News From Our Clubs
One country. One game. Many communities—connected by pickleball
“What happens when you combine a sport that is exploding in popularity with a location known for its natural beauty, unique activities, and a friendly group of locals? You create a destination experience that also feeds a shared desire for daily pickleball play.”
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• Christina Lake Pickleball Club
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PBC President’s Report
Registration Open for the Upcoming PBC Provincial Championships
Our BC Provincial Championships at The Nest in Tsawwassen registrations opened April 15th 2026 at 10am PDT on Pickleball.com. Registrations have been brisk with registered players already almost as many in total as those who played in last years’ Provincials – so don’t delay in signing up if you have interest in playing! The Championships will be played over 5 days July 22nd – 26th 2026 at The Nest, a new, world class, state-of-the-art venue located in Delta! Play will be with the Franklin X40 ball, official ball of Pickleball Canada and you must be a permanent resident of British Columbia.
The BC Championship will be a skill/age Sanctioned tournament using a round robin format feeding into a single elimination medal round with bronze medal game. Open (highest level) events will be played as a double elimination. Results from the open events will be a consideration in the selection process for the 2026 BC Provincial Team.
As a Pickleball BC/Pickleball Canada sanctioned event this will be using the DUPR rating system, official rating system of Pickleball BC and Pickleball Canada. You must have a current Pickleball BC and Canada membership to compete in the Championship.
The Nest, 4920 Canoe Pass Way, Delta, British Columbia
Also please join us for the player social being held at the Tsawwassen Mills Milestones 6-9 pm on Friday July 24th! Cost is $25 and you can sign up on registration. There will appetizers, drinks and entertainment. Guests are welcome, limited to the first 300 people to sign up.
For all those wishing to volunteer please email StacyDeakin@gmail.com.
New Pickleball Canada Logo recently announced along with a website refresh.
Reminder also regarding our Canadian National Championships to be held at the Pickleplex locations in Toronto Ontario – registration will open on Thursday, April 23 at 8:30 a.m. ET on pickleball.com.
Our BC Provincial Team will be defending their 2025 Gold medals and Trophy achievements in the Inter-provincial event last year in Winnipeg (or view video). In addition to becoming a PCO flagship event, the PTC (Provincial Team Competition) will also serve as an important pathway in supporting the growth of Pickleball Canada’s National Development Program and a Canadian National Team.
Expressions of interest for BC Provincial Team Consideration
This year, given that we have some of our 2025 championship team members committed to other competitive events, we have some openings for our 2026 BC Provincial Team who will be defending our 2025 Trophy at the upcoming PTC at the 2026 Nationals!
A reminder of what the BC Team and the event look like:
- The BC Provincial Team will be selected by the PBC Tournament Committee, headed by our Chair Rick Folk, one week after the BC Provincial Championships to be held in Tsawwassen July 22nd – 26th 2026 based on a transparent selection process as described below
- The BC Team playing in the inter-provincial PTC event is comprised of sixteen 4.0+ DUPR players with 4 alternates. There are 2 Divisions of Masters 50+ and Open Divisions, each Division of 8 players with Men’s and Women’s Doubles teams, a Mixed Doubles team, and a Men and Women’s Singles team
- Each player can only play in one Division and one Event
- Competition Format proposed is a Round Robin where each provincial team in the Open and 50+ Divisions (6 or 7 Provincial Teams are expected to compete) plays one game against the other provincial teams, leading to Gold/Silver and Bronze medal matches based on scores
- This event will place on Thursday August 27th at the 2026 Nationals, which will not interfere with other matches
Team Selection Criteria:
The criteria that will be used by the PBC Tournament Committee to choose the Team and Alternates (Captains will be chosen by PBCA) are as follows:
- Mandatory:
- PBCA receipt of an “expression of interest” by close of day May 30th 2026
- Commitment to play in Toronto August 27th 2026
- DUPR 4.0+ or equivalent
- Resident of BC and age as of December 31st 2026
- Important:
- Player performance at the 2026 Provincials
- Performance at other 2025/2026 “Major” Tournaments
- Other
- Tournament experience overall
- Success with requested partner in preferred event (NA in singles)
PBC will also provide each player with a fixed $500 CAD stipend to offset expenses to play with us on that Thursday, after submitting a Requisition following the event (form to be provided). BC Team high performance tee shirts and caps have been ordered specifically for this event – details to follow!
