In this issue:

Membership Cards	Rating System Update
Election of Board Members	Member Training
Membership Breakdown by Rating	Broken Balls

Membership Cards

In order to play at Club play sessions, members must be prepared to show their current, active Membership Cards to the session play captain.  This is particularly important at the beginning of a new calendar year given that memberships purchased prior to October 17th of this year expire on December 31, 2023.  For instructions on how to:

1.  Add a photo to your membership card

2.  Print a membership card, or

3.  Display your membership card on your smartphone

please click here as these questions and more are answered under the heading of "Member Help FAQ".

Rating System Update

As most members will appreciate and remember, the Club adopted a new ratings process back in the spring of 2023.  At the time, the Board advised members that the Ratings Committee that was established to implement and oversee the new process would report back to members regarding learnings associated with the rollout including feedback provided by members and, finally, to make changes if necessary.

Thank you

First of all - thanks must go out to Karen and Jeanine, our Rating Coordinators, for the many of hours of work they volunteered in order to plan, set up, oversee and administer our DUPR rating sessions - you did an incredible job especially considering that this was brand new to all of us!

The Numbers

Jeanine advised the Board that 168 members have received a rating and 18 members have 10 games towards their DUPR rating.  That is a big number and a great accomplishment in such a short period of time.

Feedback

Most of the feedback has been of the operational variety as our Rating Coordinators made changes to the paperwork, processes and administration of the DUPR play sessions throughout the year in order to facilitate and streamline those processes.

The other main point of feedback is that the Club is not offering enough DUPR rating sessions particular for those members aspiring to higher level ratings like 3.5 and 4.0.  As you can probably appreciate based upon the high concentration of members who are unrated and/or at the 2.5 rating level, most of our Club-run DUPR ratings sessions have been and will continue to be offered to those members in these groups.

Recent and Future DUPR Rating Sessions

As you will have noted, the Club recently held "Aspiring to 3.0" DUPR sessions at Bertha Kennedy on December 2nd.  Further rating sessions will be held on one Sunday each month at Red Willow from January through March.

Given the constraint of limited indoor venue space, the opportunities for members to achieve higher rating levels at Club rating sessions will be limited until the next outdoor season.  As many members are aware, members do have access to DUPR play through other organizations in the area and can also arrange their own DUPR play sessions if they are able to book courts on their own (please note that these self arranged and recorded games to do not carry as much weight as Club organized sessions within the DUPR algorithm).  That being said, non-Club DUPR play sessions, if reflected in the DUPR software system, may be used to modify a member's Club Rating as detailed on the SAPC website.

Registering for DUPR Rating Sessions

When the club is putting on a DUPR rating session members eligible for the rating session will receive an invitation.

We have noted that members are registering through the calendar even when they are not eligible (they do not appear to be reading the information on the registration page); this causes more work for our Rating Coordinators.

We ask that members not register through the calendar - only those who received an invite.  If you do not receive an invite for a specific DUPR session, you may not register for it.

If there are any questions the rating coordinators can be contacted.  Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

Election of Board Members

Treasurer - Laura Spencer 

Director at Large - Douwe Spriesma

A number of the Board positions are up for re-election so interested individuals may apply for these positions as follows:

President - Eileen McClean, will stand

Vice President -  Must be a St. Albert Resident (currently held by James Porter, will not stand for re-election)

Director at Large (Tournaments) - Ken Dentzien, will stand 

Director of Information and Membership - Art Au, will stand

Director of Communications - Roger Hutlet, will stand 

If a member is interested in any of these positions, they should first read the Job Descriptions available on the SAPC website which can be accessed from this link.  

Candidates seeking to put their names forward for one of these positions may contact any member of the nominating committee (see contact details below) with a short bio stating why they would like to be nominated for the position.  If more than one candidate applies for a position, a ballot will be held at the AGM.

Nominating Committee members currently include:
Kevin McClean at kmcclean@telus.net 
Cassey Campbell  at cassey7@icloud.com
Brenda Regehr  at brendaregehr54@gmail.com

A Nominating Committee report covering the candidates will be sent out to all members with the notice of the AGM in February, 2024.

Member Training

2023 Statistics

We are very happy to report that we have had another extremely successful year in player training.  Thank you Nicki and our amazing team of training volunteers for the many hours of work you have contributed to train our members this past year.  In total, over the course of 2023, the Club can report the following in terms of training sessions and member participation:

Type                       No. of Sessions              No. of Participants

Beginner                         59                                            348

Mentoring                      19                                            281

School Kids                       8                                            160 (approx)

Our members are extremely grateful for your dedication, patience and hard work!

