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Some of our news is on the Home page. Scroll down on that page to see several key articles.

The newsletters below contain the rest of our news.  Click a newsletter subject to open up that newsletter.

Our club also uses Facebook for unofficial and social inter-member communications. Sometimes, sudden play or clinic changes are also announced on Facebook. Only SAPC members are granted access to our closed group on Facebook.  Follow us on Facebook.

  • 2022-10-17 15:11 | Anonymous

    In this issue:

     Outdoor Play  Indoor Play
     Level 1 Sports  

    Outdoor Play

    We have received notice from our public operations team that the nets at all tennis courts and pickleball courts will be taken down on Friday, October 21, 2022.  With colder weather setting in it looks like the last full day of outdoor play will be this Thursday.  As such, this will be the last week of outdoor organized play and it may be intermittent as many of our captains are now captaining indoor sessions.  Keep up to date on WhatsApp for updates regarding outdoor play at your level.

    If you plan to go to the courts when the organized play session is cancelled, make sure you have your own pickleballs as there may not be a captain on site.  That being said, the outdoor courts are the Club's to use so continue to enjoy this week while this good weather continues!

    There are no evening outdoor sessions planned for this week as it is getting dark before 7:00 pm, but, once again, feel free to organize play with your friends until the nets are take down on Friday. 

    Indoor Play

    Stickers

    Remember stickers are needed for school venues (1 sticker) and registered play at Red Willow (2 stickers).

    Calendars

    Did you know that there are calendars which show all play sessions that pertain to each level of play?  You will find all of our Calendars on the SAPC website (click here).  For example if you are at the 3.5 level, just click on that Calendar (Rated 3.5 Calendar under the heading "Calendar by Rating and Training"), and you will only see the sessions that you are eligible to play in.  These Calendars do change from time to time, so it is best practice to verify the date, time and venue of your session before attending by quickly going to the appropriate website Calendar.

    Level 1 Sports Venue

    Everyone should check out the new sessions at the Level 1 Sports venue which begins this November - we need the sessions filled for them to be viable!   

    You can register by going to the "Level 1 Sports Calendar" (click here) and clicking on the session that applies to your rating level.  These new sessions are for 4 games over four weeks at a very good price per session (if you cannot make a session that's no problem just arrange for a substitute). 

    Until next time, keep your paddle up!  

  • 2022-10-09 14:02 | Anonymous

    In this issue:

     Indoor Play  Level 1 Sports
     Thanksgiving  

    Indoor Play

    As we all prepare for indoor play, the Board feels that it is important to reiterate some recent messaging in order to refresh your memory and to avoid the questions that inevitably arise at this time of year as we transition from outdoor to indoor play.  We would even recommend that you print off this Newsletter as reference material that you can refer to as you plan your fall and winter play schedule and prepare to head to your first few indoor sessions. 

    Membership Cards, Etc.

    A reminder to everyone to bring their SAPC membership card to all our sessions and events.  The card can be printed or displayed on a member's smartphone and will indicate the member's date of membership and current rating level.  This is particularly important for new members and members who have recently achieved a new SAPC rating level.  This becomes important for all members come January or February at which time everyone needs to provide proof of their 2023 membership renewal.  As noted in previous Newsletters, don't forget to also bring your stickers and a pair of clean, indoor athletic shoes for your indoor play as well.  Finally, keep yourself refreshed by bringing a water bottle or two (no other beverages are permitted at our indoor venues).

    Calendars

    Did you know that there are calendars which show all play sessions that pertain to each level of play?  You will find all of our Calendars on the SAPC website (click here).  For example if you are at the 3.5 level, just click on that Calendar (Rated 3.5 Calendar under the heading "Calendar by Rating and Training"), and you will only see the sessions that you are eligible to play in.  For new members especially, please note that the school venues are drop in sessions requiring 1 sticker and the Red Willow sessions are for pre-registered play requiring 2 stickers.  These Calendars do change from time to time, so it is best practice to verify the date, time and venue of your session before attending by quickly going to the appropriate website Calendar.

    Arrive on Time

    It is important for members to be at the school venues on time as we are not to disturb the school caretakers by ringing the school bell.  Instead, the captain will assign someone to "man the door" at the start of the session.  No one will be allowed to enter the school once ten minutes has passed beyond the scheduled start time for each session.

    Play Type

    Depending on the numbers of members playing at the school venues, the play type may be paddle play or round robin as determined by the play session captain.

    No Playing Up or Down

    While rating clinics may be scattered through out the winter months, there will continue to be no playing up at any sessions.  This is due to the fact that such exceptions are difficult to manage and maintain, especially with limited spaces at each venue.

    Furthermore, members should read the "Levels of Play" article on the Play Types page (click here) as "playing down" is no longer available for play designated at a particular level.  New members in particular should read the updated "Indoor Play, 2022-23" article on the same page to learn about the venues that are drop in versus reserved play and the cost to play at each venue.

    School Venues

    Entry to the schools is by the main door.   Members will place outdoor shoes just inside the foyer.  All other belongings are to brought inside the gym.  There is no leaving the school gyms to wander through the schools at any time.  Washrooms are accessible within all of the gyms except for Holy Family.

    Please note that past Covid-related protocols will no longer be in place.  For example, we will not be asking members to be distanced apart .   That being said, please feel free to do what you feel is comfortable for you.  If you want to mask between games, social distance, etc., you are absolutely encouraged to do so - we are leaving this up to each individual.

    Reserved Play at Red Willow

    All Red Willow players should note that we are taking advantage of technology to decrease some volunteer/administrative burden.  We will now let our systems automatically open reserved play events for registration rather than opening them manually on Friday afternoons. 

    We found that the manual approach was quite a bit of work and, while some of us seemed to enjoy hovering around the computer or our devices on Friday afternoons to be the first to register, the elimination of that perk now means that Red Willow registered events will generally open the Friday before at 12:00:01 am (in case you're wondering, this is just after midnight at the end of Thursday)  Note:  We wish our system allowed us to specify a time of registration opening in addition to a day, but it currently does not.

