 November 15, 2025, Vancouver, BC--PBC has awarded the 2026 BC Pickleball Championships to The Nest/Steve Deakin Pickleball (“SDP”) where the event will run from Wednesday July 22nd to Sunday July 26th 2026 in the new facility adjacent to Tsawwassen Mills Shopping Centre, Tsawwassen, BC. The Nest in collaboration with BC’s winning professional MLP Las Vegas Night Owls coach and PPA Tour competitor Steve Deakin Pickleball (SDP) will open Spring 2026 with its 98,000-square-foot and will be the largest indoor pickleball center and sports facility in British Columbia.
According to Steve Deakin: “We look forward to working closely with Pickleball BC to deliver an event that prioritizes and elevates the athlete experience. We are incredibly excited to welcome players of all ages and skill levels to The Nest and to showcase the amenities that make our facility such a special place to play.” Founding partner Lorne Loiselle adds: “We are extremely excited to announce that we have been awarded the 2026 BC Provincial Pickleball Tournament. Our purpose-built facility is an ideal fit for this event, and we are confident that The Nest and Steve Deakin Pickleball will continue to build upon the exceptional work of previous Provincial Hosts and Pickleball BC. We look forward to delivering an outstanding tournament experience for players, spectators, and the entire pickleball community.” The 2025 Provincial Championships Last July 24th to 27th 2025 host PBC Affiliate Club Vernon Pickleball Association welcomed over 600 athletes and delivered an outstanding event. Richard Chambers, Chair Tournament Committee said: ”After 4 days, 5 events, 61 brackets and 1,002 matches, the Pickleball Depot 2025 BC Championships are 'in the books’. … 175 volunteers gave it all they had to provide what we hope was a memorable event for every competitor. … After hosting two BC Championships and one Western Regional the past three years, it is the time to pass the torch to another community for 2026.” The Nest will be that next torch bearer. The Nest: The Facility and the Championships “We’re honoured to collaborate with Tsawwassen First Nation and Tsawwassen Mills in building a space where the athletic community can thrive,” said Lorne Loiselle. “With its state-of-the-art facilities and extensive programming, The Nest will redefine the pickleball and volleyball experience in Canada.” • Class 1 professional lighting and 30-foot ceiling heights for optimal visibility and gameplay • 14 climate-controlled (air and heat with air exchangers) indoor pickleball courts with spacious 8 – 10-foot perimeters for safe movement • Class 1 professional lighting and 30-foot ceiling heights for optimal visibility and gameplay • Competition-grade nets and court dividers to ensure uninterrupted matches • Access to 14 additional pickleball courts via flexible volleyball space, enabling a total of 22 courts for major tournaments like the BC Provincials • Outdoor surface courts in dual colours for enhanced ball tracking; and • 5,500 square feet amenities space in 98,000 sq. ft. total. Current planning details for the 2026 Championships include:
For more information stay tuned and see The Nest/SDP Press Release, website, and Instagram. Newly released The Nest/SDP video. About Steve Deakin Pickleball (SDP) From The Nest website: “Steve Deakin’s journey in the world of sports is one of resilience, versatility, and mastery. Starting his athletic career in tennis, he achieved remarkable success, claiming 11 Canadian National Tennis Titles and earning an ATP ranking. After a shoulder injury in 2017 led him to explore pickleball, Steve transitioned seamlessly into the sport, quickly becoming one of the most accomplished players in its history. His competitive success includes multiple Canadian National Pickleball Championships and a standout undefeated 2024 season on the PPA Senior Pro Tour. Today, Steve has transitioned from playing to coaching, bringing his wealth of experience and strategic mindset to the next generation of athletes. He currently serves as a coach for the Las Vegas Night