Pickleball Canada is pleased to announce that registration has opened for the 2023 Pickleball Canada Central Regional Championship. Central Regionals will be held from July 13th to 16th in Kingston, Ontario. The location of Central Regionals alternates each year between Quebec and Ontario.
Competition categories include men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. Events will take place at two venues – the Kingston Pickleball Club, and the nearby Invista Centre. As a Pickleball Canada sanctioned tournament, current international rules will be in effect, and interested players must be members of Pickleball Canada at time of registration.
Peter Milovanovic, Pickleball Canada President, said “I am very pleased to see the launch of registration for our Central Regional Championship. Scheduled during Kingston’s peak tourist season, the tournament should be a joyful celebration of pickleball and summer for locals and travellers alike.”
“We are thrilled to welcome players back to Kingston”, said Andrea Blackwell, President of the Kingston Pickleball Club. “We will leverage our experience in hosting large pickleball tournaments to ensure 2023 Central Regionals are one to remember!”
Kingston is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and Huron-Wendat First Nations. In Anishinaabemowin, this space is called “Gaadanokwii,” which is interpreted to mean “a great meeting place”.
Nestled where the St. Lawrence River, Rideau Canal, and Lake Ontario meet, the city’s lakeshore location is home to Ontario’s oldest public market with dozens of museums and historic sites, and dozens more unique shopping and dining experiences, Kingston offers something old and something new around every corner.
TORONTO / OTTAWA —May 3, 2023—Skechers, The Comfort Technology Company™, and Pickleball Canada today announce a partnership that names the brand as the Official Footwear Sponsor of the 2023 Pickleball Canada National Championship. The agreement begins with the current season and will further establish Skechers’ prominent position in the fast-growing sport.
We launched Skechers Viper Court footwear to a positive reaction from the pickleball community, athletes and fans,” said Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers. “Skechers currently sponsors every major elite professional pickleball tour in the United States and our athletes are winning on the court, so it’s the perfect time to expand our reach to the biggest circuit in Canada so that we can connect with more consumers across North America and around the world as they discover and fall in love with this incredible sport.”
Skechers kicked off 2022 by signing its first two elite pickleball athletes, Tyson McGuffin and Canadian Catherine Parenteau, who compete wearing Skechers pickleball footwear and Skechers-branded apparel. After introducing its pickleball collection at the US Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida last year, Skechers began to dominate the sport by sponsoring major tours including USA Pickleball, Major League Pickleball, the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) Tour, and the Carvana Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour. Now, Skechers adds the 2023 Pickleball Canada National Championship to its sponsorship roster of existing major championships and tournaments across North America.
Elite Canadian pickleball athlete Catherine Parenteau in Skechers Viper Court Pro footwear.
“I’m so proud to represent a brand that’s now part of growing the sport I love in my home country,” said Catherine Parenteau. “Pickleball matters, and we’re working together to help promote this movement in Canada.”
“The Pickleball Canada National Championship is our marquee annual event, so we are very happy to have a major brand like Skechers join us for this great event hosted by the Regina Pickleball Club,” said Peter Milovanovic, president of Pickleball Canada. “The number of pickleball players in Canada has increased significantly over the past few years and it is expected to continue to grow at a rapid rate as more Canadians are introduced to pickleball.”
This year’s National Championship will be held August 23-27, 2023 in Regina, Saskatchewan, and is hosted by Pickleball Regina. Over 1,000 players across Canada are expected to compete in different categories, with athletes ranging in age from 16 to 75.
Skechers pickleball footwear brings signature Skechers comfort and innovation to the court. The Skechers Viper Court provides responsive performance in a breathable, lightweight design. The enhanced grip and stability of the Goodyear® rubber outsole paired with a shock-absorbing Arch Fit® insole deliver comfort and support, match after match. The recently launched Skechers Viper Court Pro is a lighter and faster high-performance pickleball shoe designed and suitable for everyday players looking for stability and a secure platform in their game.
Styles in the Skechers pickleball footwear collection are available at Skechers retail stores and sketchers.ca as well as key retail partners and specialty shops.
