Kitchen Sink Newsletter Report June 2026 Edition
Above are Paul and Zack who needed to cool down given this lovely weather that we have been enjoying (picture courtesy of Paul Palermo and Zack Higginson) – don’t try this at home ☺
The Kitchen Sink June Edition, Pickleball BC (“PBC”) President’s Introduction
Welcome to our June 16th 2026 edition of our Kitchen Sink Newsletter which highlights and celebrates many of our newest Affiliated and Associated Clubs and Facilities and the outstanding initiatives that they are undertaking across BC.
And even though it may get hot on the courts at times and you need to stay hydrated, we don’t suggest that you try what these two inventive pickleball players above are doing to stay cool (no pun intended)!
In this June 2026 edition it is our pleasure to highlight:
Enjoy all the new news and updates in our June 2026 Kitchen Sink Newsletter and I would be happy to hear from any clubs or facilities who would like to join our Affiliated or Associated Partner Programs – and remember, your protective eyewear is not useful in your bag!
David Snell
President Pickleball BC
President@PickleballBC.ca
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News From Our Clubs
PBC’s Newest Club …
Formed on December 2, 2025, Prince Rupert Pickleball Society began with a small group of passionate players who now serve as its directors.
<Click link to read more.>
• Prince Rupert Pickleball Society
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PBC President’s Report
Announcing New BC Affiliate and Associated Pickleball Clubs and Facilities
PBC Affiliate Prince Rupert Pickleball Society (“PRPS”)
PRPS, formed on December 2, 2025, began with a small group of passionate players who now serve as its directors.
Since the Society’s inception just a few months ago, they have generated countless opportunities for local players at every level of the game.
A major tournament held in April attracted over 100 participants from across the region, including players from Vancouver Island. The event featured multiple divisions, including new categories never before offered in Prince Rupert, such as singles play. They have now joined the PBCA’s 111 Affiliated and Associated clubs across BC.
Read our clubs story below.
Associated Partner: Zero Zero Pickleball, Richmond BC
Zero Zero Pickleball is located in Richmond, BC and designed specifically for pickleball. The facility provides dedicated indoor courts, professional-quality playing conditions, and year-round access regardless of weather. The club has become known for its modern amenities, organized programming, and welcoming atmosphere, attracting players ranging from beginners learning the game to highly competitive tournament-level athletes. Through leagues, clinics, social play sessions, and special events, Zero Zero has created a vibrant community that supports both player development and social connection.
The club regularly hosts instructional programs, competitive events, and community activities that help introduce new players to the sport while providing experienced players with opportunities to improve their skills and compete. Its commitment to creating a positive and inclusive pickleball environment has made it a popular destination for players from Richmond, Vancouver, Delta, Surrey, and throughout the region, contributing significantly to the rapid expansion of pickleball participation in British Columbia.
Register Soon for the Upcoming PBC Provincial Championships
With 974 players registered as of today, these Provincials will be the largest tournament ever held in Canada. Some events will be “locked” soon but there is still some room in our youth events and others as outlined on the Pickleball.com BC Provincial Championships at The Nest in Tsawwassen website.
Registrations close July 8th 2026 at 10pm PST on Pickleball.com so sign up soon if you want to join in the competition – or you can just come to watch and join in to celebrate our 2026 Provincial Champions.
For all those wishing to volunteer please email stacydeakin@gmail.com.
Pickleball BC’s New Website Coming Soon!
PBC’s new and completely updated website is coming soon!! It has been redesigned to be simple to navigate and offers plenty of information for our provincial pickleball community at large. The responsive (meaning it fits on any screen) mobile version is just as efficient and effective. The look-and-feel palate captures PBC’s logo’s vibrant colours, and the images reflect the various PBC members, players, stakeholders and volunteer audiences.
Since choosing our website vendor in late 2025 after an open tender and 25 respondents, we have invested months of in-depth development work including but not limited to: web developer consultations to outline and improve features and functionality; inventive navigation design; new content creation; and research and strategic brain storming sessions with the Board of Directors and our users. The outcome is that our new website will be launched soon, replacing the existing site that has served its purpose well since 2017.
