Monday, December 31, 2012

New Year's Day Polar Pickleball

To celebrate 2013 like New Year's Day Polar swim, tomorrow there will be outdoor New Year's Day Polar Pickleball at 10.00am for a couple of hours at Yale Court , behind the tennis bubble close to ARC, using two of the lined courts on the basketball court with portable nets, and also the lined public tennis court. Grant is arranging this (he will bring the Tim Hortons hot chocolate and coffee, and outdoor pickleballs), Dave will bring 2 nets, Gene will be there etc. Hopefully we can get about a dozen players out for some pickleball on New Year's Day (weather permitting!). Happy New Year !!!

New Year Pickleball Resolutions ideas

New Year Pickleball Resolutions ideas:
1.  Get Active, exercise, play pickleball at least twice a week.
2.  Introduce Pickleball to a friend, neighbour or relative.
3.  Share your knowledge about the health benefits of Pickleball such as:  losing weight, improve memory, improve muscle tone, feeling good etc.
4.  Start a pickleball group or club in a new area.
5.  Volunteer to do something, e.g. teach pickleball to new players.
6.  Show good sportsmanship,  Lose with dignity, Win with grace.
7.  Compete in the Pickleball Canada National Championship next year.

Friday, December 28, 2012

2012 Pickleball Canada in Review

On behalf of Pickleball Canada, we want to thank all our members and supporters who help us promote pickleball in Canada.  We are proud of the accomplishments and we are looking forward to a great 2013.  Let us take a look at what we have accomplished together in 2012:
-  Approximately 80 New Places to Play started up in Canada, some as far away as New Brunswick, PEI and Nova Scotia.
-  We welcomed Garth Matthews, new Provincial Ambassador for P.E.I.
-  We have appointed many new Area Ambassadors in all Canadian provinces.
-  New B.C. Area Ambassadors include Bruce Simpson, Walter Hermann for Vernon, Betty Loyst for Peachland, Alex Gendron in Nanaimo and Wayne King in Comox.
-   We held the first Pickleball Canada National Open Championship on July 7-8, 2012 with 168 players.
-   Pickleball Canada sanctioned the National Tournament in Abbotsford and the Ontario Tournament in 2012.
-  Pickleball Canada implemented the Tournament Point system to award points to winners in sanctioned tournaments.  We have announced the top 18 Pickleball Players who competed in sanctioned tournaments  in Canada .
-  Pickleball Canada implemented the Player Rating system in cooperation with USAPA/IFP so that players can have the same player ratings in the USA and Canada.
Happy New Year !!!  Happy pickling in 2013 !!!

Pickleball in Yarrow, B.C.

Pickleball will be played at Yarrow Community School Gym, contact: Sally Lum in Yarrow at 604-823-0257, cost is $2.00 for 6:30 - 9:30pm Mondays starting Mon. Jan 7th.  They welcome people as "drop ins". There are 4 courts with nets.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Thank You to 2012 National Championship Organizers, Sponsors and Volunteers

As 2012 draws to a close, Dave and I (National Tournament Directors) would like to thank all the organizers and volunteers who helped to make the Inaugural Pickleball Canada National Championship a resounding success.  Our big thank you to the City of Abbotsford Mayor Bruce Banman, ARC's Facility Manager Jenny Thornton, Recreation Coordinator Mandy Hadfield (she is now working in Langley Rec. Centre to be closer to home), ARC Recreation Coordinator Ryan Coreau, Dino Tsembelis, ARC registration, setup, food and clean-up crew and 16 volunteers from Yale Secondary School.   Our sincere thanks to Tourism Abbostsford, hotels who offered discounts, and many National and local Sponsors and our local  volunteers:  Henry and Rita Meerkerk, Herb Peters, Ken and Mandy Witt, Henrietta Waters, Jerry Rudolph, Mike Shepherd, Iris, Henry and Dawna, etc.   Thank you to all the Referee volunteers:  Carol Haworth, Grant Brittain, Brian and Kathy Parkes, Karen and Del Iggulden, Mandy Witt, Elaine Griffiths, Pat Khan, Earl Hill from WA, Rosie Roper from San Diego and many more.  Last and not least, thank you to the Board of Pickleball Canada.  Thank you very much for volunteering your time, effort and hard work, it is very much appreciated !!!

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Pickleball Canada December Newsletter

www.pickleballcanada.org/news/nl_2011_august.pdf

Vince Cuschieri Passing in Peachland, B.C.

It is with great sadness that we heard of the passing of Vince Cuschieri about a week ago.   He will be sadly missed  by many other Pickleball Players in the Okanagan Valley from Penticton to Kelowna, he played regularly in Peachland.
My grandmother passed away about two weeks ago peacefully at the age of 103 years.  We are very grateful that she had a wonderful happy life. 
“Enjoy life. There's plenty of time to be dead.” ― Hans Christian Andersen

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Pickleball Canada National Open Championship July 6 -7, 2013

