Sport BC and North Shore Sport Awards Honours Two Pickleball BC (“PBC”) Members

March 9th 2026, Vancouver, BC—On the same day (Thursday, March 5, 2026), two distinguished awards were presented: first, the Sport BC Presidents’ Award was given to PBC President David Snell at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver; and the second, the 24th  Annual North Shore Sport Awards was given to Maggie Murch as Finalist Master Athlete in Pickleball at the Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver.
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About The Sport BC Presidents’ Award
According to Sport BC: “The Presidents’ Awards celebrate outstanding volunteers from Sport BC member organizations who go above and beyond in supporting their sport and community. These awards recognize individuals whose dedication, energy, and commitment make a meaningful impact on their organization and the athletes they serve. Each member organization may nominate one volunteer per year, highlighting the incredible contributions of those who embody the spirit of volunteerism in BC sport.”

About The 24th Annual North Shore Sport Awards
As per the North Shore Sport Awards: “This unique event salutes those who excel in all levels of sport, fosters pride in the North Shore sport community and raises the profile of the best of community sport. The stories that emerge from the Comeback and Fair Play award categories are inspiring and a testimony to the benefits of sport.”

PBCA President David Snell. ​In the group photo (4th from left wearing blue polo shirt) all of the Sport BC Presidents' Award Winners at the ceremony. Our full story here.

David Snell’s PBC Accomplishments
Over the years, David has had several assignments with PBCA over the past 4 years (as of June): initial website management and tech support; MARCOM story teller and spokesperson; pickleball governance policy maker and strategic planning; and most recently 2 years leading PBCA as President and Chair of the Board of Directors.

Some highlights of his tenure:
• Activating Youth Pickleball in BC (“AYPBC”) Phase 1 and 2 (now in 7 Regions across BC). Team accomplishments included: applying for the first viaSport Grant in 2024 which kicked off the BC AYPBC Project with 11,000 introductions to pickleball K-7 youth in Phase 1 (20,000 planned in Phase 2); provided 20+ Elementary schools in the program with equipment for the youth (nets, paddles, balls and bags); and, trained 33 teacher coaches 23 of whom obtained NCCP Level 1 certification
• Helped to grow PBCA membership to 21,500+ active pickleball players (only second to membership in Ontario) as of year-end 2025
• With the PBCA Tournament Committee helped in the creation and support of the first BC Provincial Team who won gold in the inaugural Inter-Provincial Team Competition at the 2025 Canadian National Championships. More planned for 2026 and beyond as PBCA looks to support the BC players on our Canadian World Cup Team
​• Full story here

Maggie was a Senior Team Canada Bronze Medalist at the 2025 Pickleball World Cup last November, Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and recognized in the 24th Annual North Shore  Sport Awards as Finalist Master Athlete in Pickleball.

Maggie Murch’s Pickleball Accomplishments
Maggie has had numerous pickleball off-court and on-court acknowledgements, from local to international levels, including:

• Most recent as finalist of the 24th Annual North Shore Sport Awards as Master Athlete in Pickleball
• Finished 1st Place in the IPOP Inter-Club Tournament, where she was on a team that represented Fairgrounds Pickleball last January
• Bronze Medalist as Senior member of Team Canada at the Pickleball World Cup in November 2025, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where 68 countries and over 3,500 players participated--story here
• Gold Medalist as Senior member of the BC Team in the inaugural Provincial Team Competition at the August 2025 Canadian Nationals in Winnipeg--story here
• Gold Medalist in the 5.0 Mixed Doubles Open bracket at the July 2025 BC Provincial Championships in Vernon--story here
• The designated Professional Pickleball Player at the Hollyburn Country Club

According to Maggie Murch in being the finalist in the North Shore Sport Awards as Master Athlete in Pickleball: “Really quite an honour. Love this game & community!!!!!!”

“These honourable acknowledgements not only reflect our drive and commitment to the sport, but imperatively, a testament to our character and how we can understand and relate to people in the pickleball community.”, says PBC President David Snell. He adds: “And by being able to relate to communities, we spread the love of pickleball to those people who we come across, including enriching their lives, including the youth.”

David Snell, PBC President
[email protected]