This month we meet the person who had the foresight to realize that Canada needed its own Pickleball Association.  If any of you know the name George Brewer from The Villages, Florida, you will know he gets the title Mr. Pickleball.  Well, in my opinion Bill Franzman, deserves the title Mr. Pickleball Canada.  I am sure many of you recognize Bill’s name and the picture from his website, okpickleball.ca.
 
Bill Franzman was introduced to pickleball after playing badminton at the Seniors Centre in Kelowna, BC in 2000. He says, “I never went back to badminton and have been playing pickleball ever since.”
 
After joining the USA Pickleball Association, Mr. Franzman accepted the task of Ambassador for Kelowna, BC.  His area expanded to include the entire Okanagan Valley. 
 
Later on Bill accepted the Regional Ambassador appointment for Washington, Oregon, Yukon and British Columbia.  Reorganization changed this territory to British Columbia and Alberta.
 
Bill relates, “I was a member of the USAPA Rules Committee for more than a year. This was a very big job…we read, edited, changed and re-changed the rules one by one as needed. The result is what we now have as the “USA Pickleball Association Official Rules. “
 
He continues, “these appointments kept me busy with clinics, teaching, finding new places to play and conducting tournaments. All of this happened with help from others. Pickleball is an addictive sport because it is so easy to play, costs very little and is available to all ages. It’s a great family game.”
 
During all this time Bill operated his okpickleball.ca website, which was incidental to his  on-line pickleball store.  I made contact, via this website, with many places within Canada, the USA and several other countries.  Bill was instrumental in starting the first complete list of places to play in Canada on his website. 
 
Some year’s back Bill was asked to form a Canadian Pickleball Association, but he comments, “I was too busy to take on any more and it sort of faded away, but was never forgotten.”
 
“As a founding member of the new and recently formed Pickleball Canada organization, I contribute experience and information to the Board for the promotion and advancement of pickleball within Canada”, inputs Bill modestly. 
 
Bill still plays throughout the Valley but mainly in Kelowna at several different venues both indoors and outdoors. “I have given up my ambassador appointments but still ‘help-where-I-can’ “, relates Bill.
 
Bill summarizes, ”I am still actively involved in pickleball, playing and promoting the game and enjoying every minute of it.