2013 Pickleball Canada National Open Championship will be held on July 6 - 7, 2013, hosted by the City of Abbostsford at Abbotsford Recreation Centre, 2499 McMillan Road, Abbotsford, B.C. The 2013 Pickleball Canada National Open Championship will be open to all players including USA. There will be Open (singles, doubles and mixed), 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+, under 55 in mixed, mens and womens doubles, and a Juniors Singles event.
There are 21 events with limit of players:
Juniors Singles (18 years and under)
OPEN Singles Mens,
OPEN Singles Womens,
OPEN Doubles Mixed,
OPEN Doubles Mens,
OPEN Doubles Womens,
Under 55 Doubles Mixed,
Under 55 Doubles Mens,
Under 55 Doubles Womens,
55+ Doubles Mixed,
55+ Doubles Mens,
55+ Doubles Womens,
60+ Doubles Mixed,
60+ Doubles Mens,
60+ Doubles Womens,
65+ Doubles Mixed,
65+ Doubles Mens,
65+ Doubles Womens,
70+ Doubles Mixed,
70+ Doubles Mens,
70+ Doubles Womens

You can mail in your registration or register at Abbotsford Recreation Centre 2499 McMillan Road, Abbotsford, B.C.  Spaces are limited. Please register early !!! Click here for the tournament registration form. 

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

2012 Top 18 Pickleball Players in Canada

We are very proud to announce the 18 top Pickleball Canada players for 2012, these points were well earned at the tournaments in the National tournament in Abbotsford, B.C. and Provincial tournament in Oshawa, Ontario.  These are the two largest SANCTIONED tournaments in Canada. As more tournaments join our ranks, this list will grow and so will the points. You can only earn points if you are playing in a PCO sanctioned tournament and are a PCO member (membership has its privileges).
3200 Points - John Kusch, Diane Hill, Vera Loskot, Wayne Kennedy, Mike Schwartz, Laura Schwartz
2400 Points - Luba Zhekhovskaya, Denis Zhekhovskiy, Carol Haworth, Randy Bourne, Peter Darvill, Milda Postler
2000 Points - John Jetelina, Olga Jetelina, Pat Fosbery, Sue Fosbery, Bill Furse, Linda Furse
Benefits of Tournament Points: Tournament Points are awarded as recognition of achievement in Sanctioned Tournaments. Tournament Points will be used to publish a list of the top point winners at the end of each calendar year. Tournament Points may be used by Tournament Directors to determine seeding in tournament brackets. Tournament Points may be used by the Ratings Committee to determine a player's rating at the end of each year.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Pickleball Christmas Party Dec 18, 2012




A lovely gathering of about 30 pickleball players at ARC Christmas Party Dec 18, 2012.  It was fun playing pickleball with about 40 players, including visitors Ron and Vi from Lynden, Wa.  and John and Beryl Kusch  from Langley.  We had a large assortment of appetizers, salads, hors d'oeuvres, fruits, desserts and sparkling apple cranberry juice.  It was very nice to wish everyone a happy Christmas !!!

Monday, December 10, 2012

Christmas Pickleball Party Dec 18

Christmas Pickleball Party Tuesday Dec 18 after pickleball at 3.45 pm at ARC Seniors Room.  Please bring a appetizer or dessert.  We look forward to seeing you there!!! 

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Pickleball December Schedule at ARC

There will be no pickleball on Dec. 25, Dec.26, Jan. 1, Jan 2 and Jan.3 due to the Winter Festival at ARC.  Update Dec 16:  There is pickleball on Dec 26 at 1:30 to 3:30 pm, pickleball in the evenings are not cancelled. 
Happy holidays and wishing you health and happiness in 2013.  

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Pickleball arrives in Bridegewater, Nova Scotia

In the month of August 2011 Jerome Tanner, a resident of Bridgewater, NS approached the local Parks and Rec. Department about introducing Pickleball to the residents of the area through their pro-gram offerings. They agreed to do this and purchased the recreation-al paddles and balls. The program began in January 2012 at a local gym where three badminton courts were transformed into Pickleball courts. They offered 2 days a week with instructions given by Mr. Tanner and local resident Greg Crouse.

The games has been well received by the local residents & operates on a pay as you go play and has now expanded to 3 times a week. Monday evenings, Tuesday mornings & Thursday afternoons and most recently with the local "Y" on Saturday afternoons.

Presently they have over 30 players involved with up to 29 playing on any given day. Membership is on the rise with plans to partner with the local Tennis Club next summer for outdoor play.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Rules Review Paddle Specifications by USAPA Rules Chair


Rules Review...
Paddle Specifications…
By Dennis Dacey, USAPA Rules Chair


This month I want to cover a couple of the rules concerning paddle specifications. The complete paddle specifications can be found in Rule 2.E., but I will address two items specifically:
  • First is the paddle size. Rule 2.E.3. states, The combined length and width including any edge guard and butt cap shall not exceed 24 inches. There is no restriction on paddle thickness.
I recommend that if you added an edge guard to your paddle you measure the paddle to make sure it is not over the maximum of 24 inches. Many paddle manufacturers are now making paddles that are just under the 24-inch rule, so adding an edge guard might make the paddle illegal.
  • Second, Rule 2.E.5. has been changed so “homemade” paddles are no longer allowed.
Also effective 01/01/2014, all paddles used in sanctioned tournament play must be marked with brand name and model name or model number. These paddles must be offered for sale to the general public and must have passed USAPA tests. Paddles that have been submitted and tested can be found on the USAPA Website under Official Rules, then Paddle Material Specifications of the International Federation of Pickleball