (K. through Seven) pickleball sessions
• Sharing of sets of paddles and balls within pods of schools
• Arrangement for, and attendance of media at select events
• Support of the teachers’ wellness program
• Recruitment of volunteers to assist with all school pickleball activities, events and professional development sessions
• Creation of chat group for teachers throughout the district; formation of a pickleball “NETwork”
• School and family intergenerational fun event
• Annual multi-school celebrations of pickleball through the EVES “Slamboree” – more about this event below  
• EVES updates and highlights in newsletter of the Vancouver Pickleball Association
• Visits by EVES teacher/leaders to neighbouring schools to introduce pickleball
• Ongoing review, renewal and revision of EVES Pickleball Schools strategies, plans and activities
• Vancouver School Board approval to add pickleball to the formal sport calendar and sport leagues for elementary schools.

 
Moving forward
 
The EVES project and the Pickleball Schools approach continues to evolve and develop.  Over the coming months, the areas of focus include:

• Training of more teachers as certified and school-focused pickleball instructors
• The development of  a practical, instructional resource package that will guide the building of Pickleball Schools in BC communities.  (steps to introduce pickleball, strategic planning, engagement, core activities, learnings, guidelines and best practices)
• Enhancement of resource materials based on demonstrations of EVES in additional school settings
• Preparation of  EVES Pickleball Schools program for consideration by potential partners, sponsors and supporters
• Support of  the introduction and phased implementation of EVES Pickleball Schools to locations across BC and beyond
• Engagement with Pickleball BC for potential grants, program assistance and roll out to BC clubs who are interested in engaging with this project and helping to expand its reach

 
 
Slamboree Event at Gladstone Highschool June 13th 2024
 
As an example of other EVES events that are happening, PBC attended the “Slamboree” hosted at the Gladstone Highschool gym (donated at no cost and discounted paddles from Selkirk) in East Vancouver last Thursday – what an impressive event! Students from 9 schools participated, mostly grade 6’s and grade 3, 4, and 5 students for a total of 80 (pickleball) students on all 10 courts. There were also 8 grade 12 volunteers from a high school pickleball club to act as Court Ambassadors. Many teachers donated their time as “referees” for each court, but really were “helpers”.
 
David Snell, President of Pickleball BC said: “I was absolutely blown away by the organization, enthusiasm, talent and outright fun enjoyed by all the kids and teachers who contributed and played at this event. What a fantastic scene which you can visualize with the help of EVES, the founding team and the volunteers could be an added value to those programs already in place by our clubs throughout BC, or a model or replicate if needed”.

​Stay tuned for more exciting news and updates!
 
Submitted by:
Tony Casey, Sharon Hoy
Vancouver Pickleball Association

"Slamboree" held June 13th 2024 at Gladstone Highschool East Vancouver with 80 students from 9 schools (mostly grade 6's) on 10 courts
​with volunteer student and teacher "coaches"