About Skechers USA Canada, Inc. and Skechers U.S.A., Inc.
Skechers USA Canada, Inc. is a subsidiary of Skechers U.S.A., Inc. (NYSE:SKX), The Comfort Technology Company™ based in Southern California. Skechers designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children. The Company’s collections are available in over 180 countries and territories through department and specialty stores, and direct to consumers through digital stores and over 4,500 Company- and third-party-owned physical retail stores. The Company manages its international business through a network of wholly-owned subsidiaries, joint venture partners, and distributors. For more information, please visit about.skechers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
About Pickleball Canada
Pickleball Canada is the national governing body for the sport of pickleball in Canada. The Canadian Pickleball Association was established in 2009 and then incorporated as Pickleball Canada in 2011. The organization works to promote and develop the sport at all levels, from grassroots to high-performance. Their mission is to promote the growth and development of pickleball across the country by providing leadership, resources, and opportunities for players of all ages and skill levels. Pickleball Canada is responsible for the coordination and delivery of pickleball events across the country, including the National and Regional Championships, which brings together top players from across Canada to compete for the title of national champion. With a growing number of players and clubs across the country, pickleball is Canada’s fastest growing sport and Pickleball Canada is at the forefront of this exciting movement. For more information, please contact please contact info@pickleballcanada.org or visit pickleballcanada.org/
About Goodyear
Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 72,000 people and manufactures its products in 57 facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to http://www.goodyear.com/corporate.
For more information on this partnership, please contact:
Canadian pickleball courts see more women, more younger adults, and more competition
Pickleball Canada once again commissioned the same national research company as we had done in recent years, to survey more than 2,000 Canadian households on household participation in various sports, including pickleball, soccer, hockey, tennis and golf.
The survey, conducted in January 2023, asked each household questions regarding:
How often they play pickleball
Why they play pickleball
Where they play pickleball
The survey results illustrate the continuous growth and changing face of pickleball in Canada.
11% of Canadian households now report at least one household member plays pickleball at least once per month. By extrapolating the data, this indicates that more than 1.37 million individual Canadians now play pickleball at least once per month, with more than half playing four or more times per month. In January of 2022, it was estimated that there were just over 1 million Canadians playing pickleball.
While the results showed a modest increase in the participation of men over that twelve-month period, it showed almost a 50% increase in the number of Canadian women playing pickleball.
Pickleball remains popular among older adults, but the growth in numbers is coming from younger adults – particularly those aged 18 to 34.
While participation by university and other post-secondary graduates remains steady on Canadian pickleball courts, the survey results show a nearly 50% increase in participation among high school graduates, and nearly a 70% increase among those with less than a high school education. Although the survey did not explicitly ask the ages of household members playing pickleball, we can surmise that many of those new players hitting the pickleball courts are under the age of 18. This surmisal makes sense given the growing number of youth pickleball initiatives popping up nationwide in schools, sports clubs, and in summer camps.
Overall, Canadians say they are still playing pickleball because its fun, its social, and for its health and fitness benefits. Interestingly though, there was a significant increase in the number of Canadians playing pickleball for the competition within the game (27% in January 2023, compared to just 18% in January 2022). That growth in competitive spirit on the courts was all attributable to women, for whom there was a 170% increase in competition being a key driver for playing pickleball.
Given the growing number of tournaments each year (including those sanctioned by Pickleball Canada), this desire for competition is not a surprise to Canada’s national governing body for the sport.
The number of Canadians with a Pickleball Canada membership rose by 60% between the end of 2021 (28,000) and the end of 2022 (46,000), due in part to the strong affiliation model between local pickleball clubs, their provincial/territorial association, and the national organization.
Through the power of numbers, individual Canadians and affiliated organizations, through Pickleball Canada, receive benefit from access to:
A comprehensive package of insurance products;
a National Coaching Certification Program;
a national program for accreditation of officials;
preferred pricing for software tools (for tournaments, pickleball programs, etc.); and
Canadian Tournament Player Ratings (CTPR).
The trends we see in the recent survey and in Canadian communities in all provinces and territories tell us that pickleball is truly taking its place in the mainstream of Canadian life, with many households fully integrating into their regular fitness activities.