Owls, where he focuses on developing players, refining techniques, and instilling a tactical approach to the game. Known for his patient and cerebral style, Steve’s coaching is a natural extension of his playing philosophy—emphasizing precision, strategic shot-making, and adaptability. Looking ahead, Steve Deakin and Steve Deakin Pickleball (SDP) are set to make a new home in The Nest. Here, he will continue to elevate his coaching career, mentoring athletes and helping them reach their full potential in a dynamic, state-of-the-art environment. The Nest Sports represents a new chapter for Steve and SDP, where his impact on the sport will only continue to grow, both on the court and in coaching.” According to David Snell, PBC President: “The Nest/SDP facility and services which are needed to meet the tremendous demand for our growing sport will set a new standard for indoor courts in BC and Canada. Also this marquee event will be a great opportunity for the Lower Mainland to experience our exciting, significant annual BC Championship event attended by hundreds of athletes, their fans, referees, and other important support personnel—and The Nest will be the perennial indoor pickleball court facility to host and welcome all. Moreover, aside from the various BC Championship events that will be played, BC Provincial Team players will hone their skills well-displayed at the inaugural August 2025 Inter-Provincial Team Competition in Winnipeg (news and video here)! As the defending Gold Medal Champions going into the 2026 Nationals Interprovincial competition we are confident that they will do their best to bring the Cup back home. Also, let’s not forget BC players who will be selected again for the Team Canada 2026 Pickleball World Cup, where our 2025 Senior Team Division captured the Bronze Medal (news and video here)." For more information, contact: David Snell, PBC President [email protected]  Flag bearer and Senior Team Member Robin D’Abreo—member of Team BC who captured Gold at the 2025 Canadian Nationals’ inaugural Inter-Provincial Competition, and Pickleball BC Executive—leads the Canadian contingent at the opening ceremonies . November 10th 2025, Vancouver, BC—Sixty-eight countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bermuda, India, Mexico, and Peru amongst others) and over 3,500 players participated at the Pickleball World Cup on October 27th – November 2nd 2025 at Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Team Canada’s Senior Division players accepted the Bronze Medal on the podium.  Team Canada Senior players proudly sporting their Bronze medal. The Canadian World Cup Team overall had a very successful World Cup appearance. In the semifinals, the Canadian Senior Team pushed Team USA (overall Gold winners) to a Dreambreaker and later won Bronze. Also the Canadian Open Team made it to the Round of 8, and the Junior Team secured a strong 4th place finish. The other Silver podium winner was Hong Kong. See more Team Canada photographs and watch videos on our YouTube channel here, or watch below: Participating BC Players The BC players, sponsored by Pickleball BC (“PBC”) in their World Cup appearance, included: Open Team Players Caelan Sampson (Langley), Casey Rodgers (Kamloops), and Michael McCaffery (Surrey); Senior Team players Maggie Murch (North Vancouver), Margit Aardmaa (Coquitlam), and Robin D’Abreo (Port Coquitlam); Olivia Hui (Richmond) on the Junior Team; and, coach Tim MacVinnie (Coquitlam).  Pictured above: Full Team Canada players and staff. Open Team Captain Michael McCaffery (also a member of Team BC who captured Gold at the 2025 Canadian National Championships’ Inter-Provincial Competition) stated: “Incredible experience meeting and competing with athletes from all over the world. There was a great amount of pride and respect shown across the board. Our team was right in there with the top countries … we had a very close Dreambreaker loss to the country that finished 3rd overall, Portugal. A huge thank you to all the sponsors, donors and fans that helped support us in this journey!”
