Abbotsford Pickleball Tournament at ARC July 9

Abbotsford Pickleball Tournament at ARC on July 9. Hurry to Register!!!
About 35 players have signed up already, spaces are going fast!!! Many players from Kelowna, South Surrey, Cloverdale, Nanaimo have registered. 15 Abbotsford players have signed up for our Pickleball Tournament. The tournament is double elimination format, mixed doubles, mens doubles and ladies doubles 55+ and under 55. Please register before it is full.

NEW Creekside Community Centre Vancouver

NEW Creekside Community Centre
1 Athletes Way
Vancouver, BC V5Y 0B1
(604) 257-3050
Tuesday and Thursday 9:30-11:45AM
Friday 2:00-4:45PM
Dave and Colin went to Creekside Community Centre to hold a pickleball clinic: volleys, drop shots, dinks, non-volley zone and positional play. They met 8 players including Bob, Georgia and Hugh. Angela Kong also visited from Sunset Community Centre. The Creekside facility is brand new and very modern. This is a great place to play in Vancouver with a very friendly group of players. They were all very welcoming to Dave and Colin. It is located in the Athletes Village on False Creek. Free parking available on the street or underground parking $2/hr. Drop-in pickleball $2.

Surrey Schools Recognition to Pickleball Canada

This is a plaque from Surrey School District #36 for Pickleball Canada Association:

"In gracious recognition of Pickleball Canada Association for their generous support of the DREAMS Spring Break Programs in the Surrey School District, signed by Laurae McNally, Chair, Board of School Trustees, School District No. 38 (Surrey), April 4, 2011"

During this Spring Break Program, Dave, Shirley, Mike Shepherd and Herb Peters from Abbotsford gave free 20 hours of Pickleball instructions to approximately 180 students at five schools in Surrey, B.C.

Kelowna Pickleball Tournament May 14, 2011

It was an excellent tournament, well attended and everyone had a good time, note all the smiling faces, 77 in photo. There was a table with about 25 homemade cakes, muffins, cookies, fruit and coffee which we could snack on all day and a very nice lunch included.

Colin Caldwell and his partner's won GOLD in Men's Doubles and also Mixed Doubles, competitive. Dave Shepherd won Bronze in Men's recreational. Jim Saunders (organizer of this event and his partner Doug Ross won Silver in Men's Doubles. Then Jim & Terry (his wife) Saunders won Silver in Mixed Doubles.

Two of the best players in Canada, SJ Lehman and Ronnie Pitcher were there, as a team they won every game they played but had to leave before the final game so had to accept 3rd Bronze. It was both fun and entertaining to watch all players. Kelowna Global TV was there capturing s video of the tournament.

The great news is we signed up 14 new members on the spot and might get a few more in the mail. Pickelball Canada now has over 400 members.

Click on this link to see a video from Global TV on the West Kelowna Tournament Held Saturday May 14, 2011...there is a short commercial first
www.globaltvedmonton.com/Popularity+pickleball+rise/4785563/story.html

B.C.Senior Games Playdown in Surrey

Yesterday about 14 players from Abbotsford went to South Surrey Recreation Centre for the Playdown for the B.C. Seniors Games. There were a total of about 25 players there. We played some games in mixed, mens and ladies doubles. We met John Kusch and his wife Beryl and Fred Hubbick who helped me find a partner. I met my new partner Valerie who is very nice and friendly, we played well together. We will try to do some practise before the games in August.

Bill Vroom - Biography of Pickleball Player

Bill Vroom was born in the Netherlands in 1929. He came from a large family of 10 boys and 3 girls. They lived on a farm and Bill enjoyed milking cows.

During the war in 1945, the Germans bombed a big hole in his family's farm and flooded their house. People had no food. Some people came to get food at his farm and some were hiding there. The Germans pointed a gun to his Dad's head and asked to see his papers, he showed them false papers, luckily they believed him.

At age 17, he came to Canada with two brothers and the rest of his family came a year later. He married his wife in 1953 and they have five children, 23 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

Bill was a home builder in Oshawa, Whitby and Bowmanville of Ontario, he owned a construction company. He moved to B.C. about two and a half years ago.

At age 64, Bill had prostate cancer and underwent surgery. That was 17 years ago, so he is a cancer survivor. His wife has Alzheimer's and they live in Manor House which provides home cooked meals for seniors.

Bill has played pickleball for two years. He is very friendly, active and fit, he can jump up to hit a ball hard like a strong younger man. He is a kind gentleman who brought a lot of food for our snack time. He has an excellent memory and he can add numbers very fast. I was impressed when he helped me to add up the scores of our round robin tournament in seconds (most people need a calculator) really incredible!

39 Players Tuesday Afternoon, Coffee, Snack

Eight courts were full with 39 players. Many new players: Nigel, Leslie and their daughter Caroline, two new players from Vernon. Some players from Chilliwack: Carol, Elaine. Glad to see John Kusch (best player who won many gold medals) and his wife from South Surrey. They both registered to play at our upcoming pickleball tournament. I played with John and it was fun winning against Dave and Rod. At snack time, about 25 players gathered for coffee and snacks. Thanks to Henrietta for bringing chocolates and refreshing fresh fruit which were so delicious after playing pickleball!
TUESDAYS SNACKS SCHEDULE:

April 5 - George
April 12 - Shirley
April 19 - Bill
April 26 - Gord
May 3 - Henrietta
May 10 - Al
May 17 - Herb

Abbotsford Pickleball Tournament July 9,2011

Abbotsford Pickleball Tournament at ARC on July 9.
Your registration form and payment must be received by the deadline June 20, 2011 to Sara Wood, Abbotsford Recreation Centre, 2499 McMillan Road, Abbotsford, B.C. V2S 7R3. Our maximum number of participants is 76 players, double elimination format, 6 divisions of mixed, mens and ladies doubles 55+ and under 55. Please register before it is full.
TUESDAYS SNACKS SCHEDULE:

May 24 - Joanne
May 31 - Gerry
Jun 7 - Pat
Jun 14- Mandy & Ken
Jun 21 - Shirley
Jun 28 - Gyms closed
July 5 - Annette
July 12 - Michelle
July 19 -Lesley & Nigel