Garand brings an extensive background in officiating and program leadership. He began playing pickleball in 2014 and started refereeing in 2015, earning his Level 2 Accreditation in 2020 and achieving Level 3 Certified Referee status shortly after. Since then, he has officiated nearly 5,000 matches and regularly referees up to 30 tournaments annually, often serving as Head Referee.
In addition to his on-court experience, Garand has held key leadership roles, including serving as President of a pickleball club and most recently as the Director of Officiating with Pickleball Alberta since 2021. He has also contributed nationally as a member of Pickleball Canada’s Officiating Working Group and internationally as USA Pickleball’s Certified Referee Coordinator for the Canada Region.
In his new role, Garand will lead the development and delivery of Pickleball Canada’s officiating program, supporting referee training, evaluation, and advancement across the country.
“Garand brings an exceptional level of experience and passion for officiating to this role,” said Barry Petrachenko, Executive Director of Pickleball Canada. “His leadership and commitment to developing referees across the country will be instrumental as we continue to grow and strengthen our officiating program.”
Welcome to the team, Garand!