“On the heels of a successful Team BC Gold medal performance at the 2025 Canadian Nationals’ Inter-Provincial Competition this Summer in Winnipeg, we couldn’t be more proud of our BC players who excelled in this global competition”, according to PBC President David Snell. “Moreover, as we proceed with our PBC Activating Youth Pickleball in BC (“AYPBC”) Phase 2 initiative to introduce the sport to elementary K-7 students in seven BC regions (adding 4 to the pre-existing three Regions from Phase 1: Vancouver Island, Vancouver, and Thompson Okanagan), this effort can only help to grow Canada’s future global participation while helping to improve our favourite sport’s participation and the health of our youth. Stay tuned for more upcoming BC players participation in significant tournaments.” Activating Youth Pickleball In BC (“AYPBC”) Phase 2 Initiative Begins With viaSport BC Grant13/10/2025
 Pictured above left our AYPBC logo and right, Connie McCann, past President of the Victoria Regional Pickleball Association (not pictured), delivered equipment to one of our 20+ Elementary Schools—Ecole Macaulay Elementary’s PE Teacher Darren Comer and his excited students above. October 13th 2025, Vancouver, BC—Pickleball BC Association (“PBCA”) has received a grant of $20,000 to kick off our AYPBC Phase 2 project thanks to viaSport BC. This is a further investment from a viaSport Grant for Phase 1 last year, and we expect other donations from interested parties including a further commitment from PBCA. Therefore, we are gearing up for Phase 2 with up to 4 additional Regions planned (Phase 1 was 3 Regions) and candidates from every geographical area across BC.
Phase 2 David Snell, President PBCA states: “We were excited to kickoff Phase 2 with a meeting that included Phase 1 participants, and our Affiliated and Associated Clubs and interested parties in Phase 2. Several of our goals this school year is to introduce pickleball to more than 20,000 Elementary school youths and to train/certify teacher coaches and leaders in the specialty elements of introducing pickleball to grades K-7. Phase 1 was a success due to the motivation and commitment of our respective Regional pickleball leaders, teachers, Club volunteers, and community coaches in all three Regions to build pickleball into schools and their curriculums to the District and Trustee levels. I am confident that we will maintain that same energy and momentum going into Phase 2.” AYPBC BACKGROUND From past PBCA news, here is a summary of AYPBC’s successes from Phase 1: • 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 BC Regions with respective PBCA Club delegates: Vancouver Island (Victoria Regional Pickleball Association as lead), Vancouver (Vancouver Pickleball Association), and Thompson/Okanagan (Vernon Pickleball Association). • Provided a youth programs K – 7 resource package, including financial assistance and equipment, a Leaders Guide, curriculums with Unit Plans and a tool set for all participants to utilize. • Provide youth with an active and healthy lifestyle through sport participation and to help support communities delivering sport-related activity programming. VRPA AYPBC Regional Leader and Co-Chair of the PBCA Youth Committee 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: David Snell, PBCA President [email protected] Seven BC Players Join Team Canada At The 2025 Pickleball World Cup – Sponsored by Pickleball BC1/10/2025
 October 1st 2025, Vancouver, BC—72 countries will compete at The Pickleball World Cup on October 27th – November 2nd 2025 at Fort Lauderdale, Florida’s 43 professional-court facility The Fort. Team Canada’s contingent includes seven BC players five of whom are members of your BC Provincial Team. The BC players who are being sponsored by Pickleball BC (“PBC”) for their World Cup appearance include: Caelan Sampson (Langley), Casey Rodgers (Kamloops), and Michael McCaffery (Surrey); Senior Team players Maggie Murch (North Vancouver), Margit Aardmaa (Coquitlam), and Robin D’Abreo (Port Coquitlam); Olivia Hui on the Junior Team; and, coach Tim MacVinnie. About Pickleball World Cup (“PBWC”) and The Cabieses Foundation Backed by The Global Pickleball Federation, The PBWC was the brain child of Hercilio and Miranda Cabieses siblings who in 2021, carried their Peruvian flag at the US Open ceremony. However, their dream was beyond that as they wanted to bring the joys of pickleball to their home country, including sharing it on a global stage. Thus, with some financial support, they formed The Cabieses Foundation. This organization had allowed them to donate equipment, organize youth programs, and empower para-athletes in pickleball.  