Upcoming Mentoring Sessions

Speaking of training, there are four mentoring sessions coming up between January and April as follows: 

• January 20th for 2.5 (Note: the calendar will be changed so the 3.0 will play at 2:15 while ALL is cancelled)
• February 10th for 3.0 (there is no change to the February calendar)
• March 9th for 2.5  (Note: the calendar will be changed so the 3.0 will play at 2:15 while ALL is cancelled)
• April 20th for 3.0 (there is no change to the April calendar)
  

Membership Breakdown by Rating Level

Our Club continues to grow - we have welcomed an additional 26 members in just the last month!  We thought you might be interested in a breakdown of our ever-growing Club membership by Club Rating Level.  If you are, please see that breakdown below:

                               November           Dec (Current)      Inc/(Dec)

No Rating                  323                           341                      18

2.5 Rating                    16                              18                        2

3.0 Rating                  151                           155                        4

3.5 Rating                  245                           247                        2

4.0 Rating                  171                           170                      (1)

4.5+ Rating                  23                             24                        1

Total Members       929                          955                    26          

Please note that Club memberships purchased prior to October 17, 2023 will expire on December 31, 2023, so please renew your membership as soon as possible.  2024 memberships are now on sale and will expire on December 31, 2024.  For instructions on how to renew your membership, please click on this link.  Ensure you are logged in before going past the first screen.

Please note that if a member allows their membership in SAPC to lapse (e.g. doesn't renew until the spring), then the Club and the member will incur extra work to both delete and then re-add members to our other systems (Pickleball Brackets and DUPR).

Broken Balls

Do you ever wonder what happens to all those broken pickleballs?  You may be surprised and impressed to learn that these are donated for use in art projects!  For example, over 200 pickle balls are on display in art pieces in front of the payment office at Servus Place - pop by and check them out.  Thanks to Wally and Rachel Peltonen and Don Hamaliuk for making this happen!

Until next time keep your paddle up!   

In this issue:

New Daytime Indoor Venue Secured!	New Process for Red Willow Play
Volunteer Needed	Pickleball Improves Your Health
Membership Breakdown by Rating

New Daytime Indoor Venue Secured 

The Club has been fortunate to have access to another venue in St Albert.  The venue is called “One Possession Academy" and is located in Unit 50, 320 Circle Drive, St. Albert (in Campbell Park).  Way to go Eileen - our members appreciate all of the work you have done to research and negotiate for this space!

There will be several sessions offered for different levels of play at this new venue.  All of the play will be pre-registered as series play.  Very shortly you will be able to check the Reserved Play Calendar for the sessions that will be offered. In addition, please monitor your inbox for the registration opening and registration e-mails; this is likely to happen over the next couple of days. If registered play is successful, we will continue with pre-registered play at this venue for the months of January through March, 2024.

There are 2 beautiful courts, so 8 out of a maximum 10 pre-registered players will play each round - maximizing play time, while assuring at least 8 players are present for each session.  All play sessions will be for two hours and will include round robin play with other players at your level for five sessions.

Additional Details:

• Price $50 for the series ($10/session), plus GST (total $52.50), paid online at time of reservation.
  

• We must fill this series event play.  If the series does not fill, it will be cancelled and payments will be refunded.

• Member cancellations are not allowed after payment, but members may sell or transfer sessions to another qualifying member.  To be clear refunds will be made if the club cancels, but not for a requested member cancellation.

• One of the 10 successful registrants will be asked to captain and can lead the organization of the round robin play.

• If you are registered but unable to attend one session, please find a substitute member at your play level to take your place for that one session. Substitutions are allowed as we must keep the courts filled to ensure continual play for all.

See the Reserved Play page under the Play menu for instructions on making a reservation.

New Process for Reserved Play (Red Willow)

A new limitation is being implemented for Reserved play such that members may book one session time only for the following week; as you may know, registration opens at 12:01 am on Friday mornings.  If there are still open spots after 48 hours (Sundays at 12:01 am), you may book as many additional open spots as you like.  So for clarity, anyone registering between 12:01 Friday and 12:01 on Sunday may only reserve one spot during that time frame.

Please note that the Club will be monitoring adherence to this new procedure and will be in contact with any members who are not in compliance.  This change is being made to afford more opportunity for all eligible members to register for these limited number of reserved play sessions.

Volunteer Opportunity

The Club is offering an exciting new opportunity to any of our near 1,000 Club members to assist Laura Spencer, our esteemed Treasurer, with some of her administrative functions. 

The work that Laura would like to delegate to this volunteer role involves recording the number of stickers found on each sticker sheet (per venue per time slot).  This work is done once monthly once the completed "sticker sheets" are dropped off or e-mailed to the person responsible for this function (this is done by the play session captains within a few days of each month end).  Once all sheets are received, the numbers are entered into an Excel spreadsheet which forms the basis for the accounting of play revenue by venue.   You don't need any clerical nor accounting experience and Laura will train you and answer any questions you may have.

If you have interest in this role as a way of giving back to your Club in a very small way, please contact Laura immediately and directly by clicking here - Laura and the Club would really appreciate it!

Pickleball Contributes to Physical and Mental Health

Art Au suggested an excellent article from Kelly Campbell that speaks to the mental health benefits of playing pickleball.  Please see excerpts below and click on this link to see the full article.