The United States, Canada and Mexico align to promote the development and growth of pickleball across the Western Hemisphere
PHOENIX/OTTAWA/MEXICO CITY (April 20, 2023) — The National Governing Bodies for the sport of pickleball in the United States, Canada and Mexico today announced the creation and launch of the Pickleball Federation of the Americas (PFA).
The PFA is established to serve as the first continental pickleball federation in the Americas for the purpose of promoting the development and growth of pickleball throughout North America, Central America, the Caribbean and South America.
Other recognized National Federations for pickleball in the Americas are encouraged to join the PFA as members of an organization and network that focuses on assistance and support for the international development of pickleball.
“The formation of a continental pickleball federation is a much-needed development as we continue to support the recent explosion of pickleball, particularly in our region of the world,” said Robert Quicksilver, USA Pickleball Chairman of the Board of Directors. “With the launch of the Pickleball Federation of the Americas, we are thrilled to align with our colleagues across the Western Hemisphere and lend support to those beginning to build pickleball communities in their respective countries.”
“Along with my peers in the United States and Mexico, I am proud to help launch this federation and ensure that the sport of pickleball evolves as a safe, welcoming and respectful environment throughout the Americas,” said Peter Milovanovic, Pickleball Canada President. “We are committed to serving as stewards of this wonderful sport and guiding its development towards a culture that is wholly fair and equal.”
“I look forward to welcoming additional countries and national federations to this exciting alliance as we progress and take great strides forward,” said Javier Regalado, La Liga Profesional de Pickleball Mexico President. “We anticipate the coming years to witness the continued growth of pickleball around the world, and we hope to lead the way through mutual collaboration and visionary governance.”
Regalado will serve as the first Chair of the Board of Directors for PFA.
While representatives from USA Pickleball, Pickleball Canada and La Liga Profesional de Pickleball Mexico have led the establishment of the PFA and will comprise the initial leadership group, a nine-member Board of Directors will be formed this summer, comprised of leaders from other member countries.
The PFA is established as a non-profit corporation that serves and exists to:
Encourage the development of the sport of pickleball in the Americas ⎯ including providing access to advice/information/best practices in the areas of program development, administration, governance and communications.
Coordinate efforts to position pickleball as a welcoming and accessible sport that fosters social connections and a sense of community.
Organize continental championships, member national federations’ championships, and other major events.
Support equity, diversity and inclusion within pickleball throughout the Americas.
Help ensure that the culture of pickleball evolves as a safe sport, and a sport in which players, coaches, officials and volunteers experience a welcoming and respectful environment for all with a commitment to fair play and equal treatment.
Encourage and support measures in competitions and with athletes that safeguard the integrity of pickleball and para pickleball and protect clean athletes through anti-doping efforts and the prevention of the manipulation of competitions.
Encourage and support measures related to the medical care and health of the athletes who participate in PFA competitions.
Serve as the official continental federation for pickleball in the Americas.
Member countries of the Pickleball Federation of the Americas will have direct access to a variety of resources, such as:
Official Playing Rules
Coaching and Officiating Materials
Guidelines for Federation Websites, Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation and Tournament Operations
To learn more about the Pickleball Federation of the Americas, or to apply for membership, please visit the PFA landing page at https://pickleballfederation-americas.org/
For more information on becoming a member country (applies to National Federation representatives only) of the Pickleball Federation of the Americas, please email: pickleballfederationamericas@gmail.com
USA Pickleball Media Contact:
Melissa Zhang, Director of Communications & Content: mzhang@usapickleball.org
Pickleball Canada is pleased to announce that Pickleball Nova Scotia has been selected to host the 2023 Pickleball Canada Atlantic Regional Championship (Regionals). The event will be held from June 23rd to 25th, 2023 at the Sobeys Atlantic Tennis Centre in Bedford, NS.
Over the course of three days, participants from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador will compete for the coveted title of the Atlantic Region’s best pickleball athletes of all ages. 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.