Pickleball World Cup founders Hercilio and Miranda Cabieses. Visit their World Cup YouTube channel. "We've spread the sport of Pickleball in the most vulnerable places and contribute to improving the quality of life for more than 30,000 children," Hercilio says of the foundation's accomplishments. Their crowning achievement was last year’s Pickleball World Cup, which took place on October 22nd – 28th 2024 in Lima, Peru. This event had over 30 countries competing on over 16 courts, with more than 500 athletes competing for the title of World Pickleball Champion—and the victors were Puerto Rico. Team Canada participated.  More Canadian Pickleball On The Global Stage Also as reported by Vancouver Island Pickleball and coincident with Team Canada’s upcoming World Cup appearance, “The Association of Pickleball Players (“APP”), Canadian National Pickleball League, European Pickleball Federation, India’s Global Sports, Australia’s National Pickleball League, Pickleball England, and Vietnam’s Pickleball D-Joy are uniting to announce the formation of a new global alliance that will supercharge the growth of professional pickleball worldwide.” This collaborative APP global tour will result in “a unified, non-conflicting tournament calendar, a streamlined global-ranking system, a tiered prize money structure, additional commercial arrangements and financial scholarship support, all to benefit career and earning opportunities for the world’s current and aspiring professional players.” Pickleball’s Future Global Success and Our Youth “The work of the Cabieses siblings is commendable and relatable as we at Pickleball BC (“PBC”), through our Activating Youth Pickleball in BC (“AYPBC”), provincial championships and Team BC development efforts, also share the same principals. Moreover, through the APP’s global objective, one day we hope to help achieve status for Canada at the Olympic Games.”, says PBC President David Snell. “What’s more, introducing pickleball to the youth is paramount to not only the sport’s future successes, but also to their personal health and well-being. In fact, through Phase 1 of our AYPBC initiative in 2024/2025—made possible by a dedicated AYPBC team and a viaSport BC grant—we were able to successfully introduce pickleball to 11,000+ K – 7 students in our three Regions including Victoria, Vancouver, and Vernon. Now we are accepting expressions of interest from four new Phase 2 BC Regions. Please send your expressions of interest and questions to [email protected].”, adds David. Team Canada Needs Your Financial Support “As Pickleball is still developing in Canada on a national team level, we are lacking the support needed to fund our team costs including flights, accommodations, food, transportation, and essential team expenses. This cost will be approximately $70,000. We are calling all Canadian pickleball players, clubs, companies, and enthusiasts to lend a hand in helping support our athletes in representing Team Canada and thank PBC for providing funds to offset some of BC players expenses”, Ricky Liorti, Organizer, Toronto, Ontario. To help Team Canada offset some of the expenses at this Pickleball World Cup, a GoFundMe page has been setup here.  August 29th 2025, 8 AM PDT, Vancouver, BC—Coming Spring 2026, in collaboration with BC’s winning professional MLP Las Vegas Night Owls coach and victorious PPA Tour competitor Steve Deakin, The Nest will open its 98,000-square-foot indoor sports facility. This will be the largest indoor pickleball center and sports facility in British Columbia, located adjacent to Tsawwassen Mills Shopping Centre, Tsawwassen BC.
