Activating Youth Pickleball In BC (“AYPBC”) Phase 2 Initiative Begins With viaSport BC Grant

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]