Author: Elizabeth Werner

Pickleball Canada is excited to begin accepting bids for the hosting of the 2024 Pickleball Canada National Championship, the largest pickleball tournament in the country.

Given its practice of alternating Nationals between Eastern and Western Canada, and that Regina was selected to host the 2023 championships, Pickleball Canada is looking forward to receiving expressions of interest and bids from potential hosts from Ontario and provinces/territories east of Ontario.

Hosting the National Championships will bring a great sense of pride to the pickleball community in the host city, as well as the economic impact of bringing athletes, and their friends and families, and their spending dollars from across the country. Furthermore, local players will benefit from the opportunity to play in the Pickleball Canada National Championship right in their own backyard.

While the official Bid Book (https://pickleballcanada.org/tournaments/pickleball-canada-championships-and-bid-book/) lays out the various information requested of potential hosts for the 2024 Pickleball Canada National Championship, some of the key points are:

• The ideal timing is late August or early September 2024
• A minimum of 20 pickleball courts is recommended (indoor and/or outdoor), although with the tremendous growth of pickleball in Canada since the bid book was created, we suggest a minimum of 25 courts.  As an FYI, the 2023 Nationals have 28 courts, and the 2022 Nationals had 35 courts
• A Host can consist of a single Pickleball Canada affiliated pickleball club, or multiple clubs working together as one host
• A local organizing committee must be established, with the tournament chair and tournament director approved by Pickleball Canada
• The Host has the primary responsibility for the running of the tournament, with support from Pickleball Canada

Potential hosts are encouraged to review the Bid Book and give consideration to preparing a bid to host the 2024 Pickleball Canada National Championship. If you are interested, please send an Expression of Interest by Friday, April 14, 2023 to Dave Harris dave.harris@pickleballcanada.org. Only those who submit an Expression of interest are permitted to submit a bid.

The deadline for submitting bids is May 7, 2023.   Pickleball Canada expects to notify the club with the successful bid by May 21, 2023.

As pickleball in Canada continues to grow, more players look to understand their skill level ratings and what they mean in both club and tournament settings.

To help answer a variety of common questions, Pickleball Canada has added a new webpage to the Ratings menu titled Ratings FAQs (frequently asked questions). This page can be found by clicking on “Ratings” in the main menu located at the top of the website.

We cover topics such as:

• how to rate yourself for the first time
• the differences between performance-based and subjective observation ratings
• common questions about Pickleball Brackets
• tournament ratings vs. club ratings
• and more!

Click here to visit the Ratings FAQs webpage.

Have a question that you don’t see answered? Send us an email at info@pickleballcanada.org.

Pickleball Canada’s website has been refreshed just in time for 2023!

The website’s homepage has been redesigned to improve user experience and visual interest. Added features such as the image carousel with eye-catching graphics help visitors stay up to date on Pickleball Canada’s programs and events, with easy access to important news available through the News archives located below.

The most significant change is the new and improved page layout and main menu which have been designed with the user in mind. We have listened to our members and community to understand what information is most accessed and searched for. Pages are now easier to find, with the most visited pages made readily accessible in the main menu.

Take a look at the new design and let us know what you think!

If you are having trouble finding content you have previously visited or need assistance navigating the website, send us an email at info@pickleballcanada.org.

Pickleball Canada is pleased to announce that Medicine Hat Pickleball Club (MHPC) has been selected to host the 2023 Pickleball Canada Western Regional Championship (Regionals). The event will be held from July 6th to 9th, 2023 in Medicine Hat, Alberta. In 2022, Medicine Hat Pickleball Club successfully hosted the Alberta Provincial Championship.

Over the course of five days, more than 500 players from across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba are expected to compete for the coveted title of the Western Region’s best pickleball athletes in age categories ranging from 10 to 75+. Competition categories include men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. As a Pickleball Canada sanctioned tournament, current international rules will be in effect.

Peter Milovanovic, Pickleball Canada President, said “I am very pleased to see the Medicine Hat Pickleball Club host our Western Regional Championship. They have a terrific facility and enthusiastic group of dedicated volunteers ready to put on an excellent event. We thank them for taking on this opportunity”.

“The MHPC cannot wait to showcase our new 20-court facility, our city and our club members and our outstanding volunteers to the Western Canadian Pickleball community”’ states Brenda Lea MacPhail, Tournament Director. “Our past tournament successes have been noted by all that have attended over the years, and we hope to continue that legacy in 2023 making this event a very memorable one for all”, says MacPhail.

Located in the southeast corner of Alberta and nestled along the South Saskatchewan River, the City of Medicine Hat has a population of just over 63,000 but don’t let size fool you. It is a vibrant city full of arts, entertainment, recreation and leisure activities. To fully experience the sunshine, the coulees and the rolling prairies alike, you can hike or bike, the 155+ kilometers of the Heritage Trail Network.

For a fabulous overview of the MHPC facility, please click this link, and enjoy an overhead view.

