Becoming an Affiliated or Associated Club

Pickleball clubs

Thinking about creating a pickleball club?

There are a few reasons why one may decide to form a club and a few things one needs to do to become a recognized pickleball club here in B.C.

Some of the reasons behind the concept of becoming a club:

  • Contact us
  • Common single voice when dealing with local civic authorities for more pickleball play time opportunities
  • Recognized entity when applying for funding from any source
  • Advisory conflict resolution assistance with a certified PBCA mediator at no additional cost
  • Ability to manage local pickleball affairs
  • Teaching opportunities
  • Other clinics — officiating
  • Structured play
  • Social activities
  • Contact list

Membership in Pickleball BC (PBC) and Pickleball Canada (PCO)

  • Inclusion in the PCO insurance program
  • Participation in the PCO national member management software package (PCNS)

What form of club should one consider?

The form depends on a few things:

  • Your stage in development — a small group may have different needs than a large group
  • The amount and type of activities you wish to engage in
  • Do you need more recognized status to meet the needs of a particular source of funding?
  • Do your potential members need a more formal and structured entity for their comfort?

Three basic levels of organization

  • An email list with one or two people managing all aspects
  • A non-registered club with a few directors, some rules (bylaws?) etc.
  • A registered not-for-profit society complete with the requirements per the B.C. Government Societies Act

Any of these work in our current environment.

The advantages of formally registering as an affiliate club

A Pickleball BC Association (PBCA) Affiliate club in British Columbia should strongly consider formally registering as a non-profit society under the BC Societies Act, although it is not strictly mandatory for affiliation. Incorporation provides significant legal and operational advantages that a non-registered entity lacks such as:

  1. Legal protection: Incorporation creates a separate legal entity, which limits the personal liability of club members and directors for the club’s debts and liabilities. This is a primary reason to incorporate.
  2. Access to funding: Registered societies are eligible to apply for grants, sponsorships, and community gaming grants, which are often unavailable to unincorporated groups.
  3. Formal governance structure: The BC Societies Act provides a clear framework for governance, including requirements for directors, bylaws, annual general meetings (AGMs), and financial accountability, which helps with long-term stability and professional management.
  4. Credibility and recognition: Being a registered society provides an official, recognized status that enhances credibility when dealing with municipalities for court access, facility development, and other external partnerships.
  5. Asset management: A society can hold property, sign contracts (e.g., facility rentals), and manage finances in its own name.

So in summary, while one can be a PBCA Affiliated club without formal registration, becoming a registered society under the BC Societies Act is highly recommended regardless of club size. The legal and financial benefits of incorporation far outweigh the administrative effort, especially as the club grows and acquires assets or seeks external funding.

What do you need to do locally to become and maintain “club” status?

  • Have personnel in place to manage all local club affairs
  • Be cognizant of and in compliance with various governance stipulations
    • Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) regulations — privacy and security of personal information
    • Conflict of interest conditions
    • Gender equality, ethics and inclusion concepts

    Visit our Policies, bylaws & plans page for additional policies and guidelines that may apply. This page and its contents are updated regularly.

  • Enter an affiliation agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) with PBC
  • Work with PBC to establish your club identity with the PCNS system
  • Communicate with PBC on changes to your structure

Two types of club agreements

There are two types of agreements with clubs based on the following attributes, with differing benefits and policies:

Affiliated agreement

“Affiliated” agreement where a club is dedicated to pickleball and all members must join PBC & PCO. With that 100% membership criteria comes an insurance policy/coverage including a D&O liability component.

Associated agreement

“Associated” agreement for multi-sport entities like Hollyburn Country Club and the North Shore Winter Club in Vancouver. Membership requirements are not the same since PBC and PCO membership are not required but encouraged, and there is no insurance offered to the Associated Club but PBC/PCO members still retain their insurance coverage. Associated clubs cannot hold sanctioned tournaments.

Simple application process

There is a simple process to apply to affiliate with PBC:

  1. Apply to become an Affiliated or Associated Club (dedicated pickleball or multi-sport club described above) with PBC and once your application has been approved by the President (or his/her delegate), sign one of PBC’s standard MOUs — email president@pickleballbc.ca for more information and go through the approval process.
  2. After an MOU is agreed to and signed, register and establish an identity within the Pickleball Canada National System (PCNS) — a full member management software package — email registrar@pickleballbc.ca for more information and to register your club or organization.
  3. Join as an un-affiliated club member here.

Primary contacts