“We are thrilled to have Pickleball Nova Scotia host this year’s Atlantic Regional Championship” said Deanna Christie, Vice President, Sport, Pickleball Canada. “The community’s passion for pickleball and their experience hosting events makes them the perfect location to showcase the talent of the region’s athletes. We thank them for taking on this opportunity and we look forward to a great event.”
“Pickleball Nova Scotia is proud to be hosting the 2023 Pickleball Canada Atlantic Regional Championship”, said Pat Morrison, President, Pickleball Nova Scotia. “This is going to be an opportunity for the top pickleball players from across all four Atlantic Provinces to go head-to-head over three full days. Our own provincial championships are taking place in May and we have more than 400 players registered. We won’t be surprised to see over 500 players taking place in the Regionals!”
Bedford is located on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People. This land is governed by the treaties of Peace and Friendship, first signed by the Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqey, Peskotomuhkatiyik, and the British Crown in 1726.
Bedford sits at the northwestern end of the Bedford Basin and offers brilliant views of the Halifax Harbour from DeWolf Park. The area is known for Sunnyside Mall, the charming Bedford Basin Farmers’ Market and Garden Centre, and historic Hemlock Ravine Park.
Pickleball Canada is pleased to announce that registration has opened for the 2023 Pickleball Canada Western Regional Championship (Regionals). Western Regionals will be held from July 6th to 9th, 2023 in Medicine Hat, Alberta.
More than 500 players from across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Yukon are expected to compete for the coveted title of the Western Region’s best pickleball athletes in a broad range of age groupings. 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, and interested players must be members of Pickleball Canada at time of registration.
Peter Milovanovic, Pickleball Canada President, said “I am very pleased to see the launch of registration for our Western Regional Championship. This promises to be an excellent summertime celebration of pickleball in Medicine Hat, Alberta.”
“The Medicine Hat Pickleball Club and our tremendous volunteers look forward to welcoming players from across Western Canada for Regional Championships,” said Brenda Lea MacPhail, Tournament Director. “Based on our past tournament experiences, we encourage interested players to register promptly to guarantee their chance of participating.”
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.
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
The two-year deal will further assist Pickleball Canada in promoting the growth of pickleball, from players to coaches, across the nation.
The Tennis Professionals Association (TPA), Pickleball Canada (PCO) and Tennis Canada, announced today a two-year partnership with Selkirk Sport, a world-leading pickleball company focusing on paddle innovation and technology. As of January 1, 2023, Selkirk Sport is the Official Paddle of the Pickleball Coach Education Program.
“We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Selkirk Sport,” said Mark Renneson, the lead of the pickleball program for the TPA. “Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports worldwide, and with a market leader like Selkirk Sport by our side, it will only help us grow the game and get more Canadians to go out and pick up a paddle.”
Deanna Christie, the lead of the pickleball program for Pickleball Canada said “This is a great program where coach facilitators and those participating in the courses will receive high quality paddles as they become Canadian certified coaches”.
This partnership with Selkirk Sport marks the first of its kind for the pickleball coach program. In addition to becoming the official paddle supplier, Selkirk Sport will also be providing members with access to online learning tools for pickleball instructors, as well as balls and demo paddles for all Level 1 and 2 Pickleball Instructor Courses.
“As the beginner-friendly sport of pickleball continues to spread rapidly, the opportunity for pickleball coaching is massive”, said Mike Barnes, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Selkirk Sport. “The TPA, Pickleball Canada, and Tennis Canada are the perfect partners to provide the Canadian pickleball public with premium quality pickleball education and equipment, and we couldn’t be more excited to team up with them.”
As the industry leader, Selkirk pickleball paddles can be found at many pickleball and tennis facilities throughout the United States and Canada. Selkirk is also heavily involved in the professional side of pickleball. Selkirk is represented on the professional tour by a deep roster of top-ranked pickleball professionals. For more information on Selkirk Sport and its products, visit Selkirk.com.