For more information, please contact:

Carla Anderson, Executive Director
Pickleball Canada Organization
carla.anderson@pickleballcanada.org

(OTTAWA, ON) – Pickleball Canada would like to share some recent changes to the Pickleball Canada Board of Directors. The changes include:

1. Peter Milovanovic, Markham, ON, replaces Karen Rust as President.
2. Leigh Bradwell, Toronto, ON, moves to one of the two VP positions.
3. Karen Rust, Regina, SK, moves to the Treasurer position.
4. Debra Downing, Shediac, NB, who is new to the Board, fills a Director at Large position that was vacated by Cara Button, Calgary, AB. 

“I am honoured to be asked to serve our members. I am looking forward to working with our staff team, and with the tremendous volunteers on our Board, our Provinces and Territories and our clubs. Together we will continue to grow our sport across the country to make it truly a sport for All, for Life”, said new President Peter Milovanovic.

The role of Pickleball Canada’s Board of Directors is to provide overall strategic direction, leadership, and stability for the organization. The Board establishes the overall mission and purpose for the organization and is responsible for a number of key governance-related activities. These include approving the appointment of – and providing direction to – the senior leadership team as well as the development and adoption of organizational policies, financial oversight, and approval of the annual budget.

Pickleball remains the fastest growing sport worldwide, with over 1 million pickleball players across Canada, and over 43,000 Pickleball Canada members, and the number is expected to continue to significantly increase in the coming years. Pickleball Canada has national and regional pickleball championships and administers programs to promote and grow pickleball across the country. Pickleball Canada’s mandate and purpose is to develop and sustain a dynamic, integrated Canadian system that promotes participation, competition, and excellence in pickleball.

The 2022-2023 Pickleball Canada Board of Directors is as follows:

President – Peter Milovanovic, Markham, ON
Vice President – Leigh Bradwell, Toronto, ON
Vice President – Deanna Christie, Kingston, ON
Treasurer – Karen Rust, Regina, SK
Secretary – Jacqueline Clarke, Vancouver, BC
Director-at-Large – Dave Best, Ottawa, ON
Director-at-Large – Cynthia Clark, Calgary, AB
Director-at-Large – Jon de la Mothe, Toronto, ON
Director-at-Large – Debra Downing, Shediac, NB
Director-at-Large – Robert Hogue, Saint-Stanislas-de-Kostka, QC
Director-at-Large – Rose Sawatzky, Morden, MB
Director-at-Large – Alan Thomson, Victoria, BC
Director-at-Large – Peter Walker, Calgary, AB
Regional Director British Columbia & Yukon – Barry Montgomery, Vernon, BC
Regional Director Prairies – Doug Fogg, Edmonton, AB
Regional Director Ontario – Gail Prior, Mt. Brydges, ON
Regional Director Quebec – France Emery, Laval, QC
Regional Director Atlantic – Pat Morrison, Inverness, NS

For more information, please contact:
Peter Milovanovic
peter.milovanovic@pickleballcanada.org

Pickleball Canada is pleased to announce that Pickleball Regina Inc. has been selected to host the 2023 Pickleball Canada National Championship (the Nationals). The event will be held from August 23 – 27, 2023 in Regina, Saskatchewan.  In 2022, Pickleball Regina successfully hosted the Pickleball Canada Western Regional Championship.

Over the course of five days, more than 1,000 players from across Canada are expected to compete for the coveted title of Canada’s best pickleball athletes in age categories ranging from 16 to 75. Competition categories include men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. As a Pickleball Canada sanctioned tournament, current international rules will be in effect.

“Pickleball Regina has earned a reputation as an enthusiastic, capable and welcoming host of competitions both large and small” said Deanna Christie, Vice President Sport for Pickleball Canada. “The club set a high bar by hosting the Western Regional Pickleball Championships, held in July, and we have no doubt that Regina will be able to deliver a successful Nationals”.

Randy Dove, the Chair of the Pickleball Regina Organizing Committee, said, “Pickleball Regina is excited to host the 2023 Pickleball Canada National Championship in August 2023. We have the skills, motivation, and confidence that we will provide an experience for athletes, volunteers and spectators that will raise the bar for hosting for the future. We look forward to working with Pickleball Canada and Pickleball Saskatchewan to ensure this is an outstanding event for everyone involved.”

Regina has a track record of being a very desirable destination to host world-class regional, national, and international events. The location provides for easy access by highway and air as well as first-rate accommodations and state of the art facilities. The community excels at delivering a welcoming spirit and warm prairie hospitality.

“We very much look forward to working with the Pickleball Regina host club to ensure the tournament is successful and provides a memorable experience for competitors, officials, volunteers, and spectators”, said Pickleball Canada Executive Director, Carla Anderson.

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in North America, and over one million people play pickleball in Canada. That number continues to quickly rise as more are introduced to the sport that is easy to learn, yet a challenge to master.

For more information, please contact:

Carla Anderson, Executive Director
Pickleball Canada Organization
carla.anderson@pickleballcanada.org