Some of the new PBC website features include:
- The Tournament Calendar is much improved as you can search via date, location, and/or sanctioned tournament
- Live BC map of our Affiliated and Associated clubs and places to play: zoom in on an area to search for a club that suites you, pop-up info includes club info and links to their website, which is computer, tablet, and mobile friendly
- Navigating the menu is made simple, where you can easily find information you’re searching for in one or two clicks with links on the main navigation bar and page side bars as well
- The mobile version adapts to small screens and is fast loading with intuitive, touch-friendly navigation, which displays readable content that’s perfect for on the go
Other highlights continue to include:
- Serving as the provincial hub for pickleball in British Columbia, providing resources, programs, and opportunities that connect players, Affiliated and Associated PBC clubs, and communities across the province
- Trophy wall acknowledgements, coaching & referee accreditation, youth development initiatives, club support, and membership benefits
- Offered programs such as youth pickleball development and Community & Youth grants that are accessible
- The site also highlights recent news, provincial team activities, and member club services such as sanctioning tournaments
- Phase 2 implementation later includes a new page for our Associated Partners to post their events and Member-only content for PBCA members only
Stay tuned for more details and the actual launch date.
Kitchen Corners Reports. Updates from our Directors on Memberships, Refereeing and Grants as noted above.
Finally, we encourage you to send us your Club stories and pics for consideration in our monthly “From our Clubs” segment, or if you can share some of your Club event pics for possible inclusion on our PBC website, Virtual Trophy Wall page or PBC Instagram social channel, we would really appreciate it – for consideration please send them to Marcom@PickleballBC.ca.
This Newsletter contains plenty of new news which I hope you can enjoy along with family and friends on this long weekend. All comments and contributions are very welcome!
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David Snell, President
PICKLEBALL BC ASSOCIATION
President@PickleballBC.ca
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News From Our Clubs:
Welcome To PBC’s New Affiliated Club: Prince Rupert Pickleball Society (“PRPS”)
The April tournament that attracted over 100 participants from across the region, including players from Vancouver Island.
PRPS, formed on December 2, 2025, began with a small group of passionate players who now serve as its directors. In just a few short months, the Society has created numerous opportunities for local players of all skill levels.
A major tournament held in April attracted over 100 participants from across the region, including players from Vancouver Island. The event featured multiple divisions, including new categories never before offered in Prince Rupert, such as singles play.
In partnership with Prince Rupert Recreation, the Society is enhancing local programming through new initiatives like competitive DUPR nights and beginner sessions. Additional opportunities include training sessions and beginner clinics delivered in collaboration with community partners. Play currently takes place at local facilities, including four outdoor courts on McBride Street and eleven indoor courts at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre (eight in the gym and three in the auditorium). Players can easily sign up for sessions using the Playtime Scheduler platform.
According to Marko Kessler, Society Director: “This is just the beginning—plans are underway for more tournaments, expanded training opportunities, enhanced DUPR programming, leagues and dedicated youth and seniors sessions. A new partnership with Pickleball BC and Pickleball Canada will open even more doors and elevate opportunities for local and regional players.”
Marko Kessler
Society Director
Prince Rupert Pickleball Society
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Kitchen Corners: AYPBC Youth Committee
Pickleball BC’s (“PBC”) Activating Youth Pickleball in BC (“AYPBC”) Region 3 Phase 2 Update: Celebrating Youth Pickleball, Volunteers, and The Community
Report From Connie McCann, Region 3 Co-Project Leader, Activating Youth Pickleball Victoria Regional Pickleball Association (“AYPVRPA”)
Elated students and tireless volunteers are depicted in the collage.
The AYPVRPA Region 3 Phase 2 Slamboree, held at Archie Browning Sport Centre on June 4–5, 2026, welcomed 134 elementary students from eight schools and was supported by CFAX Santas Anonymous Fund.