As announced in their Press Release, The Nest will offer elite coaching, immersive clinics, inclusive leagues, and social play sessions for athletes of all levels. “Pickleball players are constantly limited by the lack of high-quality courts,” said Deakin. “The Nest will be a game-changer, providing a safe, well maintained space to play, rain or shine, day or night.” “We’re honoured to collaborate with Tsawwassen First Nation and Tsawwassen Mills in building a space where the athletic community can thrive,” said founding partner Lorne Loiselle. “With its state-of-the-art facilities and extensive programming, The Nest will redefine the pickleball and volleyball experience in Canada.” “There are new pickleball courts being built across BC as they are very much needed. Some by our 101 Associated and Affiliated clubs such as the wonderful complex in Vernon, where we just held our very successful Provincial Championships. Some with municipality partnerships (e.g., Ambleside), some with private funding in retail store facilities like IPOP, and some purpose-built from scratch such as The Nest ,” says David Snell, President of Pickleball BC Association (“PBCA”). David went on to say, “Moreover, at many of these new pickleball facilities, players at all levels can benefit by developing their skills either for recreational play or more competitive endeavours. High-level players who compete at Provincial and Canadian National tournaments can take advantage of these kinds of new facilities. For example, many of our BC players who were successful at the Vernon BC Provincial Championships, went on to win at the Canadian National Championships in Winnipeg—and also our very first BC Provincial Team BC winning Gold against 5 other provinces who competed in the daylong event. This also supports PBCA’s provincial mission of being dedicated to the growth, development, promotion, and enjoyment of pickleball in BC.” The Facility
Also to support the growing pickleball community, Pickleball Depot will open a retail outlet inside The Nest, offering premium gear and equipment. More details in their Press Release here and their website here. For more information, please contact: [email protected].  August 22nd, 2025 Winnipeg, Manitoba--Pickleball Canada hosted its inaugural Provincial Team Competition (“PTC”) with 6 Provincial Teams participating – BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec Provincial Teams went head-to-head. The BC Team won the point-based round robin leading to the medal matches with Ontario close behind. The medal matches concluded with BC winning Gold, Ontario Silver and Manitoba, the host province, winning Bronze.  Photographs above from the Taylor Tennis Center, Winnipeg Manitoba: FIrst left, Provincial Team Briefing with Ted Fardoe, President Manitoba Pickleball Association; BC Provincial Team getting ready for competition; And final result with Gold!! BC Provincial Team Origins Pickleball BC Association’s (“PBCA”) campaign to search for “Team BC” Team candidates began mid-March 2025 when Pickleball Canada floated the idea of a Provincial Team event at the Nationals. PBCA jumped at the idea and the Board voted unanimously to post a team and provide subsidies. The PBCA Tournament Committee took on the task headed by Rick Folk who was Chair. First task was to send an email from David Snell, President PBCA, to over 400 BC 4.0+ CTPR rated players asking for “expressions of interest” – there were 47 final candidates that met a strict and transparent criteria. The final 16 players and 8 alternates were selected and were chosen by PBCA Tournament Committee with the “Open” and “Masters” Divisions’ Captains of Kaila Chekosky and Robin D’Abreo, respectively, and Singles, Mixed and Gender-based Teams in each Division. The BC Team roster can be seen in a document here and on this PBCA-produced YouTube video, or watch below.  Photograph above – full BC Team at the awards ceremony with their very proud PBCA sponsor and head cheerleader David Snell. According to PBCA President David Snell: “The Tournament Committee made their final players’ selection shortly following the finish of the BC Provincial Championships in Vernon, July 24th – 27th. This tournament was the final performance measurement for our candidates. It was great to see this wonderful outcome despite having little preparation time for the BC Team to work on their partnerships, but they did a fantastic skillful representation of BC’s best and enthusiasm was 'rampant' – truly there was a buzz in the air and the team really gelled!! Looking forward to 2026 Team Event when Team BC will be the defending Champions and will have time to put a plan in place to develop and support our 2026 Provincial Team." Congratulations to the following 2025 Team BC players:  Stay tuned for 2026 Team BC updates!