    Please note that registration play and attendance is capped at 12 members - 11 members who register and 1 spot for the session captain.  Members should not hesitate to go on the waitlist if the session is full; there are often cancellations.  If there is a cancellation, the first person on the waiting list will receive an email - please respond quickly so that the open position can be filled if you are no longer interested or available.

    You will note that there are a few days where there is All Play as well as play for various rating levels.  Please only register for one session per day.  If you see that a session is not full the night before the event, then you may feel free to register for another session on that same day - it is only under these circumstances that you would be able to participate in 2 play sessions on the same day.

    As noted above for the schools, please be advised that past Covid-related protocols will no longer be in place at Red Willow.  For example, we will not be sanitizing after each session nor distancing the chairs.   Once again, however, members should fee free to do what they feel is comfortable.  If you want to mask between games, social distance, etc., you may certainly do so as we are leaving this up to your personal discretion.

    Please help out the captains who are starting the first and last sessions of the day.  Kindly, assist in the set up and taking down the nets, putting away the chairs, etc.

    You may now enter the Red Willow foyer a few minutes early and wait for your session to begin.  This will allow you to remove your shoes and otherwise prepare for your session.   However, please stay to the side in the foyer allowing the group that is leaving space to collect their coats/shoes and to easily leave the venue.  Do not enter the church gym until everyone in the previous session has left.   Members should not leave any valuables in the foyer as the Church and Club will not be responsible for loss nor theft.

    No one is permitted to enter Red Willow for the first session until 8:50 am.  - this is a strict start time.  As such, we ask that if you are registered for the first session of the day that you please be on time in order to help get the session started on time.  We will plan on each session having cleared the gym a few minutes before the end time of the session; that will allow the gym to be cleared of players before the next group goes in.

    Visitors

    Members may invite guests, but those guests are only allowed to play as visitors twice each indoor season (this is to be based upon the honour system as tracking would be too difficult and cumbersome).  The following would apply to members wishing to host a guest:

    1.  Ask them to ensure that they have not been invited by other SAPC members more than once (as noted above they may only play as a guest twice per indoor season)

    2.  They are your responsibility so make sure that they follow all of our rules, procedures, safety policies and code of conduct

    3.  Guests may only be invited to school venues, not registered play sessions

    4.  Advise the captain that you have invited a guest and indicate as such on the play session paperwork

    4.  The member is responsible to ensure that the guest has stickers to pay for their session; the rate is double that of SAPC members, so two stickers would apply for each guest 

    Level 1 Sports Venue

    We have raised the registration limit for Series A and B from 24 to 26. It’s always nice having a couple extra players, especially in the event of no-shows.  Note:  We still recommend that people who are going to be absent try to find a replacement.

    Members can arrive at Level 1 Sports 30 minutes earlier than the start time of their session.  There may be someone else in the gym at that time  so members are asked to wait in the entrance way.  If the venue is empty, the captain or captains can start organizing the play. 

    Please note that the construction outside this venue should be completed within a month.  We recognize in the meantime that access to this venue is limited, so please allow time particularly for your first visit.

    Thanksgiving

    Given that we are now celebrating Thanksgiving weekend, I believe that it is a good time to reflect on the many things that we should be thankful for.  Each of us, of course, have our own list of items in this regard, but here are some that you may share with me:

    • This great autumn weather that we have been experiencing that has allowed us to extend our outdoor play season while enjoying the company of our friends as we play a game we love
    • The SAPC Board and our President in particular who has secured us many indoor venues allowing us to continue to enjoy pickleball during the cold fall and winter months ahead - great work Eileen!
    • The volunteer spirit of our Club and the hard work that is put in by so many: 

    - the folks who work on our website allowing us to register for play sessions, pay for stickers and memberships, etc. (you know those behind the scenes administrative and accounting types!)

    - our tournament and special even teams led by Ken,

    - those members who volunteer to train and assist other      members

    - our indoor and outdoor captains,

    - the folks who clean the outdoor courts,

    - those who set up and take down the indoor nets

    - the list goes on....

    HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE AND...

    Until next time, keep your paddle up! 

  • 2022-10-03 11:44 | Anonymous

    In this issue:

     Reserved Play Coordinator  Health & Safety Committee
     Indoor Play  Level 1 Sports Venue
     Paddle Advice from the Experts  

    Open Position - Reserved Play Coordinator

    Your club has another great opportunity to join one of the many fun teams that keep our club humming.  Are you ready to volunteer a few hours per month? 

    We would like to begin by thanking Carol Peabody for her dedication and hard work as our retiring Reserved Play (aka Registered Play) Coordinator.  If this sport were hockey, we would be retiring Carol's jersey number!  Carol has occupied this key volunteer role for the last two years while also fulfilling many other volunteer roles and pursuits.  We wish her all the best and know that Carol will continue to play as much pickleball as her busy schedule allows! 

    With Carol's departure, we now have an opening for our Reserved Play Coordinator.  No prior experience is needed as we can teach you this straightforward job from square one; we'll always be around to support you - providing coaching, backup and more!

    The duties of this vacant role include the following:

    1.   Setting up reserved play events in our reserved play calendar (based on instructions from our venue manager and Red Willow venue coordinator),

    2.   Monitoring  events and cancelling sessions if and when required,

    3.   Using our e-mail account regplay@pickleballstalbert.ca and responding to e-mails sent to that account, and

    4.   About once every month or two, you would be setting up several reserved play events.  This is just a matter of duplicating a previous similar event and adjusting a few settings like the start date and time

    This work can be done from any computer with access to the internet; interested parties should be aware that backup resources are available to take over in cases of illness, holidays, etc.  Further, Carol advises that she found the software used for this purpose to be easy to use.

    Once again, no previous experience is needed although an affinity for using computers and software is an advantage.   If you are interested or have any questions, please email Ray Keroack by clicking here.