If you believe that you qualify and are interested in applying, please send the following information to TournamentCommittee@PickleballBC.ca at your earliest convenience:
- Provide your first Division and Event choice – only one event per player
- Suggest other Events or partners that you may want to play with who have received acknowledgement that they have qualified to apply to be on the Team
- Provide highlights of your tournament experiences and if you wish, other considerations of why you believe that you should be included on the BC Team
Thanks again for your interest and we will be following up with you again when we have everyone’s requested information, new information to share or questions regarding your application.
Above picture courtesy AYPBC Phase 2 Region 3: Franklin delivers equipment to Victoria West Elementary School. This equipment is also partially funded by the Victoria Fire Fighters but they were unable to attend. Photo: Connie McCann, Co-Project Leader AYPVRPA (leftmost); Grade 4 teacher, Tarrah Macdonald
AYPBC Phase 2 Update
AYPBC Phase 2 has picked up pace with the delivery of Franklin Sports pickleball equipment to our Regions for our K-7 Elementary school participants across BC. Five of our 7 Regions took advantage of Franklin’s offer to help sponsor balls, nets and paddles for our youth which is much appreciated, along with the financial support provided through their national relationship with Pickleball Canada. A huge “thank you” again to both organizations on behalf of our kids!
The Phase 2 initiative would not be possible without the help of those Clubs and their dedicated volunteers along with the 2nd Provincial Sport Development Grant received from viaSport BC, donations from PBCA and PCO, Franklin, and the numerous regional school personnel who tirelessly worked around the clock to make this happen. Also, kudos to both Sharon Hoy for organizing the various NCCP training sessions that are in progress as we speak, and to Tracy Bennet Head of Pickleball Coach Education for managing them.
Also, we were pleased to release the 2026 Leaders Guide for Activating Youth Pickleball in BC — “Inspiring Leadership and Introducing Pickleball in Elementary Schools in BC©”. This comprehensive Guide was developed with the help of our Phase 1 experiences, Regional program participants’ input, and the dedication of tireless volunteers like Sharon Hoy, PBCA’s Heather Hood, Tony Casey and Greg Feehan. Thank you all!
More on these updates on our PBC News page here and AYPBC News pages here.
Kitchen Corners Reports. Updates on Memberships, Refereeing and Grants as noted above.
Finally, please send 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/videos for possible inclusion on our PBC website, Virtual Trophy page, PBC YouTube, or PBC Instagram feed, 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. 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:
Christina Lake Pickleball Club:
The Game That Connects Us
Christina Lake Pickleball Club – The courts where friendships are tested!
What happens when you combine a sport that is exploding in popularity with a location known for its natural beauty, unique activities, and a friendly group of locals? You create a destination experience that also feeds a shared desire for daily pickleball play.
Is this unique? No, certainly not. Across our beautiful country, there are countless places where pickleball thrives. The uniqueness of every club is made in the friction – different people, one love of the game.
“The Medal” handmade by Jason Langman in Trail BC
Whether you are two years old learning to ski or seventy years old competing in pickleball tournaments, the thrill of competition doesn’t really change—although the intensity sometimes does. One variable is always the participant. Some players enjoy a casual, social atmosphere. Others play as if their next mortgage payment is on the line. As with most sports, there is something for everyone. The challenge lies in finding the right balance—and in figuring out what to do when that balance is hard to achieve.
The Christina Lake Pickleball Club began with strangers playing a sport none of us had played before. Word spread. Lineups formed. Courts were added. Before long, we found ourselves blazing a path none of us had truly imagined or planned for. We were encouraged to organize officially as a club under the Societies Act, and we did. Along the way, the Economic Resource Development Manager applied for the trademark “The Official Pickleball Capital of Canada.” Two years later—after a thorough process and challenges from other locations—we were awarded the trademark. It is a fun designation for a fun game, and one we wear with pride.
Six years later, with a mix of original and new Board members, we are still planning, still playing, and still enjoying the game we all love.
This year marks the 12th and 13th tournaments we have hosted. Our volunteers pour their energy, time, and heart into making each one a success. Our Board is made up entirely of volunteers who give generously to ensure each season is a good one for our members.