About the Tennis Professionals Association The Tennis Professionals Association (TPA) is a member-based association devoted to growing the profession of tennis coaching throughout Canada. The TPA was developed by Tennis Canada for Canadian certified instructors, coaches and Club Professionals. Since it’s inception in 2004, the TPA has grown from 800 members to over 3300. To learn more, go to https://www.tpacanada.com/
About Pickleball Canada Pickleball Canada is the national sport organization that governs, promotes, and leads the development of pickleball in Canada. Its mission is to assist and promote the growth of pickleball as a sport for all levels and ages. Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in North America, with over 1 million Canadians playing. Pickleball Canada has over 46,000 members. To learn more, go to https://pickleballcanada.org/
About Selkirk Sport Selkirk Sport, a Made-in-the-USA Manufacturer of Pickleball paddles and accessories, is a family-owned and operated company based in Hayden, Idaho, located in the shadows of its namesake, the Selkirk mountain range. Founded in 2014, Selkirk Sport is born off a passion for sport, as well as the great western outdoor leisure lifestyle that was afforded to the Company’s founders, Rob and Mike Barnes, along with their father Jim, who is Selkirk’s production manager. Backed by the philosophy of always pushing the limits, Selkirk Sport is committed to manufacturing products that deliver the highest performance with unmatched quality and service. As part of their early success, Selkirk Sport was the very first Pickleball manufacturer to offer an unprecedented lifetime warranty on its high-performance products. And, to meet the demands of the game’s premier professionals, the Company developed low-profile edgeguards that are lightweight and extremely durable. Selkirk Sport has become one of the industry’s fastest growing companies with paddles used by many of the game’s premier players, such as Tyson McGuffin, Parris Todd, Dylan Frazier, Mary Brascia, Maggie Brascia, Wesley Gabrielsen, Cammy MacGregor, and a host of others who are premier players and national/regional champions.
After a comprehensive selection process, Pickleball Canada is pleased to announce that Sponsorship Canada (a division of REVXM-Immediate Productions) has been selected as its exclusive sponsorship agency of record.
During this time, Sponsorship Canada will lead Pickleball Canada’s sponsorship and commercial strategy with its team of industry leading experts in sponsorship, naming rights, events, and strategy.
“Global acclaim and excitement for the sport of Pickleball has grown rampant in recent years, with membership in Canada alone growing 40% since last December,” said Peter Milovanovic, Pickleball Canada President. “With high profile celebrities and brands investing and a surging membership base, there is no more lucrative sponsorship opportunity in Canadian amateur sport right now. Sponsorship Canada is the perfect partner to help us capitalize on this growth.”
Due to years of extensive success and a proven track record of excellence across properties such as in sports, Sponsorship Canada was selected to help Pickleball Canada further its commercial footprint.
“We are honoured and excited to represent Pickleball Canada”, said Bill Gaskey, Managing Partner of Sponsorship Canada. “Obviously, the growth story over the last few years has been nothing short of amazing. We also love the fact that the sport has a growing youth following and with an ever-growing digital audience, the sky’s the limit for pickleball’s commercial value and potential for brands, and we are pumped to help unlock some of that value for the property and their partners”.
Pickleball is played across the country, with the fastest growth in participation occurring in the 18-34 year old demographic.
Goals for Pickleball Canada, as the National Sport Organization for pickleball in Canada, are realistically ambitious, with plans to build youth and national team programs, and the ultimate goal of one day competing at the Olympic Games.
For more information or to explore partnership opportunities with Pickleball Canada, please contact:
ABOUT PICKLEBALL CANADA Pickleball Canada is the national sport organization that governs, promotes, and leads the development of pickleball in Canada. Its mission is to assist and promote the growth of pickleball as a sport for all levels and ages. Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in North America, with over 1 million Canadians playing. To learn more, go to https://pickleballcanada.org/
ABOUT SPONSORSHIP CANADA Founded in 2006, as part of the XMC Group of Companies, Sponsorship Canada, a division of REVXM-Immediate Productions,is a leader in sponsorship asset evaluation, naming rights strategy as well as revenue generation for venues, events and properties. We have represented cities, municipalities, not for profit charities, sports and entertainment properties and venues in naming rights and partnership deals totalling over $500M in revenue, over the last 15 years+. To learn more go to: https://www.sponsorshipcanada.com/