    Health & Safety Committee

    Please be advised that the SAPC would like to rebuild it's Health & Safety Committee.   We would love to have one or more individuals with a background in health to volunteer to be on this Committee and supplement the efforts of Jeanine who is ensuring that our health/emergency aid kits are kept properly stocked at all venues.  The Committee would help us with the following:

    1.  Reviewing our current health and safety policies and practices while making recommendations for improvement, 

    2.  Assessing the adequacy of our health and safety procedures and the aforementioned safety kits as well as related training and making recommendations regarding same, and

    3.  Providing and advice and counsel to the Board, play captains and other Club volunteers related to health and safety matters and related questions that may arise

    Interested parties should contact Eileen by clicking here

    Indoor Play

    Membership Cards, Etc.

    A reminder to everyone to bring their SAPC membership card to all our sessions and events.  The card can be printed or on their smartphone and will indicate the member's date of membership and current rating level.  This is particularly important for new members and members who have recently achieved a new SAPC rating level.  This becomes important for all members come January or February at which time everyone needs to provide proof of their 2023 membership renewal.  As noted in previous Newsletters, don't forget to also bring your stickers and a pair of clean, indoor athletic shoes for your indoor play as well.

    Arrive on Time

    It is important for members to be at the school venues on time or, if unavoidable, within TEN minutes of play session time as we are not to disturb the school caretakers by ringing the school bell.  Instead, the captain will assign someone to "man the door" at the start of the session.  No one will be allowed to enter the school once ten minutes has passed beyond the scheduled start time for each session.

    Play Type

    Depending on the numbers of members playing at the school venues, the play type may be paddle play or round robin as determined by the play session captain.

    No Playing Up or Down

    While rating clinics may be scattered through out the winter months, there will continue to be no playing up at any sessions.  This is due to the fact that such exceptions are difficult to manage and maintain, especially with limited spaces at each venue.

    Furthermore, members should read the "Levels of Play" article on the Play Types page (click here) as "playing down" is no longer available for play designated at a particular level.  New members in particular should read the updated "Indoor Play, 2022-23" article on the same page to learn about the venues that are drop in versus reserved play and the cost to play at each venue.

    Reserved Play

    All Red Willow players should note that we are taking advantage of technology to decrease some volunteer/administrative burden.  We will now let our systems automatically open reserved play events for registration rather than opening them manually on Friday afternoons. 

    We found that the manual approach was quite a bit of work and, while some of us seemed to enjoy hovering around the computer or our devices on Friday afternoons to be the first to register, the elimination of that perk now means that Red Willow registered events will generally open the Friday before at 12:00:01 am (in case you're wondering, this is just after midnight at the end of Thursday)  Note:  We wish our system allowed us to specify a time of registration opening in addition to a day, but it currently does not.

    Visitors

    Members may invite guests, but those guests are only allowed to play as visitors twice each indoor season (this is to be based upon the honour system as tracking would be too difficult and cumbersome).  The following would apply to members wishing to host a guest:

    1.  Ask them to ensure that they have not been invited by other SAPC members more than once (as noted above they may only play as a guest twice per indoor season)

    2.  They are your responsibility so make sure that they follow all of our rules, procedures, safety policies and code of conduct

    3.  Guests may only be invited to school venues, not registered play sessions

    4.  Advise the captain that you have invited a guest and indicate as such on the play session paperwork

    4.  The member is responsible to ensure that the guest has stickers to pay for their session; the rate is double that of SAPC members, so two stickers would apply for each guest 

    Level 1 Sports Venue

    We have raised the registration limit for Series A and B from 24 to 26. It’s always nice having a couple extra players, especially in the event of no-shows.  Note:  We still recommend that people who are going to be absent try to find a replacement.

    Please note that Series A (3.5 rating level) still has two spots open. 

    Paddle Advice for Pickleballers

    An informative Article from "In a Pickle" - Sean and Leslie:

    We are often surprised when we come across people at the courts who didn’t know that we are in the business of selling paddles (in addition to being the Club raters for which we are most well known).   Anyway, we thought we would share some insights on your choice of paddle for pickleball play.

    It is often difficult to watch people playing with a paddle that we feel is not the best choice for them.  So whether you purchase your paddle from us or not….here are some things you should consider when deciding which paddle is the right one for you.

    We look for a paddle that is forgiving, easy to play with and easy on our body.  While thinner, hard hitting paddles may give you lots of power…they may also be less forgiving on the courts - and on your arm!  A thicker and softer paddle will usually be more forgiving and better dampen vibration.  Please note that you can still generate power from this type of paddle if that is your goal.

    It’s a misconception that smaller and not so strong players need a lighter (7.6oz and under) paddle…when in fact, in our opinion, it’s the opposite.  A heavier (7.8oz and up) paddle will do more of the work for you, thereby taking less effort to accomplish the same result - that should help you make more controlled shots while being easier on your body.  Conversely, it is our experience that players with shoulder issues often are using a paddle that is too light. 

    Players who develop elbow issues often get them from using a paddle with a grip that is too thin for them.  As a rule of thumb when you grip your paddle you should have about a fingers width between your longest finger and your thumb. 

    How to know when it might be time for a new paddle…

    If you have purchased a well made paddle, chances are you will get bored of your paddle and just want the latest and greatest before it breaks down.  But if it feels or sounds “off” check the edge guard - if it’s loose at all, the integrity of the paddle head has been compromised and the ball will no longer come off the paddle face like it should.  If you have a loose edge guard your paddle needs to be replaced. 

    Other things to consider when choosing your paddle:

    Head shape

    Handle length

    Colour choices

    And, MOST IMPORTANTLY…how it feels when you play with it!   We recommend demoing a few models before making your choice!

    Something you won’t get when you go to a sporting goods or hardware store is expert advice and the opportunity to try the paddle out first. 

    Hope you found this information helpful. 

    Thank you.

    Leslie and Sean, inapicklepals.com

    Until next time, keep your paddle up!