We do our best to ignore the noise and listen instead for constructive ways to improve. People are people, after all, and passion for the game sometimes comes with strong opinions—especially among those who care deeply. We have chosen to blaze our own path.
We run our club in a way that best suits our community and our locale. Not every idea works, but every year we learn, adapt, and embrace change. Despite our differences, we move forward together—as a team—united by the game.
In a time when division often feels louder than connection, activities like this matter. This game sometimes has a way of softening edges—of reminding us that progress doesn’t always come from winning an argument, but from listening, adjusting, and choosing to move forward together. If the world feels bent out of shape by noise beyond our control, we try, in our own small way, to bend back toward cooperation, respect, and shared joy.
Now go play pickleball and enjoy every minute of it!
Cassie Williams
Christina Lake Pickleball Club
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Kitchen Corners: PBCA Grants Program
Family Network for Deaf Children
Deaf and hard of hearing youths enjoying pickleball.
We would like to sincerely thank Pickleball BC for their support of our Deaf Youth Pickleball Program.
This 10-week program began in April with just 4 participants and has already grown to 10 youths, with hopes to continue expanding as the program moves forward. The program is designed specifically for deaf and hard of hearing youth who use ASL to communicate, providing a fully accessible and welcoming environment where they can learn and enjoy pickleball.
Led by Deaf coaches in the community and delivered in collaboration with Family Network for Deaf Children, BC Deaf Sports Federation and Deaf BC Pickleball, this program is helping build confidence, connection, and skills in our Deaf youth.
Thank you, Pickleball BC, for supporting this initiative and helping our Deaf pickleball community continue to grow.
Andrea Maloney
Children/Youth Program & Outreach Support Coordinator
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Apply For Your Grant Funding Today
If you have a need and feel that your club qualifies for either our expanded Youth or Community Grants, please apply here, or if you have any questions contact …
Suzi Inkman
Treasurer & Grant Administrator
Grants@PickleballBC.ca
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Kitchen Corners: Head Referee Corners
Head Referee Report
The sun is shining, the snow is gone, or almost for those of us in the North and most outdoor courts are now opening. It is a busy time with tournament season getting underway.
April 15th, registration opened for the BC Provincials being hosted by The Nest in Tsawwassen. This new facility will boast 14 dedicated pickleball courts in one pavilion and another 8 in a second one, for a grand total of 22 courts available for play. Registration is predicted to be up to 1,000+ players so get your registration done asap as David suggested above. All games will be refereed by PBC accredited referees.
Another exciting prospect coming to The Nest this year are two PPA (Professional Pickleball Association) events. The first slated for August 19 – 23. If you are in the area and want to watch some incredible pickleball play, I encourage you to attend.
I have noticed on the courts that there seems to be some confusion on the difference between a Hinder and a Distraction. Allow me to explain:
Hinder: Any transient element or occurrence not caused by a player that adversely impacts play. Examples include, but are not limited to, stray balls, flying insects, foreign material, players or officials on another court that impacted a players’ ability to make a play on the ball. (Permanent objects are not hinders.)
A called hinder results in a dead ball.
Any player may call a hinder.
The referee must validate a hinder called by a player – if the hinder is not validated it is a fault against the player.
A validated hinder is a replay.
Distraction: Physical actions by a player that are not common to the game and interfere with the opponent’s ability or concentration to hit the ball. Examples include, but are not limited to, making loud noises, stomping feet, and waving the paddle in an erratic manner.
The referee must determine when a player has distracted their opponent from hitting the ball.
If a distraction is validated by the referee, it is a fault against the player.
A player must not distract their opponent when the opponent is about to hit the ball.
BOTH hinder and distraction are called immediately.
Hope this helps
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
April 2026 Membership Report
As of April 14, 2026, there are 16,905 active members. This shows an increase of approximately 1,600 over last month. Membership growth is trending up as more people sign up for the Summer Season.
In summary, there were 1,224 memberships processed in March 2026. This is slightly higher than last month by approximately 300 memberships. 721 renewals and 503 new memberships were processed.
At the National level, here are a couple of interesting statistics:
- New Brunswick’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%.
Comparing BC’s membership to our total population comes in at 0.28%.
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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