From Kelly Campbell published online by TrackItHub:

As picklers, we all know that pickleball obviously makes us happier and healthier, but whether that’s mostly from our personal love for the game or from the act of playing pickleball itself can be hard to say. While we know that any type of physical exercise is known to improve mental health, there hasn’t been much concrete information about pickleball’s effects on mental health specifically––until now. Need another reason to justify your pickleball obsession to family or friends?  Here it is. 

In October a study came out that detailed pickleball health benefits using data from Apple Watch users. The study confirmed that not only did pickleball players experience better metabolic and cardiovascular health from its impressive workout, but they also reported less depression across the board.  

We agree that the pickleball phenomenon is worth taking a closer look at. It’s safe to say that no sport in recent years has had even close to the same amount of buzz and growth as pickleball. The numbers speak for themselves - according to the SFIA, pickleball participation has grown an average of 158.6% over the last 3 years. Today, about 37 million people play, and it continues to be the fastest-growing sport in the United States.

The Apple Heart and Movement Study (AHMS) compared pickleball and tennis using data from Apple Watch users who elected to be included in the study. The participants reported workouts, done for at least 10 minutes, labeled either pickleball or tennis between January 1st, 2021, and August 31st, 2023. Throughout the study, participant physical fitness was studied and compared. All participants were also invited to complete a quarterly health survey. As the study progressed, so did pickleball growth.  While tennis participants stayed stable year to year and season to season, pickleball growth among users continued to increase, regardless of the season.  By July 2023, the number of pickleball players surpassed tennis.

• Aerobic activity (like pickleball) releases endorphins, which boosts mood and reduces stress.

• Inclusivity - pickleball is safe for all ages and skill levels. This makes it easy to find someone to play with 

• Social connection - pickleball encourages community building and social interaction, which is good for mental health 

• Pickleball provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment, which is also shown to have positive effects on mental health.  Playing a sport and wanting to get better at it encourages goal-setting and practice. Winning and improving fosters a sense of pride, accomplishment, and positive self-esteem

• Pickleball is also linked to better brain health and cognitive function because it requires players to think quickly and strategically. Pickleball is a mind exercise in addition to a physical exercise because it uses problem-solving. Research suggests that playing pickleball will decrease the likelihood of cognitive decline, boost memory and processing speed, and decrease anxiety 

It’s obvious that we’re not going to stop dinking any time soon either way, but it’s always good to hear that the sport we love so much loves us back. Keep this study handy for your next pickleball elevator pitch at the dinner table. 

Membership Breakdown by Rating Level

Wow is this Club ever growing - we have welcome an additional 52 members in just the last month!  We thought you might be interested in a breakdown of our ever-growing Club membership by Club Rating Level.  If you are, please see that breakdown below:

                               October             Nov (Current)       Inc/(Dec)

No Rating                 300                           323                      23

2.5 Rating                    12                             16                        4

3.0 Rating                  136                          151                      15

3.5 Rating                  241                           245                       4

4.0 Rating                  168                           171                       3

4.5+ Rating                  20                             23                        3

Total Members       877                          929                    52          

Please note that Club memberships purchased prior to October 1, 2022 will expire on December 31, 2023, so please renew your membership as soon as possible.  2024 memberships are now on sale and will expire on December 31, 2024.  For instructions on how to renew your membership, please click on this link.  Ensure you are logged in before going past the first screen.

Please note that if a member allows their membership in SAPC to lapse (e.g. doesn't renew until the spring), then the Club and the member will incur extra work to both delete and then re-add members to our other systems (Pickleball Brackets and DUPR).

Until next time keep your paddle up!   

In this issue:

Membership Renewals/Pricing	Transition to Indoor Play
DUPR Update	Membership Breakdown by Rating

Membership Renewals/Pricing 

2024 memberships are now on sale (as of October 17, 2023) and will expire on December 31, 2024.

Fee Summary for 2024:

You will first pay $25 and a small processing fee to join Pickleball Canada and Pickleball Alberta, then adults will pay $52.38 ($55 with GST) to join SAPC for the 2024 membership year.  Youth members have a reduced SAPC fee of $12.38 ($13 with GST).

Please note that our annual fee is non-refundable.  

Transition to Indoor Play

As you have been previously been advised by e-mail, we are transitioning to indoor play and our school venues are now open.  As such, 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.  

Alpine Nets Coming Down

The Alpine nets will be coming down next week.  Our equipment will be placed in storage on Monday, October 23rd at 10:00am.  While the nets remain up members are welcome to play outside while the weather permits. 

Please contact Wally Peltonen if you can help on Monday - just text Wally at (780) 381-8286;  the more hands to help the easier the work!  

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 bring your stickers (see more about stickers below).  You will also need a pair of clean, indoor athletic shoes for your indoor play.  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.  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.  If you don't have stickers, they can be ordered from the online "Store" on the website by clicking on this link after signing in.  

Please note that 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.

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.

Reserved Play at Red Willow

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).  

Please note that registration play and attendance is capped at 12 members - 11 members who register and 1 spot for the session captain.  Registered play at Red Willow costs 2 stickers.  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.

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 8:45am.  - 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

There will be no visitors accepted for indoor play as space is limited and with over 850+ members we need the space for the members.