  • 2022-09-19 11:57 | Anonymous

    In this issue:

     September "Fun" Tournament - Thank Yous  Indoor Play
     Level 1 Sports - New Venue  Credits on your Account
     2023 Memberships  

    SAPC Fall Windup Tournament 

    Thank you Ken and your team of volunteers for another successful "Fun" tournament a couple of weekends ago.  A great time was had by all those who attended and we appreciate all of the work done by volunteers to make this event a great success.  If you want to see pictures taken at the venue and learn more about who earned medals at this event, we would encourage you to visit the SAPC Facebook group page.

    Indoor Play

    Many of you who've had such great fun playing this whole summer are asking, "when does fall indoor play start and where are we playing?"  Others of you have perhaps been too busy enjoying other pursuits, but are also eager to start some indoor play.  Well, read on for all the answers we have so far!

    Venues

    We're happy to say that we will again provide organized club play at Red Willow, Bertha Kennedy, Joseph Demko, Sister Alphonse, JJ Nearing and Holy Family.  

    We've also secured two new venues this year - Lois Hole School and Level 1 Sports (see separate article on Level 1 Sports below). 

    Unfortunately, things haven't worked out for Sturgeon School nor North Pointe Community Church, but we're always on the look out for more reasonably priced venues to give you as many play opportunities as possible.

    Indoor play will begin in late September or early October at our various indoor venues.  You may receive e-mails with more specifics as details are worked out regarding dates, times and rating levels for the various venues that have been secured.  The best source of information will always be the Calendar information available on the SAPC website.  You should note that for the school venues that have been secured, those Calendars are now visible on the SAPC website.   As well, please consider the fact that the available play days at each school venue may change from month to month, so you should always be checking the on line Calendar (eg. Bertha Kennedy only offers two Fridays per month - you cannot assume that play will occur every Friday evening).

    It bears repeating - the most accurate and up-to-date information on upcoming indoor play is in those Calendars which you can access by clicking on this link If you  are not familiar with these Calendars, here's what you need to know:


    • your Club website has a Calendar menu and Calendar page for each of our venues,
    • the combined "Indoor" Calendar shows all the advertised indoor play, all on one page,
    • the "Reserved Play" Calendar shows all reservable sessions and reservable series play
    • the Calendar for each level (eg. 3.0) shows all the play that players at that level can either drop in for or reserve

    Many thanks to Eileen our Venue Manager for all of her hard work in negotiating and securing these venues for our growing number of members - we really appreciate having so many indoor play options as the cold weather sets in.  As well, Ray and Carol have done a tremendous job in getting all of the relevant play session details into the SAPC website using the software that is available for this purpose - this is not easy and takes a lot of time and dedication!

    Stickers

    The Club has grown tremendously in recent months and some of those new members may not be aware that stickers are our currency of choice for indoor play.  If you do not already have a supply of stickers, they may be purchased by logging into the SAPC website and clicking on this link.  If you have a past supply of stickers you should note that they do not expire and may still be used. 

    Generally speaking, players must bring one sticker to drop in play sessions and two stickers are required for reserved play (eg. Red Willow Church).


    Captains

    Please note that Captains are needed for the following play sessions:

    • the ALL session on Fridays at Holy Family School 
    • the 3.0 session at Bertha Kennedy on Friday evenings
    • the Saturday 2.5 session at Bertha Kennedy 
    • the Saturday ALL session at Bertha Kennedy

    If you are interested in volunteering to be a captain, please do so by emailing VenueManager@pickleballstalbert.ca and advising which session you would like to captain.


    Please note that Captain Clinics will be taking place at Red Willow Church on September 29th at 9:30 am and 6:00 pm.  These sessions will provide a review for all past captains and new captains will learn out procedures and be provided with other relevant information.

    Many thanks to all of our captains and volunteers - we could not run these sessions without you generously offering your time and support.

    Footware


    Please note that for ALL indoor venues players must bring and use only indoor shoes.  No outdoor shoes are permitted beyond the foyer/entrance to these facilities.


    Series Play - Level 1 Sports (New Venue)

    You could say we were lucky to get this new venue, but good luck often goes to those who are prepared.  And it was Eileen's diligence with another of our sports affiliates that resulted in this lead - it was her pursuit of that lead that landed us this great opportunity.  Thanks Eileen!


    For more information about this new venue including its location please click on this link.

    As you may have noticed, we are announcing Series Play by direct email to each member qualified to register in that series.  For example, all members with a 3.5 consolidated club rating are getting an email for each 3.5 series play session.  If you haven't seen these emails, check your junk or spam folder.  If needed, designate that mail as "safe" or designate the sender's email address to be a safe sender.  If you've opted out of getting emails you would need to opt back in.

    Now that Eileen has secured this new venue, we just have to fill up our proposed play times so we can hold onto this golden opportunity.  How do we do that?  By quickly filling (selling) all available reservable slots in our series play.  So, if you haven't already seen some emails from us on this venue:


    1.  Go to the Level 1 Sports Calendar and flip ahead to October,
    2.  Find a series that is at your level, read the details carefully, and reserve and pay for your spot.
    3.  If you are interested in a series but it is full, add your name to the waiting list as some cancellations are expected.  If you are at the top of the waiting list you will get an automatic email inviting you to pay to fill an open spot - please be quick because our system will offer the spot to the next member on the list if you don't respond
    4.  If you don't yet see a series for you, check back later or watch your email.   We are releasing more as soon as the current ones fill up.

    So far, based both on the actual reservations we're seeing and based on email requests to our Venue Manager (Eileen), we're offering or planning to offer:


    •  Series A:  a Monday morning series of 6 weekly plays for 24 to 26 players at the 3.5 club consolidated rating level,
    •  Series B:  a Tuesday* morning series of 6 weekly plays for 24 to 26 4.0+'s (4.0, 4.5 and 5.0)
    •  Series C1 and C2:  a Wednesday* morning series of 6 weekly plays for 13 3.5's; and another for 13 4.0+s
    •  Series D1 and D2:  a Thursday* morning series of 6 weekly plays for 13 3.0+ (3.0 and 3.5); and another for 13 All play (unrated players or players at any level)
    Note:  Some sessions on a series may be on a different day or a different time; always read the event details before registering.