Introducing Our Inaugural 2025 BC Provincial Team and Inter-Provincial Team Competition at Nationals19/8/2025
 August 19th, 2025, Vancouver, BC—The 2025 Myoflex National Championship in Winnipeg is taking place this week August 19th – 24th, where our newly formed BC Provincial Team will be competing against other provincial teams on Thursday, August 21st 2025. Please refer to attached BC Team Roster as our way of introduction to our very talented Team. They were chosen by our PBC Tournament Committee amongst the 47 4.0+ CTPR BC players who applied, with the “Open” and “Masters” Divisions’ Captains, and Singles-, Mixed and Gender based Teams in each Division. Please also refer to our YouTube video posted above introducing our BC Team. There will be six provinces competing: BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. Congratulations to our BC Provincial Team players and we wish them the very best in the inter-provincial matches. Stay tuned for updates!!  August 2, 2025, Vancouver, BC—The Canadian National Pickleball League (CNPL) Western Split showcased some of its teams with elite talent at the newly built indoor, pickleball facility IPOP in Burnaby, BC. The Vancouver Owls’ Caelan Sampson and Armaan Jiwa Mawji in action, and jubilant after a team victory. (Click photos to enlarge.) There was excitement in the facility as the audience watched elite pickleball professionals warm up, and everyone expected that this event would be at a higher level than the usual drop-in play – they were not disappointed. In fact to date, it was the largest CNPL audience in attendance. On Saturday, July 19. 2025, the first match was a show down between the Prairie Pronghorns (Alberta-based) vs. the Vancouver Owls. Centre court was filled with incredible visual and audible pickleball shots produced by elite players providing a truly inspiring, endless display of locked-in, muscle-memory executions that are the by-product of tireless, repetitive drills and matches. In the end, the home team Owls was victorious in this Western Split. Eric Fought of the Owls in combat vs. the Detroit-Windsor Drive, then he masterminded the victorious execution in the singles ‘dreambreaker’ (tiebreaker when two teams are tied 2-2) that was followed by chest-bump celebrations with the other Owls. (Click photos to enlarge.) This milestone event signalled a strategic partnership between the Vancouver Owls and IPOP, where its Burnaby facility will be designated as the Owls’ home venue. and professional training headquarters. Ava Weeks in synch with Owls teammate, 2025’s #1 draft pick Christina Chin vs. the Detroit-Windsor Drive. The Owls’ Caelan Sampson with Pickleball Canada’s PBCA BC Ambassador Lindsay Brown. (Click photos to enlarge.) According to their news release: “This partnership with the IPOP team creates the perfect foundation for our vision – elite competition that inspires and engages the entire community," said Rick Schwenk, Chief Marketing Officer for BC-based OWL Sport and General Manager of the Vancouver Owls. According to David Snell, President, Pickleball BC Association (“PBCA”): “Having a CNPL professional pickleball team in the community such as the Vancouver Owls, presents various benefits including but not limited to: adding visibility and credibility to a sport that is increasingly developing top-notch competitive players in local, provincial and national tournament events such as our BC Provincial team event showcasing competition with other provincial teams at the upcoming Nationals in Winnipeg; creating economic opportunities in the community; and inspiring others to participate in an all-inclusive sport. All these positives support PBCA’s provincial mission of being dedicated to the growth, development, promotion, and enjoyment of pickleball in BC.” About CNPL The Canadian National Pickleball League (CNPL)—comprised of eight Canadian professional teams—has a vision of aiming “to transform the Canadian pickleball landscape into an international leader in the world’s fastest-growing sport. As pickleball gains global recognition and potential inclusion as an Olympic sport, we are committed to preparing our athletes to compete for Olympic gold through intense and competitive league play. We envision a Canada where pickleball is not only a national sport but also accessible and enjoyable for all.” About the Vancouver Owls The Vancouver Owls, formerly known as The Vancouver Rush, have recently been acquired by new majority owner Owl Pickleball, and backed by Showpass, Lemmon Entertainment, and the Forsythe family. The team’s current roster is comprised of 2025’s #1 draft pick Christina Chin; Anna