DUPR rating sessions

DUPR rating clinics will be held through out the winter months.

Level One Sports Venue - more information will be coming about this venue so stay tuned.

DUPR Update

The Rating Committee established by the SAPC Board met on October 12, 2023 to consider our recent recent learnings with DUPR and to consider changes in our ratings protocols and DUPR play.  Outlined below are the key learnings/outcomes from that meeting.

General Comments

First of all, it is important to recognize that DUPR is not perfect; nor is any other rating mechanism.  Recent changes to DUPR rating algorithms are not helpful in terms of creating confidence in the DUPR system.  That being said, however, it is the Club's determination that DUPR remains the most cost effective and viable basis for our Club ratings at least for now.  We are also hopeful that the expertise DUPR has, and the efforts DUPR staff are making will result in an even better rating system solution over time.

We also recognize some members' interests in skills-based improvement and feedback which is not available under the DUPR system as compared to an independent certified rating evaluation.  To this end, the Club will continue to offer some mentoring sessions and acknowledges that the Edmonton region continues to have multiple alternatives for those wanting more intensive mentoring and coaching.  We wish we could do more now, within our club, but we think we're doing well in this area given the resources (volunteers and venues) we currently have available to us.

Future DUPR Sessions and Ratings Related Decisions/Changes:

1.    Our Club may periodically offer two types of DUPR events this indoor season, depending on: (i) demand, (ii) sufficient volunteers to run sessions and enter scores into DUPR, and (iii) venue availability. The two types of DUPR events are:

•  "Aspiring To" events (have "Aspiring to" in the event title)
•   Other DUPR play events

Demand for some of this play may be initially gauged by means of a survey. We also expect the frequency of these events will be low as we learn of member's interest (demand) and our volunteer capacity. Check our Calendars frequently to stay abreast of opportunities, and please volunteer as a captain if you want to see more of these events. 

2.  Effective November 1, we are removing one restriction to  our "Aspiring To" events; specifically, members may now register for such events even if they already have 20 or more DUPR scored games.  Please also note the following:

• These events will still be restricted to those with a particular rating. E.g., "Aspiring to 3.0" events will only be offered to those with no club rating or with a 2.5 club rating
• These events will be available on a "first registered basis"
• See each event description for more detail; event descriptions can be seen by clicking on an event in one of our play Calendars

3.   We have simplified the process for having a DUPR or tournament rating recognized as a club rating:

• You can now apply anytime (not just on certain months and dates), and
• Effective October 14, 2023, you will now automatically get a rating under the following conditions - you play your 20th DUPR-rated game in a club-organized "Aspiring To" DUPR play rating session AND you did not previously have an SAPC Club Rating.

4.   All existing club ratings continue to be grandfathered. There is no imminent change to this policy.  This means that even if your current DUPR rating is above or below your current club rating, your Club rating will not be changed until and unless you ask for it to be changed.

5.    To be clear, clause 3 and 4 above specifically means:

• If you play your 20th DUPR rated game in a Club organized "Aspiring to" session and you previously had a 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 or other Club Rating, we will not change your Club Rating until and unless you ask for it to be changed.
• If you play your 20th DUPR rated game in a Club organized "Aspiring to" session and you currently have NO Club Rating, you will automatically be given one based on your most recent DUPR rating, within a few days of playing that 20th game;  there will be no exceptions in this regard.
• If you play your 20th DUPR rated game in another SAPC DUPR session (not an "Aspiring to" session) you will not have your rating adjusted until you ask for it to be changed.
• If you play your 20th DUPR rated game with other DUPR players, either on your own or at a non-SAPC event, you will not have your rating adjusted until you ask for it to be changed.
• To have your DUPR rating recognized as your Club Rating, at any time after your 20th DUPR game, you must ask for it to be changed.

For more info, see our updated content on these pages:

•  Skill Levels and Ratings
•  DUPR
•  SAPC DUPR Play FAQ

Membership Breakdown by Rating Level

We thought you might be interested in a breakdown of our ever-growing Club membership by Club Rating Level.  If you are, please see that breakdown below:

                               September          Oct (Current)       Inc/(Dec)

No Rating                  290                           300                      10

2.5 Rating                    12                             12               No Change

3.0 Rating                  132                          136                         4

3.5 Rating                  245                           241                       (4)

4.0 Rating                  160                           168                         8

4.5+ Rating                  19                              20                         1

Total Members       858                          877                      19                           

Until next time keep your paddle up!   

In this issue:

September Windup Tournament	Guidance for Social Media
Call for Indoor Captains	Club Statistics
A Message from Alex Martin

September Windup Tournament 

Just a reminder that we will be holding our fall windup tournament on Sept 16/17. This tournament is on Pickleballbrackets.com and registration closes at 8 pm this Sunday.  If you haven't already registered you should consider doing so as these events are always a lot of fun and a great way to meet and socialize with other Club members.

Guidance regarding Social Media Posts

As you may have noticed, some of our social media postings, especially in our WhatsApp groups are getting a little unruly and beyond the scope of Club operations.  As such, the Club has updated its electronic communications policy which can be access by clicking on this link.