    The above series all start the week of October 10th and end the week of November 16th.  We will also offer series E, F, G and H which will run from the week of Nov 21 to December 12.  We will likely start advertising these sessions during the third week of October - just after the first series have started up.

    We will have to cancel any series that does not completely fill 18 to 20 days before the first session in that series.  You should note that if the club cancels, you will get a refund. 

    How does Level 1 Sports compare to other indoor venues and play opportunities, you ask?   Well:

    •  The tetraflex sports floor is better for pickleball than either concrete or plywood,
    •  There is ample room around each court for those "around the post" shots and running serves,
    •  Each set of 2 courts has a divider to contain balls,  
    •  You get maximum play time in your two hours, and
    •  You get to play with the very friendly members of our great club (all rated the same way you are!)
    •  The cost per session of our series play is less than, say, the drop in rate at a local city facility 


    What does SAPC series play at Level 1 Sports cost?

    •  A series of 6 play sessions costs $47.62 ($50 with GST)
    •  A series of 4 play sessions costs $32.38 ($34 with GST)


    Credits on your Account

    If you have a club credit, be sure to use that credit in your next club purchase.  The credit can be used for reserved series play, membership fees, sticker cards or other items sold through our Wild Apricot website.  To use your credit, follow the process on our "Member Help FAQ" page, under the Members menu (you must be logged in to see that page).

    2023 Memberships

    2023 Memberships may be purchased starting October 1.  Any membership bought on October 1, 2022 or later (up to September 30, 2023) is effective to the end of December 2023.

    Don't forget that you must also renew your PIckleball Alberta and Pickleball Canada memberships, and should do so before renewing your SAPC membership.  See the Join webpage at https://www.pickleballstalbert.ca/Join for more details.

    Until next time, keep your paddle up! 

  • 2022-08-10 14:41 | Anonymous

    In this issue:

     September "Fun" Tournament  Ladder/Shootout Play

    SAPC Fall Windup Tournament for Members Only

    We will be having a fun tournament for members only on Saturday,  September 10th (rainout day is September 11th).  The format will be a blind round robin (you will have a different partner for every game) followed by playoffs for top players in each pool.  The tournament will be posted on Pickleball Brackets on Monday, August 15th and the cost will be $10 per player (plus a processing fee of $1.91) which includes your entry fee as well as light lunch.  Tournament play will start at 8:30 am and go into mid afternoon so please do not register if you cannot commit for that time frame.  Below is the link that will take you directly to the tournament site:

    https://pickleballbrackets.com/lnkHdlr.aspx?eid=b8f68e48-6c77-4826-961c-9132670b2057

    Ladder/Shootout Play

    Some of you have been asking how to register for our League play sessions (aka ladder play or shootouts).   Well, first of all, the period for those registrations has passed for this summer.   The League Manager has a waiting list and may allow a small intake of new registrants from that list as we experience declining attendance for these sessions in the late summer; should that occur, and you are on that list, no action needs to be taken as the Manager will reach out to you in order - just respond quickly if you are invited.

    Of course, we wish we could accommodate everyone's wishes all the time, but we have two main constraints: 

    • court space (which is currently determined by the City's decisions regarding allocated club time), and
    • volunteer capacity  
    Please don't hesitate to let us know how you would like to help with either constraint.

    Watch out for Newsletter updates regarding ladder play next spring when we announce the ladder play session(s) and open up registration for these sessions.  Once the maximum number of players is reached (there is always considerable demand), the registration is shut down so you must act quickly.  You should note that you are not committing to every play session for the summer, but we recommend that you only register if you plan to attend many or most of the sessions - otherwise you are taking up the slot of another member who may have interest in playing most or all sessions.

    Until next time, keep your paddle up!





  • 2022-07-20 15:45 | Anonymous

    In this issue:

     Tournaments  Shirt Sales
     Junior Jamboree    Instructor Certification Program
     Health & Safety Coordinator  

    Tournaments

    June Fun Tournament

    The SAPC website has now been updated with pictures from the Club's June Fun tournament.  Please view those pictures here.

    July Sanctioned Tournament

    Thank you Ken and your team of volunteers for putting on a great tournament last weekend.  Thankfully the weather cooperated and everyone had a great time and some members even came away with medals.  Thank you to those folks who provided pastry and other food items throughout the tournament, for those who agreed to assist in set up and take down, those who refereed games and those who ran the software and assisted in organizing game play - it takes so much effort to run a tournament like this and all those members who volunteered or played in the tournament did St. Albert proud!

    For information on who medaled and to see pictures taken at the event over the course of the three days, please visit the SAPC Facebook Group pages (some of these pictures will eventually be posted on the SAPC website).

    Shirt Sales

    For those Members who purchased product, thank you for generously supporting the St. Albert Pickleball Club with your recent purchases of shirts and/or balls.   You may be interested to know that the Club sold:

    • 87 shirts of which 66 are t-shirts and 21 are polo shirts
    • 76 sets of pickleball balls of which 49 sets are Franklin outdoor balls, 17 sets of Onix outdoor balls, and 10 sets of Onix indoor balls

    Thanks again to Rosemary Pon and her sales team for all of their hard work in organizing shirt and ball sales, arranging for members to pick up their purchases, etc.  Your time and effort is very much appreciated!

    Junior Jamboree

    From: Brenda Feser, Director of Junior Pickleball, Pickleball Alberta

    Please be advised of the Junior Jamboree to be hosted on Saturday, August 20th in Red Deer.   

    The Jamboree Day will look like this:

    • 11:00 am Registration

    • Players will be assigned to a group leader

    • Round Robin games (or introduction for those who are new to PB)
    • Giveaways throughout the afternoon
    • BBQ
    • Concluding by 3:00 pm.
    Please note that Junior players ages 8-18 of any skill level (including beginners) are welcome to register whether they are a registered member of Pickleball Alberta or not.   Interested players should register at pickleballalberta.org .  Scroll down to Junior Jamboree and hit the REGISTER button.

