| Upcoming AGM - Date Change |
Skills Based Rating Opportunity |
| Need for Tournament Volunteers |
Call for Building Expertise |
| Club Membership Stats |
|
Upcoming AGM
Please note that the date for the Club's AGM has been changed and will now be March 18, 2026. The meeting as per usual will be a Zoom meeting and will start at 7 pm MST. An official invite will be sent out to members shortly...stay tuned.
Skills Based Ratings - New Opportunity
As most members will know, DUPR is the primary rating tool for SAPC members wanting an SAPC Club rating and those wishing to improve their existing SAPC rating. DUPR has been used since April 2023 when our skill based assessment raters retired. Pickleball Canada has now designated DUPR as their official rating system so that anyone who wishes to play in a sanctioned tournament must have a DUPR rating.
Some SAPC members have indicated that they do not want to play competitively but want the opportunity to play with their friends with a Club rating within leveled Club play. DUPR does not always allow for that, so SAPC will soon be providing the option of obtaining an SAPC Club Rating Only through a skills based assessment conducted by Brenda Hawryluk (currently the only approved rater for SAPC). Brenda has been vetted by members of our Rating Committee who are confident that she will provide members with an accurate assessment of skills for leveled Club play only. This skills based rating assessment option will only apply to members who are unrated or at a 2.5 rating level seeking a 3.0 Club rating, and 3.0 rated members seeking a 3.5 Club rating. For any members seeking a 4.0 or higher Club rating, DUPR will continue to be the only option to achieve that level.
The SAPC Rating Committee will organize times, venues, seeded players and fee collection for these rating sessions based on Brenda's requirements at full cost to the member - Brenda's cost plus court time ($85.00 for an assessment training session and rating assessment or $55.00 for the rating assessment only plus court fees). Brenda will only assess 4 members at a time and she will contact the registrants to share their results.
If this rating assessment option is of interest to you - ie a skill based assessment instead of playing numerous games in DUPR to achieve or to improve your SAPC Club rating, please email rating@pickleballstalbert.ca. Depending on interest, these rating sessions could begin by late March or early April based on Brenda's availability.
In order to see how you can achieve various Club rating levels and to learn more about Skills Levels and Ratings, click on this link.
IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL MEMBERS: A DUPR RATING IS STILL REQUIRED TO REGISTER FOR ANY SANCTIONED TOURNAMENT.
Need for Tournament Volunteers
As noted in a recent e-mail to Club members, we need members to step forward to volunteer for SAPC events including currently scheduled Club tournaments. While we did receive a few responses (thank you so much!!), we could still use many more. For that reason, please once again read Eileen's plea for volunteers below:
Dear SAPC Members,
Thank you to everyone who has responded to our calls for tournament volunteers. We are grateful to the dedicated members who return year after year. This message is not meant to add pressure to them, but to invite many more members to join the team.
To be honest, we are still short of volunteers to safely run the June and August and September tournaments. Without additional help, some events may have to be reduced or cancelled. With a little help from many of us, we can absolutely make this happen together.
New members - if you have never been part of a tournament, this is a perfect place to start. Choose a simple task, volunteer with a friend, and learn how events work from the inside. Many members tell us that volunteering was the best way they met new playing partners and friends.
Our tournaments are some of the best days of the year - full of great play, laughter, and the community spirit that makes St. Albert Pickleball so special. These events only happen because members like you step forward.
Thank you,
Eileen McClean, President
From the Tournament Leadership Team:
TWO WAYS YOU CAN HELP -
1) PLANNING TEAM VOLUNTEERS – before the event
2) “DAY‑OF” VOLUNTEERS – during the event
As little as TWO HOURS makes a real difference. You can help even if you are playing by choosing a time when you are off court. Example 2‑Hour Shifts:
-
Welcome / registration desk
-
Court marshal and score reporting
-
Lunch and hospitality table
- 50/50 and prize draws
- Safety / first aid support
UPCOMING TOURNAMENT WEEKENDS
- Pickle Party Tournament – August 7–9 – Indoors
- Fall Fun Tournament – September 12–13 (rain dates Sept 19–20)
These weekends can only go ahead if more members step forward.
TEAMS YOU CAN JOIN
Social Committee Team – Lead: Ron Yanew. Focus: hospitality, food, prizes, and member experience—planning and day‑of roles.
Tournament Team – Lead: Art with support from Mark (Tournament Director). Focus: operations, registration, audio, draws, safety, set‑up/take‑down.
WHY VOLUNTEER?
- Meet new members and build friendships
- Directly support the club you enjoy playing in
Work shared is work halved—the more of us who help, the better the experience for everyone.
PLEASE REPLY BY MARCH 31. Reply to tournaments@pickleballstalbert.ca and tell us:
- Social Committee or Tournament Team
- Which dates you could help (June, August, September)
We will follow up with clear job descriptions and short meeting times - most planning will be online and efficient.
With appreciation,
Mark Nadeau, Ron Yanew and Art Au
St. Albert Pickleball Club
P.S. Even if you are playing in a tournament, you can volunteer between matches - many of the best helpers are players too!
Call for Expertise - Buildout of Club Facility
As members are aware, the Club is looking for its own "home" for member play. The Facilities Task Force has received membership approval to find an indoor facility that could be leased to the Club starting as early as this fall. Realistically, any facility that may become available will likely require considerable leasehold improvements/alterations/renovations to provide space that is suitable for 4 to 6 courts including washrooms, a lounging area, etc.
As this research and related efforts proceed, the Club believes it would be useful to seek expertise amongst our membership for individuals to volunteer in the following roles:
Project Management
Procurement Management
Architect/Draftsman
Master Electrician
Plumber
Professional Painters
HVAC Specialists
Security System Specialists
If members have experience and expertise in these areas, please express your interest by e-mailing our Vice President who is also a member of the Facilities Task Force by clicking here. Our goal would be to establish a "build out" team that could oversee the design, procurement and construction of the required site changes/improvements.
Club Membership Statistics
As at the end of January 2026 our membership consists of 571 members. Membership renewals began October 1st and continued until December 31, 2025. A significant number of SAPC members have not yet renewed their memberships and, as such, membership has temporarily fallen. While we don't encourage this, we know that many "snowbirds", for example, delay their renewal until their return in the spring or early summer.
A breakdown of our current membership by rating level follows below (with comparatives for the beginning of January/26):
Jan 6/26 Jan 31/26 (Current) Increase/(Decrease)
No Rating 135 157 22
2.5 Rating 37 40 3
3.0 Rating 93 100 7
3.5 Rating 173 180 7
4.0 Rating 71 80 9
4.5+ Rating 13 14 1
Total Members 522 571 49
Until next time, keep your paddle up!