While you must read the entire policy for complete guidance, we would like to highlight a couple of key extracts from our policy as follows:

All electronic communications must:

• be timely, appropriate and related to club business; 

• not be used to endorse people, products, services or organizations, unless approved by the board 

These two points are particularly relevant given the many recent ads that have been posted or been requested to be posted to our Facebook group page and our Club WhatsApp group chats.  What is important to note is that no service, entertainment or other event, or product may be advertised or offered for sale on Club Social Media.  The only exception as noted in the policy is the sale of used pickleball equipment by members (for example offering your used paddle for sale).   If pickleball related vendors or suppliers wish to advertise their products or services to Club members on these sites, they must have entered into official, signed sponsorship agreements with the Club as noted in our policy regard same.

After having read the full policy you are still unsure about an item you wish to post, please contact the Communications Manager.

Call for Indoor Captains

It is that time of year folks!

We need Captains for the following indoor venues for our upcoming fall and wither play.

Here is the tentative schedule planned starting this fall:

Monday  7:00 to 9:00 pm at Joseph Demko, Rating - 3.5

Monday  6:00 to 8:00 pm at Bertha Kennedy, Rating - ALL

Tuesday 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Bertha Kennedy, Rating - 2.5

Thursday 6:30 to 9:30 pm at JJ Nearing, Rating - 2.5

Friday 6:00-9:00 pm at Bertha Kennedy, Rating - 3.0

Friday 6:15 to 9:30 pm at Lois E Hole, Rating - ALL

Friday 6:00 to 9:00 pm at Holy family, Rating - 3.5+

Saturday  2:15 to 4:45 pm at Bertha Kennedy, Rating -  ALL

Wednesday 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Bertha Kennedy, Rating 4.0+

Wednesday 6:30 to 9:30 pm at Sister Alphonse, Rating - 3.5

Saturday 9:15 am to 12:00 pm at Bertha Kennedy, Rating -  4.0+

Saturday  12:00 to 2:15 pm at Bertha Kennedy, Rating - 2.5

Saturday 10:30 am to 1:30 pm at Joseph Demko, Rating - 3.5

There will be a Captains meeting on Tuesday. September 26th from 9:00 to 10:30 am and Tuesday September 26th in the evening from 6:00 to 7:30 pm.

If interested in joining the Captains team, please confirm your attendance by responding to the venuemanager@pickleballstalbert.ca stating which meeting you will be attending. 

Please note that you do not have been a past Captain in order to volunteer - training and all of the information you need to know will be provided to you.  The Club is very appreciative for the volunteer efforts of our past and current Captains and strongly encourages new members to give back to the Club by volunteering in this important role.

Club Statistics

Membership Breakdown

We thought you might be interested in a breakdown of our ever-growing Club membership by Club Rating Level.  If you are, please see that breakdown below:

No Rating - 290 

2.5 Rating - 12 

3.0 Rating - 132

3.5 Rating - 245

4.0 Rating - 160

4.5 Rating - 17

5.0 Rating - 2

Total current Club members = 858

Alpine Courts Play Breakdown

May Data:

2.5                 79 members played 

3.0               179 members played 

3.0+.              72 members played

3.5               519 members played 

3.5W             58 members played 

4.0+             297 members played

ALL  Play    213 members played 

Partner       310 members played 

70+                 71 members played 

Evening play

2.5 RR            47 members played 

3.0+ RR          68 members played 

3.5+ RR          72 members played 

June Data:

2.5                   68 members played 

3.0                 217 members played

3.0+              104 members played

3.5                 549  members played 

3.5W                41  members played 

4.0+               354 members played

ALL Play       138 members played 

Partner         244 members played 

70+                   65 members played 

Evening play

2.5 RR              49 members played 

3.0+ RR            67 members played

3.5+ RR          114 members played 

July Data:

2.5                   141 members played 

3.0                   155 members played 

3.0+                   79 members played

3.5                   480 members played 

3.5W                  40  members played 

4.0+                  233 members played

ALL Play          143 members played 

Partner            136 members played 

70+                      63 members played 

Evening play

2.5 RR                 17 members played 

3.0+ RR             106 members played 

3.5+ RR               79 members played 

(NOTE: More 2.5 sessions were added)

Other Summer Play at Alpine:

League ladies play - Mondays an average of 30 ladies played

DUPR 3.5 sessions - 47 members on average (10 sessions)

League Mixed Play - An average of 70 members played each session 

Total Number of Individual Plays in each month not including DUPR/League:

1985 in May

2051 in June

1655 in July

In Addition:

474 DUPR participants in these three months

360 Ladies League participants in the three months

840 Players participated in 4.0+ Mixed League Play in these three months 

Total members plays at Alpine was 7365 from May through July!  Yup, we're making good use of those courts!!