    Instructor Certification Program

    Canada's National Pickleball Instructor Certification Program is returning to Alberta in August!   Alberta will once again be hosting two Instructor 1: Introducing Pickleball courses.  This is the first step on Pickleball Canada's coach education pathway (details below): 

    Monday August 15 - Red Deer, Alberta

    Location:  St. Joseph's High School (2700 67 Street), Red Deer, Alberta 

    Time: 9am - 5pm (plus 5:15pm - 8:15pm August 9th for virtual training)

    Cost: $269+tax 

    Tuesday August 16 - Cochrane, Alberta

    Location: Quigley Park 417 1 Street East, Cochrane, Alberta

    Time: 9am - 5pm (plus 5:15pm - 8:15pm on August 10 for virtual training)

    Cost: $269+tax

    To register for a course please go to tpacanada.com and click the white "Pickleball Coach Education" tile.  From there it is pretty straightforward to register for either course.

    Health & Safety Coordinator

    Please be advised that Leslie Macadam has stepped down as the Club's Health & Safety Coordinator.  Thanks Leslie for all the hard work that you have put into this role - it has been very much appreciated!

    The duties of this role include gathering materials for and preparing the first aid kits and then updating the supplies when needed.  First aid supplied must be procured for the kits and the cost of same is reimbursed by the Treasurer.  Kits are to be maintained at the indoor venues during winter indoor play and at the Alpine clubhouse during summer outdoor play.   This person needs to coordinate with Play Captains and the Equipment Manager, as well as conducting occasional visits to these venues, in order to understand when the safety kits need to be filled/updated.   Additional materials may be stored at the Coordinator's home and used for replenishment as required.

    If anyone is interest in this now vacant role, please respond to myself at communications@pickleballstalbert.ca  and I will put you in touch with the necessary person or persons to get you started.

    Until next time, keep your paddle up!

  • 2022-06-16 14:24 | Anonymous

    In this issue:

     Mentoring Session - Thank Yous  Watch the Calendar
     Rating Clinics - Weather Cancellations    Upcoming Instruction Clinics

    Mentoring Clinic a Success!

    We had 16 members out for a mentoring session on June 11th who were either rated 2.5 or had no rating.  The session was 2 hours long which was split into doing drills for the first 1 1/4 hours followed by some game play. We split the the participants into groups of 4 and had them cycle through 4 different courts learning a new drill on each court (serving, returning, dinking, volleys, forehand/backhand ground strokes). This was our first time doing mentoring session in this fashion and it went very well and lots of positive feedback was received from the participants.  Thanks go to Ken Dentzien for organizing and managing this mentoring session as well as to our very capable instructors for their time and dedication to support these new members; these instructors were - Jeanine & Art Au, Kelsey Hennig, John Abrahamson, Brad Hurshoway and Bill Moyes

    Watch the Calendar

    Just a reminder to members to check the calendar for Alpine before attending scheduled play sessions as occasional changes are made based upon playing patterns and volumes of folks playing at each session. 

    Please also be reminded that we do not have the courts on July 1st; you will note that those sessions have been removed in the Alpine Calendar.

    Finally, a volunteer thank you is scheduled for Saturday, June 18th which is why there is no scheduled play for that day.  If it rains on the 18th, the volunteer appreciation will take place on the 19th and the calendar will be changed if/when that decision is made.

    No Re-Booking of Cancelled Rating Clinics

    Please note that we are not re-booking the rating clinics that were cancelled due to the recent poor weather until such time as we get a new date from our raters (which likely will not be until September); for those impacted by this, you will have more time to hone your skills before the next rating clinics are scheduled.

    Upcoming Instruction Clinics

    You may be interested in the following upcoming instruction clinics in the region:

      1.        June 25th & July 2nd - Steve Deakin Pickleball 

        3.5+ Players 

        Instructor - Zach Brown

        Location - Pickleball Hub, 25 Chisholm Ave, St Albert

        Register at - www.stevedeakinpickleball.com

       2.       July 19th & 20th - Pickleball Paddles Canada

        3.0, 3.5 & 4.0+ Players

        Instructor - Charles Neufeldt & Krysti Maronski

        Location - Pickleheads Courts; 400 South Ave, Spruce Grove

        Register at -pickleballpaddlescanada.com 

    Until next time, keep your paddle up!

  • 2022-06-07 20:27 | Anonymous

    In this issue:

     Tournament - Thank Yous  Shirt and Ball Sales
     Member Profile Updates   Mentoring Session Openings

    Tournament - Thank Yous

    The amount of volunteer dedication and work needed to serve our members and facilitate a weekend of tournament play is phenomenal.  As such, we would like to publicly acknowledge the efforts of all those who organized, volunteered and played at the Summer Kick Off Tournament last weekend.  

    First of all thanks to Ken Dentzien our Tournament Manager for all of his hard work in organizing the tournament, securing and assigning volunteers, answering tournament related questions in the weeks leading up to the tournament and during the day of, and so much more - Ken, you're amazing!

    Special thanks also to James Porter who once again managed the technology for the tournament through Pickleball Brackets and did so masterfully and showed no signs of stress but rather a calm and pleasant demeanor throughout - great job James!

    Other notables (with apologies to those whom we've missed):

    Arlene - who spent two full days at the tournament helping out wherever needed and did not even play

    Jeanine and Karen - for doing a great job getting the snacks and lunch together.

    Karen - for her awesome announcing on Sunday - you kept us on track!

    All of the referees - for their exemplary job of reffing our playoff matches (better than we can say for the recent NHL games!)  

    It was a great weekend and everything ran smoothly.   Most importantly all the participants had a lot of fun! 

    Shirt and Ball Sales

    Thanks to Rosemary Pon and her team, the SAPC website now reflects all of the shirts and balls that are available to purchase.  Members, get your credit card ready and log into the web store!

    Shirts

    Check out the various style of shirts and selection of colors.    There is no limit on Club shirts…you are free to buy as many as you please - go crazy!