Dyachenko; Caelan Sampson; Ava Weeks; Armaan Jiwa Mawji (recent Gold medal winner in the Provincial Championships Men’s Doubles 5.0+ event with Robin D’Abreo PBCA’s BC Head Coach); and Eric Fought. First-year CNPL player Armaan was featured in our Pickleball BC Virtual Trophy Wall, where he won Gold in PPA Mesa Cup, 5.0 men’s singles open bracket last February in Arizona. The CNPL Western Split was hosted by the Inclusive Place of Pickleball in Burnaby BC (“IPOP”) which underwent a transformation with VIP lounge, audience bleachers and a studio where the matches were broadcasted live across Canada. (Click photos to enlarge.) About IPOP ”The IPOP partnership with the Vancouver Owls is an example of our commitment to excellence at every level," said Chris White, CEO of IPOP. "From our new premiere IPOP facility in Burnaby, grassroots development programs, championship competition, and our future world class pickleball facilities across western Canada - we are investing in the complete pickleball ecosystem to grow the sport." The CNPL will be returning to the West Coast in 2026.  July 30th, 2025, Vancouver, BC—Hosted by the Vernon Pickleball Association (VPA) July 24 – 27, 2025 and with about 600 players registered competing in various tournament categories, the BC Provincial Championships was by any measure a great success. The tournament was extremely well-run and made possible through the relentless work of volunteers, BC referees, and the VPA tournament committee under Richard Chambers.  Pickleball BC Association (“PBCA”) President David Snell and Treasurer Suzi Inkman at the their PBCA booth. Above, the year-round, indoor, 12-court facility that opened in 2020 plus all the adjoining tennis courts were used for the Provincial Championships. (Click photos to enlarge.) Richard Chambers, Chair Tournament Committee, Vernon Pickleball Association Richard said: "After 4 days, 5 events, 61 brackets and 1,002 matches, the Pickleball Depot 2025 BC Championships are 'in the books’. The Vernon Pickleball Association's 175 volunteers gave it all they had to provide what we hope was a memorable event for every competitor. Quality is characterized by high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution. We think we came close. After hosting two BC Championships and one Western Regional the past three years, it is the time to pass the torch to another community for 2026. While it is very hard work it is also very rewarding. We are privileged to have been trusted to take on these challenges" About The BC Championships Diane Brochu, one of the tournament organizers, wrote: “… more than 600 competitors played in five event categories (Singles (M/W), Doubles (M/W) and Mixed doubles) with many competitors playing in multiple events. There were 61 different brackets (skill and age levels) with 1,002 games played on the 30 courts over the four days. Players came from all corners of BC, from Massett (Haida Gwaii) to Cranbrook, Terrace to Victoria, and Surrey to Quesnel.” Several professional players also made an appearance competing at the event, leading to some very exciting, high-level play! Thirty-six BC referees worked hard to ensure fairness in all play. Richard Chambers, tournament Chair, highlighted that this was also a historic event as it is the first time that any province has been able to run a provincial championship (with more than 500 players) and have all accredited referees be from the home province. Previously, referees were needed from other provinces to provide the necessary numbers. Kudos to BC refs and our very own Rick Folk, Tournament Head Referee and PBCA Head Referee! What made this extra special were the enthusiastic volunteers who came from the member and non-member base of the VPA club. About 180 volunteers showed up to help over the course of the four days. They ranged in age from 12 – 92 and all were sporting smiles, greeting people, and making Vernon proud!! Making The Tournament Possible According to PBCA President David Snell: “The BC Referees made a BIG difference in the success of this Tournament and a first for BC to have all referees from the province! Thanks to Rick Folk (PBCA, Executive) for acting as Head Referee, to Sharon MacDonald (PBCA, Vice President), and all the other referees for their hard work and diligence. I had many positive comments and feedback from the players on the professionalism and the seamlessness of the officiating that helped everything run smoothly with a positive ‘vibe’. Thanks again to all who made this Provincial Championships a total success, including Richard Chambers (Chair, Tournament Committee, Vernon Pickleball Association) and