A Message from Alex Martin

A message to all members of the St. Albert Pickleball Club from Alex Martin:

A year ago I went into cardiac arrest while playing pickleball at the Hub. Fortunately, I was with a group of guys who reacted quickly and performed first aid on me; there was a AED machine there which the guys used to revive me, and they worked on me until the ambulance personnel got to the site to take over.  Because of the actions of these men, including access to the AED machine, as well as the fantastic medical care that I received at the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, I’m fortunate to be alive today  and very much enjoying life.  The people in the St. Albert Pickleball Club have been fantastic with all the support, care and friendship that they have shown to me - my family and I will always be grateful to all of you!

Until next time keep your paddle up!   

In this issue:

September Windup Tournament	Thanks to Sean McCartan
Passing of John Sandmoen	Westridge Community League Tourney
Drinking / Dehydration

September Windup Tournament 

We will be holding our fall windup tournament on Sept 16/17.  The format will be a blind round robin, with men's and women's doubles on Sep 16th and mixed doubles on Sept 17th.  This tournament will be on Pickleballbrackets.com starting August 23rd for registration. 

Please note that we would like to use this tournament to train some people to learn pickleball brackets and other positions for our sanctioned tournament next season. 

Please email Ken Dentzien at kendentzien@gmail.com if you would like help out with any of the following:

• Pickleballbrackets - entering game scores and sending out new games (not as complicated nor technical as it may sound)
• Registration desk
• Court runners 
• Announcing
• Court maintenance and setup the morning of the tournament

If you are playing, but still want to help out we will coordinate with your play schedule.

Training Paddles

A special thanks to Sean McCartan who regripped all of the Club's training paddles.  Thank you Sean for the generous donation of your time to make this happen - your hard work is truly appreciated!

Passing of John Sandomen

It is with great sadness (and with his family's blessing) that we announce the passing of John Sandmoen on August 12, 2023. 

John loved many sports including pickleball; he was a joy to play with, always encouraging and a great ambassador for the sport!  We will miss him on the courts.  John was 76 years old and is survived by his wife Lynda and 4 children.  Rest in peace John.

A public memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on August 25th, 2023 at the St. Albert Inn Guardian room.

Westridge Community League Tournament

In case you are interested, you may join the Westridge Community Leage for a pub night and doubles pickleball tournament (all levels welcome) on September 8/9th.  The proceeds from these events are in support of resurfacing their courts. For donation and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Gaby Sonego.

Event Details:

Pub Night Event - Friday, September 8, 2023 (7pm -11pm)

PB Event - Saturday, September 9, 2023 (Start Time: 9am)

Event Address: 505 Wolf Willow Road (Westridge Community League)

Entry fee is $40 for PB tournament.  Entry deadline is Friday, September 1, 2023

Format:

Register individually for the tournament

Each player will be guaranteed 5 games in a round robin format

Players will have a new partner each game (either female or male)

Each game score first to 11 points

Payments:

• Payment via E-transfer to: payments@wwwcccl.com

• Please include the following in the message section in your e-transfer: PB fee, player name, age, email, phone #, play level (beginner, intermediate, advanced or open), pub night (yes/no & other guest names)

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Don Mah  at 780.984.3223 or dmah617@gmail.com

Drinking / Dehydration

Please be reminded to drink plenty of liquids, particularly if you are 50 years or older in age. Bring plenty of water when playing pickleball, particularly when playing outdoors on hot summer days - like many we have had this summer.  I have included extracts of an article from a physician, Arnaldo Liechentstein on this topic below (thanks to Scott McDonald for suggesting and providing this information).  While this information applies particularly to those over 50, it is useful advice for everyone.

People over 50 generally stop feeling thirsty and, consequently, stop drinking fluids.  When no one is around to remind them to drink fluids, they quickly dehydrate.  Dehydration is severe and affects the entire body; it may cause abrupt mental confusion, a drop in blood pressure, increased heart palpitations, angina (chest pain), coma and even death.

People over 50 have a lower water reserve.  This is part of the natural aging process.  But there are more complications.  Although they are dehydrated, they don't feel like drinking water, because their internal balance mechanisms don't work very well.  

People over 50 years old dehydrate easily, not only because they have a smaller water supply, but also, because they do not feel the lack of water in the body.   So here are two alerts:

1) *Get into the habit of drinking liquids*.  Liquids include water, juices, teas, coconut water, milk, soups, and water-rich fruits, such as watermelon, melon, peaches and pineapple, orange and tangerine also work. The important thing is that, every two hours, you must drink some liquid. Remember this.  (Note: We recommend that you drink water after every game of pickleball that you play).

2)  Alert for family members: constantly offer fluids to people over age 60.  At the same time, observe them.  If you realize that they are rejecting liquids and, from one day to the next, they are irritable, breathless or display a lack of attention, these are almost certainly recurrent symptoms of dehydration. 

Inspired to drink more water now? 

Here is the link to his blog:

https://www.justwater.co.nz/our-blog/hydration-over-50-vital-for-good-health

Until next time keep your paddle up!  