    As many of us are aware, the global supply chain issue has impacted the manufacturing, sales, transportation and delivery of all consumer goods. That being said, our vendor will try their best to fulfill our orders.  We need to recognize that the inventory of shirts changes daily and it may be out of their control if your choice of shirts is not available in your size or colour. 

    Balls

    The Club is also selling a limited number of brand name pickleball balls to members at a great price that will be hard to beat, so why not buy a few new balls at a great price; please note that members will be limited to a maximum purchase of 3 packages of balls (3 balls per package).

    The deadline for ordering is June 24, 2022.  A Member can access the web store by following these steps:

    1. Use your user ID and password to login to the St. Albert Pickleball Club website

    2. Locate the tab for Members and click

    3. Click on Store and you will see the shirts and balls.

    4. Choose the shirt style, quantity and color that appeals to you

    5. Choose the type of balls you want and the quantity (as noted above there is a maximum of 3 packages of balls/member)

    6. Before electing to pay by credit card, apply your remaining store credit first if you should have one (to do so, please follow the steps as outlined in the Finance and Technology FAQ section under the Members tab)

    7. Enter checkout and then enter your credit card information to complete the purchase.

    This is a great time to buy a few new shirts and pickleball balls for yourself, your family, your friends and, perhaps, your colleagues.  If you are planning to fly south this winter or if you need some gifts for graduation, birthdays, or Christmas - consider purchasing our high quality Club logoed shirts and balls.  Everyone can wear the Club shirts with pride!

    It is our goal to have your purchases of Club logoed shirts and balls delivered to the Alpine Courts during the July Pickle Party Tournament.  You may pickup your purchases on the following dates and times:

    •  Friday, July 15 from Noon - 2 p.m.
    •  Saturday, July 16 from 9 a.m. - Noon.
    •  Sunday, July 17 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

    The final date for purchased product pickup is scheduled for Friday, July 24 from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.  We will notify you should there be any deviation from the pickup scheduled proposed.  Should you be unable to pick up your purchase at any of the above scheduled times, you can e-mail Rosemary Pon at mailto:rjpventures@msn.com  and provide a written consent to allow us to release your purchased order to a trusted family member, colleague or friend.  Upon presentation of a picture government ID, a Sales Team member will release your purchase to the authorized individual.

    Member Profile Updates

    If you have not done so recently, please log in to the SAPC website and update your profile information especially your contact information.   In trying to get hold of members, we have discovered a number of instances where member contact info was not up to date.  While you're there, make sure you update your volunteer interests as well.

    Mentoring

    Please note that there are still spots open for the upcoming mentoring session on Saturday, June 11th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Alpine Courts.  If you are a beginner and want to advance your skills and/or prepare yourself for a future rating clinic, this may be the opportunity for you!

    Until next time, keep your paddle up!

  • 2022-05-26 15:23 | Anonymous

    In this issue:

     Shirt and Ball Sales

     Questions - Pickleball Brackets

     Missing Balls 

     

    Shirt and Ball Sales 

    Once again, the Club is selling shirts and balls to members this summer.  Details can be found on the Club's website on the Home Page.  

    Sharon Sinclair, Yvette Webster and Ivy Mung displayed the club shirt at the Rating Clinics on May 7.   Several shirts of various colours and in two styles (t-shirt and polo) will be displayed at other events this summer and sold online.   Watch for upcoming news of these displays and sales. 

    Rosemary Pon's sales team will also be displaying balls for sale this summer.   The club will sell two different types of outdoor balls and one type of indoor ball - all online.   Each set of three balls will go for $12 plus GST - please note that in order to keep prices low, members will have to pick up their purchased balls at one of the times that will be advertised.

    When the sales start, these items will be available in the Store page of this website.   Members will have to log in to make their purchases, but note that these are not for members only.  Club-labelled shirts make great gifts for family and friends as they are of great quality and last "forever"!

    Once again, watch for updates on the Club website and visit the sales team when you seem them at Alpine this summer.


    Questions Regarding Ladder and Tournament Play

    As you have likely noticed, the Club is standardizing on the use of Pickleball Brackets for organizing and coordinating ladder and tournament play. 

    As we transition to these new systems, many members have experienced issues, have questions, want to make suggestions, etc.  Rather than send these to the Communications personnel at SAPC or to our Board members, we ask that you communicate directly within Pickleball Brackets.  Please just login to Pickleball Brackets and do the following:

    Ladder Play

    For ladder play (shootouts) for both women's and mixed play, click on Leagues and search for the SAPC League that you are enquiring about.  I would suggest that while using the Search feature that you choose Canada, Alberta and the keyword "Ladder"; click on the SAPC League that applies and on the next screen click on "Contact League".  A Request Form will pop up that will populate with your personal information such that you just need to choose your Contact Reason and then enter your question or comment in the "Comments" section.  Note: another way to navigate to the Contact League form is to go into "My League Schedule", click on the left hand (Date/Time ) side of the play session which takes you to session details, click on "Back to League" and then click on "Contact League".  Easy peasy, right?

    Tournament Play

    For tournament play click on Tournaments and search for the SAPC Tournament that you are enquiring about.  I would suggest that while using the Search feature that you choose Canada, Alberta and the keyword "SAPC"; click on the SAPC Tournament that applies and on the next screen click on "Contact Tourney".  A Request Form will pop up that will populate with your personal information such that you just need to choose your Contact Reason and then enter your question or comment in the "Comments" section.  Note: another way to navigate to the Contact Tourney form is to go into "My Tournaments", click on the appropriate tournament and then click on "Contact Tourney".  

    Missing Balls

    Please note that we are experiencing a problem with missing balls early into our outdoor season at Alpine.  As you are likely aware, our captains are responsible for tracking ball use and to ensure that all SAPC balls that are brought to each play session are accounted for at the end of that session.  All balls must be returned to the captain at the end of each play session including any balls that may have been damaged during play - DO NOT throw out those balls.  Despite these reconciliation procedures, our captains have noted four balls missing in the just last few days of play.  If you continue to play on after the scheduled completion of a club play session, please do so with your own ball(s) after returning any SAPC balls to the captain as soon as the bell is rung.  Our captains should not have to be chasing players nor conducting a scavenger hunt for balls at the end of each play session!