The event’s success was made possible by dedicated coaches and more than 40 volunteers, including retired teachers and notable volunteer Nancy Mollenhauer, an Olympian and Hall of Fame inductee. Tournament organizers Court Crushers ensured a fair and inclusive experience for all schools with smaller teams, such as Macaulay Elementary receiving ample play opportunities and achieving impressive results.
Students displayed exceptional enthusiasm and sportsmanship, while community partners donated snacks, fruit, cookies, and numerous door prizes. Organizers expressed special recognition for Grade 3 student Faye, whose determination and perseverance embodied the spirit of the event, and extended heartfelt thanks to PBC and VRPA for their ongoing support.
The complete report can be read here.
Heather Hood
Vice President & Chair PBC Youth Committee
VicePresident@PickleballBC.ca
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Kitchen Corners: Head Referee Corners
Head Referee Report
May was a very busy month. Six assessments were done at various tournaments throughout the province.
- Vernon – Dianne Steinley achieved her Level 1 accreditation
- Kamloops – Sandy Vaugh Hastie achieved her Level 2 accreditation
- Victoria – David Cook achieved his Level 1 accreditation
- Victoria – Lynneth Stuart-Hill achieved her Level 2 accreditation
Congratulations to all for a job well done and thank you to assessors and 2nd who performed the assessments. In all 6 attempts for accreditation were performed, with 4 achieving their goals.
An Email was sent to all referees who have signed up for the BC Provincials announcing the new $200 bonus. We secured 3 new referees to add to this roaster while I was attending at the Saskatchewan Provincials. One from Nova Scotia, one from Alberta and another from Saskatchewan. Welcome to you all.
We lost one Certified Referee from our roaster. Ken Purvis will retire as of the end of June. Sorry to see you leave Ken. You will be missed. Thank you for your years of valuable service.
An Assessors Zoom call was held with Garand Jones, Manager of Officiating and Angela Weld, PCO database, on Monday, May 25. We have added several new assessors to our roaster. This is much needed to get our referees assessed.
Attended a 55+ BC Games zoom call on Sunday June 7th and was informed that pickleball is low on registration. There is still room for approximately 79 more players. This tournament is being held in Kamloops this year. It is not too late to register. Come out and enjoy the fun of competition. We will be posting this event on Pickleball Desk and calling for referees. Mark it on your calendar.
See you on the courts.
Respectfully submitted,
Sharon MacDonald
British Columbia Head Referee
Regional Training Coordinator for Western Canada
HeadReferee@PickleballBC.ca
“We Rise by Lifting others”
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Kitchen Corners: By The Numbers
June 2026 Membership Report
As of June 7, 2026, there are 19,244 active members. This shows an increase of approximately 900 over last month. Membership growth is less than last month.
There were 1,203 memberships processed in May 2026. This is lower than last month by approximately 496 memberships. 507 renewals and 696 new memberships were processed.
Pickleball Canada released a nation-wide report for April 2026. Here are some key findings of membership:
- New Brunswick’s and Prince Edward Island’s membership represents the largest number of members compared to total population at 0.45%.
- Yukon’s membership represents the second largest number of members compared to total population at 0.44%.
- BC’s membership represents 0.28% of its total population.
- Pickleball Canada’s membership grew 5% from the same period in 2025.
- Quebec saw the most significant growth at 29% from 2025 to 2026.
See you on the court.
Blair Morton
PBC Registrar
Registrar@PickleballBC.ca
Thinking of Joining—Follow The Link!
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Sponsorships
We urge you to support and thank all our sponsors at every opportunity—they are listed throughout our website and in this newsletter. Sponsorships can help to defray the cost of hosting our website, sending this newsletter and also of supporting the running and promoting of tournaments and clinics.
Opportunities exist for businesses and individuals, starting at $50.00 to sponsor and support pickleball in British Columbia—details on our Sponsor Program page or contact Marcom@PickleballBC.ca.
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Website or Newsletter
As always we are delighted to receive suggestions and/or contributions of content for the website and future newsletters. Send to Marcom@PickleballBC.ca.
David Snell
President, Pickleball BC (Association)
President@PickleballBC.ca
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