all of the VPA tournament committee and volunteers! Also, thank you to our 41 4.0+ CTPR players who have committed to play with the BC Provincial Team of 16 with 4 – 8 alternates should they be chosen. A decision regarding the final Team players will be made on or before a week after the Provincials by the Tournament Committee, headed up by our Chair Rick Folk. Our BC Provincial Team, a first for BC, will play against other provinces at a dedicated day during the Canadian National Championships in Winnipeg. Finally, since Richard stated that they are passing the annual Provincial Championship ‘torch’ to a different community, our Tournament Committee will be sending out requests for expressions of interest for communities who would like to host the 2026 Provincials shortly.”  Above our BC accredited referees: “A big thank you to everyone for making our tournament run so smoothly with such professional and friendly adjudication! You guys and gals are great! Some BC referees who participated earlier in the tournament are missing from the photo, simply because of life and circumstances.”, claimed Bruce Imrie, Referee Coordinator Some Tournament Highlights Mixed Doubles Skill: (5.0 And Above) Age: (50 And Above) by Okaped Inc. Dana D’Abreo and Robin D'Abreo (PBCA Executive, Coaching and Player Development) in action and signing the banner. On the podium: Gold, Dana D’Abreo & Robin D'Abreo; Silver, Bob McIntosh & Wendy Sofiak; and Bronze, Ryan Fenrick & Michelle Davey. (Click photos to enlarge.) Mens Doubles Skill: (5.0 And Above) Age: (13 And Above) by Chartwell Retirement On the podium: Gold, Robin D'Abreo & Armaan Jiwa Mawj; Silver: Jeremy Comazzetto & Christopher Ross; and Bronze: Sunny Buttar & Jordan Renwick. David Snell, President PBCA and Dave Eaton past PBCA Director waiting for the ball. (Click photos to enlarge.) Mixed Doubles Skill: (5.0 And Above), Age: (13 To 49) by Okaped Inc. Maggie Murch and Armaan Jiwa Mawji in action. PBCA President David Snell awarding the gold medal to Maggie Murch. On the podium: Gold, Armaan Jiwa Mawji & Maggie Murch; Silver, Eugene Mak & Isabelle Tang; and Bronze, Caelan Sampson & Margit Aardmaa. Armaan won the Triple Crown with this bracket; Singles, 5.0 and above, age 13 and above; and Mens Doubles, 5.0 and above, age 13 and above with Robin D’Abreo. (Click photos to enlarge.) About The Vernon Pickleball Association
From VPA website: “The VPA is located in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. The VPA is a non-profit organization that operates and manages one of Canada's largest indoor pickleball facilities. The VPA is known for its dedication to the sport, hosting major pickleball events, and a strong volunteer base willing to take on major projects--and get them done!” Please read more about VPA here and we look forward to seeing our best players in the province next year for the PBCA Provincial Championships in a community near you! The Vernon Pickleball Association is proud be hosting the Pickleball Depot Provincial Championships from July 24th – 27th. 600 athletes, from all corners of the province, are travelling to Vernon to compete.
Over the four days of competition, there will be five events held, including men’s and women’s singles and doubles, along with mixed doubles. In all there are 62 different competitions in the various divisions and age groups. The age groups range from 13+ to over 70 years old. Tournament chair, Richard Chambers, has had a dedicated team planning the event. “Vernon Pickleball Association is pleased to be hosting, once again, the BC Pickleball Championships, with 600 competitors and 40 accredited referees. Dedicated volunteers are filling over 300 shifts over the four days. Without these folks, we could not put on such an event.” This tournament is the final opportunity for players to impress selectors (Pickleball BC Tournament Committee) and be named to team BC who will represent the province at the national championships in Winnipeg in August. Spectators are welcome at the three venues. Competition starts at 8:00 a.m. each day, wrapping up at approximately 6:00 p.m. Venues include the VPA and the adjacent tennis courts at Marshall Fields. There will also be matches played at Creekside Park in Coldstream on Saturday only. Action starts Thursday with the men’s and women’s singles event. The women’s doubles teams will hit the courts on Friday. Mixed doubles takes over Saturday and the tournament wraps up Sunday with men’s doubles event. If you have any questions, please email me or call 250-558-9192. Thank you! Christine Castrucow VPA Media Liaison |
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