In this issue:

Court Etiquette	Be on Time - RR/Ladder Play
Be Safe - Consider Eyeware	WhatsApp Etiquette Guidelines
New Rec Center/High Demand for PB

Court Etiquette

Given some recent incidents and behaviours noted in Club Play, we would like our members to read our Member Handbook and our Code of Conduct policy on our website by clicking here.  In addition, we ask that you thoughtfully consider and adopt the following appropriate behaviours:

1.  Follow the instructions of your play Captain and be courteous to the Captain and other players throughout the session 

2.  Be courteous, respectful, and HAVE FUN - for example,

   • Welcome newcomers
   • At the beginning of the game introduce yourself, if not familiar with your partner or players
   • Be patient with and encouraging of less skilled players
   • Compliment other players on the court including opponents
   • Always thank your opponents and your playing partner when the game is over
3.  Call the fault yourself if you or your partner land in the NVZ (kitchen)  on a volley.  Be cautious about calling kitchen or foot faults on your  opponents – let them call their own faults and don't question their line calls 
4.  When a ball is out of bounds, call “OUT” loudly, as well as using a hand signal with your hand/arm pointing up
5.  If playing a stronger opponent playing with a weaker opponent during casual play, hit to the stronger opponent often.  Don’t just play to the weaker opponent.  It will make you a better player plus keep the game interesting for all who are playing.  For the weaker opponent, work on shots that they can return and learn from.  (It’s not always about winning)
6.  Do not intentionally slam balls directly at beginner or intermediate level opponents; if one of your balls accidentally strikes an opponent, apologize immediately and try to better your control your balls returns
7.  Unsolicited coaching on the court is not recommended.  If someone is new or asks for your input, do so briefly being mindful of the flow of the game.  It is best to instruct on a specified court after being invited.

Be on Time for Scheduled Club Sessions

We request that all members understand the play parameters set out by the Club and Play Session Captains including, most importantly, showing up early and before the registration cutoff for each session.

Showing up late causes:

1.  Frustration and extra work for the Captain for both round robin and ladder play sessions including last minute/multiple adjustments 

2.  Frustration for those players who showed up on time by virtue of the extra work/delays noted in point #1

3.  Anger on the part of players who showed up late/after the designated cutoff time because they are told they cannot play

Specifically, in light of a recent sign-in issue at a 3.5 DUPR play session, we are hereby informing future participants in these sessions as follows:

If you register to play in 3.5 DUPR Ladder Play on Wednesday evening, it is imperative that you sign in with 1 sticker at the Club table by the Alpine storage area by  NO LATER  THAN 5:40 PM.

Here's why....

Many hours of volunteer time and effort go into DUPR sessions, before, during and after each session.

After sign-in, there's a flurry of activity in the 15 minutes just before the games begin, including assigning courts to all 50 players, preparing baskets, writing all score sheet for each court, and announcements.

Because of these required tasks, if you are late for sign-in, you will NOT be able to play that evening – SORRY.

Note:  Please think of the other players that showed up on time and are eagerly waiting to start play on time as well as your Captain(s) who volunteered their time to coordinate these sessions and don't deserve extra work nor to be verbally abused (see Court Etiquette points in the Article above - no profanity, insults, harassment, etc. will be tolerated and abuses will be documented potentially resulting in sanctions to members involved).

Safety

Just a reminder to play safe and to seriously consider playing with protective eyewear.

As noted in the aforementioned Member Code of Conduct under Safety:

Pickleball is a fast sport played at close range with your opponents.  The Club has had incidents where players have been hit in the eye and injured because they were not wearing protective eyewear.  To avoid retinal injury, we strongly recommend that players wear protective eyewear (eyeglass/frames at the very least) when playing to minimize occurrences of this all to common pickleball injury.

WhatsApp Communication

The Club and most members are very pleased with the WhatsApp groups that the Club has created and maintains to facilitate Club communication within various rating levels.  WhatsApp allows our members to stay in the loop with information tailored to their rating level even when they are out of the country (as it needs wi-fi only and does not lead to data usage under your mobile device plan).

If you would like to join a WhatsApp group that you are eligible for, please click this SAPC website link and scroll down to WHATSAPP to learn how to make your request to join.

While these groups have been very popular, the Club believes and has received feedback that some communication advice may be in order.  As such, the Club has created etiquette guidelines which have been posted to the website under Social Media and the topic "WhatsApp Group Etiquette" (same link as noted earlier in this article).

Please take time to review these points of etiquette and contact SAPC if you have any questions.  The Club will be monitoring communications within the WhatsApp groups and contacting members who "violate" the etiquette guidelines as warranted.

New Rec Centre  / High Demand for PB Courts

Great news!   A majority of St. Albert survey respondents support a tax hike for a new recreation centre as per a St. Albert Gazette story which can by accessed by clicking on the link below:

https://www.stalbertgazette.com/local-news/majority-of-survey-respondents-support-tax-hike-for-new-rec-centre-7050577

You will note that the Gazette article states that outdoor pickle ball courts were in high demand and a top priority amongst respondents based upon the survey recently conducted by the City.

We would like to thank all those members who heeded our suggestion and responded to this survey and expressed a need for more outdoor pickle ball courts - it appears that our voices are being heard!

Until next time keep your paddle up!  

