Tennis BC and Pickleball BC have collaborated and issued a joint statement on how the two sports should/can co-exist. The summary:

Tennis BC and Pickleball BC’s joint recommendation is to:

Build "Pickleball Hub(s)"

Is anyone listening?  We hope so.

See the full documents here.

On September 21 we held our Annual General Meeting for 2021, by Zoom again this year.  We had over 50 members represented, either on Zoom or by proxy.  Thanks to all who attended and took the time to participate directly or by proxy.

Some highlights noted in the meeting:

• Our membership went from 170 in March to over 350 in September!
• We provided over 320 court hours weekly playing time
• We moved to our new, dedicated pickleball courts
• We held a beginners clinic about once every month and mentoring weekly
• We sponsored several days of clinics by Mark Renneson
• We held two very successful tournaments
• We successfully negotiated with the City of Surrey for a low fixed-fee rental for the courts
• The proposed budget and fees for 2022 were approved
• • The per member cost of running the club in 2022 is approximately $67.50.  Because of "profits" from our 2021 tournaments, we are able to make our 2022 fees $52.50 for returning members and $62.50 for new members.
• The 10 members nominated for the Board of the club were all elected.  Seven are returning Directors and 3 are new. 

If you are interested in seeing what the president's message was, it can be found here.

As of October 1, our time on the courts has ended.  We'll start up again in April/May 2022, depending on the weather.  Don't forget to renew your membership by March 31, 2022 to get your renewing member discount.  If you renew (or join) now, your membership will be good through all of next season, until March 31, 2023.

See you on the courts in the spring!

Rain has delayed the completion of the Grip ‘n Rip tournament. See the revised schedule here.

OK, the start times of the various brackets in the Grip 'n Rip have been set.  You can find them here.

Let's have a great tournament!

Thank you to City of Surrey Mayor McCallum and Councillors Locke, Guerra and Patton for attending the official opening and ribbon cutting at the newly named Sunnyside Pickleball Park. Our own Board member, Doug King, gave a short pickleball lesson to the Mayor and two Councillors.  Will we now see them on the courts regularly?

And congratulations to those who won the draw prizes provided by the City.  Especially Bruce Loeppky who called it, that he’d win the draw for a new paddle!

We’re officially open!  Come on down and play pickleball. 

We believe our performance-based ratings process through Rated play has been a great success!  And, like any success, we look for ways to improve on it.  After a review of the strengths and weaknesses of the process, we will be tweaking it to ensure that club ratings and movement from one rating level to the next are accurate, clear, evidence-based and sustainable.  We also want to provide a way for members who are unable to play Rated play have opportunities to improve their club rating.

So, effective Monday, August 9, the following performance-based rating adjustments will be put in place:

• Current members who, through Rated play have seen their club rating improve to the next rating level may submit a request to the club’s Initial Placement Committee (IPC) to be considered to have their rating increased
• New members who, within two weeks of joining the club, feel that they have incorrectly self-rated, may apply to the IPC to be considered for a different level.  
• Members  (current or new) under advancement consideration will be required to play a minimum of 10 additional Rated games (at their requested level) with the requirement that they maintain the new level in 10 consecutive games
• Once the 10 consecutive games requirement has been met, the member will be confirmed at the new level.  Failure to maintain the higher level for 10 consecutive games will result in the player’s playing level reverting
• If, due to insufficient players for Rated play or an incompatible Rated play schedule, a member may play the 10 sustainment games in club social play where those scores are recorded and submitted to the IPC for consideration.  If the IPC deems there is clear evidence to advance the member, they will be confirmed at that level.
• At the IPC’s discretion, if a member fails to achieve the 10 consecutive games requirement, they may be allowed to play additional games in order to verify they can play consistently at their requested level. 

We believe these refinements best reflect the goal that any rating change is accurate, clear, evidence-based and sustainable.

OFFICIAL OPENING

Join us on Thursday, August 12 for the official opening of the new 12 court complex at the recently named South Surrey Pickleball Park. Come by and enter the draw for a pickleball paddle. See you there!

After many months of COVID restrictions and now many weeks of above normal temperatures, it is easy to see how people can be on edge and let things get to them. Unfortunately those frayed nerves can carry on to the pickleball court.

Remember that pickleball is a highly social sport and everyone should have fun playing - especially at club levels. Please don't let disagreements over playing style, line calls and/or rules escalate to the point of anger or shouting. Take a deep breath, let it go, smile, apologize if necessary and get back to having fun and enjoying this great game.

What a pleasure to have City of Surrey Councilor Linda Annis join us at the Surrey Pickleball Park this morning for an introduction to pickleball! After a short lesson, she was out on the courts enjoying the game….and doing well.

Thanks Linda. We hope to see you on the courts much more.

Surrey Pickleball Club's first tournament of the 2021 outdoor season, the Mid-Summer Slam, is now in the books.  It was a tremendous success!

Thanks to all of the players who entered and battled hard.  You looked good in your tournament shirts.  And a huge thank you to the dozens of volunteers who worked diligently to make it run smoothly.

You can see the tournament results here.  You can see photos of some of the action (and the medal winners) here.  And you can see video of some of the action here.  See you next July for the 2022 edition of Surrey Pickleball Club's Mid-Summer Slam.