    Until next time, keep your paddle up!

  • 2022-05-05 10:01 | Anonymous

    In this issue:

     Tournament Registration Reminder

     Kindness to Captains

     Youth Membership Pricing 

     Rating Policy Changes

     Alpine Calendar Change

      

    Tournament Registration 

    Just a reminder that registration is now open for the following St. Albert tournaments:

    SAPC Summer Kickoff Tournament - June 4th to 5th; Members only

    SAPC Pickle Party Tournament - July 15th to 17th; Open, Sanctioned

    Registration for these tournaments is available on the Pickleball Brackets website and includes a small registration fee.  Once you have created/logged into your PB Brackets account, just click on Tournaments and, if necessary, use the Search filter (narrow by choosing Canada/Alberta) to find these SAPC tournaments.  Spots are filling up fast so act now!


    Kindness to Captains / Outdoor Play

    Please note that our captains have the right to cancel schedule club play due to inclement weather or wet courts.  The decision of the captain is final and should not, under any circumstances, lead to members treating the captain/co-captains with disrespect, nor challenging their decision which is made in good faith and for the health and safety of our members.

    Should a captain decide that play will be canceled due to poor court conditions (excessive water for example) or due to current or forecast rain, the captain will post that information on the Facebook page of the Club which is a private Facebook group for Club members.  If you are an active member of the Club and do not currently belong to that Facebook group you should seriously consider joining because that is where the cancellations will be posted.   If Club play is cancelled, members may choose to play (as public play with their own balls), but will do so at their own risk.  Once again, however, it is unfair and unacceptable to be rude to captains under any circumstances and certainly not because they have called a stop to play or stopped it before play starts.  You should know that on many occasions, our captains make the journey from all areas of St. Albert to check the conditions at Alpine in order to assist them in making a call on whether play can safely proceed.

    On another note, it is great to see our courts filling up as we all come out to play!   Kudos to the captains for a smooth roll out of our outdoor play sessions.   It is heartwarming to see our experienced volunteer captains taking the new captains under their wings and show them the procedures!  Way to go all of you and - THANK YOU!!

    Youth Membership Now More Attractive  


    Pickleball is becoming more popular across all age groups, and your club is pleased to do what it can to accommodate and encourage pickleball play among our youth.  These are our kids and grandkids -- the future of pickleball!   While we work on better policies to protect youth and try to get more courts and more court time in St. Albert to accommodate youth play, we are also moving on other fronts.   The latest is a reduction of our annual membership price for youth -- it is now only $10 per year

    Please note that youth members who already meet our skill rating qualifications can play in most of our organized play and in tournaments, along with adults, as long as they are accompanied by a pre-identified "Responsible Adult".   

    We encourage players of all ages in our community to enjoy this sport that we love!

    Rating Policy Changes 

    Historically, SAPC asked new members to provide information on their initial intake form regarding existing club ratings, tournament ratings, etc.   We have determined that this process is inefficient and requires updating as noted below.

    Furthermore, given that we have started to attract more members who are already members of other clubs, and many who have a Canadian Pickleball Tournament Rating (CPTR), those realties require that we rethink our past processes.

    Going forward, new members who want to have their SAPC club rating updated to reflect ratings from other clubs or their CPTR rating are required to send an email to rating@pickleballstalbert.ca detailing the request along with the required documentation for the change.  All of the details around using other club ratings is provided on our website at https://www.pickleballstalbert.ca/Skill-Levels-and-Ratings .

    A few items to note: 

    • The CPTR rating is only based on play in pickleball sanctioned events. This is different from the rating that Pickleball Brackets provides for all games that play on their platform.  Please review the latest email from Pickleball Canada for details on that nuance if you are interested.
    • SAPC has made the decision that a CPTR rating is only considered valid if the player has played 10 games or more (all sanctioned of course).  The rationale for this is that a player's rating can be skewed by the fact that the rating methodology begins with what can be a somewhat arbitrary self rating.  After 10 games, we believe, the results will have become more statistically valid and are a truer representation of a player's competency and skill level.

    • The St. Albert Club on Pickleball Brackets is not automatically connected with our membership system.  For club purposes, the https://www.pickleballstalbert.ca/ system is considered the system of record.  We attempt to keep the two environments updated, but old eyes sometimes fail; as such, patience is encouraged.  
    • Finally, if you are a recent new member to our club and have a current CPTR rating or outside rating, we encourage you to confirm your current rating on the club website under your current profile (see top right corner of the site) - https://www.pickleballstalbert.ca/Sys/Profile and follow through with the ratings team at the aforementioned e-mail address if adjustments are required.

    WhatsApp Groups to Facilitate Communication 

    Please be advised that the Club will be adopting a plan to improve communication amongst its members.   Lisa Mueller has agreed to take on the volunteer role of Social Media Coordinator for SAPC (welcome Lisa!!).  Lisa is already managing the Club's aforementioned Facebook Group including approving requests to join, approving and posting  materials/articles, etc.

    Beginning shortly, Lisa will be sending out invites to members to join WhatsApp groups that are specific to their rating level.  Accepting this invitation will be optional but is strongly encouraged as it will allow you to receive instant notification of important information specific to your rating group (eg. a cancelled play session).   If you do not already use WhatsApp you should be aware that it is a free app that can be downloaded in minutes on your smartphone (I-phone or Android).  Many SAPC members are already using WhatsApp for groups that they have created to coordinate play and communicate amongst each other so they are very familiar with this simple to use communication tool.

    Alpine Calendar Change 

    Please note that the Round Robin on Tuesday evening will be changed to 3.0+ so anyone rated 3.0, 3.5 4.0+ can come out to play.  

    Until next time, keep your paddle up!

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