In this issue:

3.5+ Mini Tournament/Barbecue	Members Tournament - June 10 & 11
Mentoring Sessions	Special Olympics
Outdoor Play	DUPR Rating Sessions
WhatsApp Groups	Condolences - Roger Lecuyer

3.5+ Mini Tournament/Barbecue Night - May 26th

We will be having our first "mini" fun tournament and barbecue night on May 26th.   The format will include the random assignment of partners for the evening.  Registration will open on Friday May 19th at 12:01 am which will be on the calendar on our website.  You will register individually as there will be a men's registration and a women's registration.

Space is very limited, but if it is full please sign up on waitlist as we might be able to accommodate more players.  Warm up and sign up will start at 5:30 pm with games starting at 6:00pm.  The cost is $10 per person and will include a barbecue after the games are done. 

Thanks Ken and Cassey and your helpers for organizing this mini tourmanent!

Members Tournament - June 10 & 11

Just a reminder to register for the members tournament being held on June 10/11.   We have lots of room for 2.5 players.  The tournament can be found on pickleballbrackets.com.  If you are unrated and do not know where you should play, please contact Ken Dentzien at kendentzien@gmail.com and he will help guide you.  This is a very fun weekend and a great opportunity to meet other members of our Club.

Mentoring Sessions

Mentoring sessions  will begin on Saturdays starting on June 3rd.  Check the calendar for details of when different levels will be available.  Mentoring will cycle through 2.5 sessions, 3.0 sessions, 3.5 sessions and, finally, 4.0 sessions.

Sign up for these mentoring sessions will begin a week ahead on Friday at 12:01 (so it would open late Thursday/early Friday a full week before the session).  For example, registration for the June 3rd session would open just past midnight on May 25th, June 10th just past midnight on June 1st,  etc.  Thanks to Nicole Currie  and her team of mentors for their work in organizing and/or participating in these valuable mentoring sessions.

Special Olympics

Starting May 23rd and until August 1st, Special Olympics participants will be playing on courts 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 - 8:00 pm.  This means that 3.0+ Round Robin will have courts 1, 2, 3 and 4 on those evenings.

Special thanks to Gary Cheetham and his team of coaches for their role in making these arrangements and teaching pickleball to these Special Olympics participants in St Albert. 

Outdoor Play

Play is well underway at the Alpine outdoor courts and we thank all of our volunteer captains who make these Club scheduled sessions possible for all of our members.  Speaking of captains, we ask all members to remember to thank your captain before leaving the courts after each Club play session.

DUPR Rating Sessions

Special thanks to Jeanine Au and Karen Cabot for all of the hours they have spent arranging, organizing and attending the many DUPR rating sessions that the Club has facilitated.   Remember if you have received an initial rating or a new rating, you will need to have a new membership card available to show play captains your new rating level.   We would like to also thank all those members who have participated in these sessions including our seeded volunteers.  We also appreciate all of the feedback we have received and will continue to incorporate your many good ideas whenever possible into future sessions.

WhatsApp Groups

We have fielded many questions from members regarding how to join the  WhatsApp groups that we have created for each rating level.  If you are interested in joining one of these groups and are eligible, please visit the Social Media page on our website by clicking here and request to join the appropriate group.  Please also note that our Social Media Coordinator, Peter Sha, will be going through all of these groups very shortly to verify that members of these WhatsApp groups are active members of the Club and only belong to the WhatsApp group that aligns with their current Club rating.   Finally, you should note that it is not a requirement to join these groups, but rather a privilege that helps you to communicate with members at your rating level to facilitate casual play arrangements, etc.

Condolences

The Club would like to let members know of the passing of Roger Lecuyer.  He and his wife Charmaine Ferstay were amongst the very early members of our Club and we would like to pass on our condolences on your behalf.

Until next time keep your paddle up!  

In this issue:

Final Call for Captains	Ratings Update
Outdoor Play	Referee Clinic
Upcoming Events / Play Sessions	Charity Tournament

Final Call for Captains

Thank you to those who have already volunteered to be captains.  However, In order to offer play sessions for a variety of levels we need to have even more captains volunteering.   We ask all members to consider stepping up in this role.  You may not be aware, but you don't need to captain every single session for a particular play type or time slot; in fact, especially for larger group sessions, we like to have a couple of co-captains where captaining responsibilities are shared.   Even if you would like to be an occasional or "spare" captain, you should attend one of the captains meetings which are scheduled for next week as follows:

April 18th  6:30 - 8:30 pm - Red Willow Church 

April 19th  9:00 - 11:00 am - Red Willow Church

If you are even considering being a captain this spring/summer, please attend and respond advising which of the two meetings you will be attending.

Ratings Update

As announced recently, the SAPC ratings freeze is over and a new Club ratings framework has been adopted.  In conjunction with these developments, the Club has updated the SAPC website to explain all of these changes.  We recommend that all members read through these webpages at your earliest convenience to familiarize yourself with our new policies and processes.  A couple of points to note based upon inquiries received:

1.  DUPR Sessions are underway and the first one was held successfully on April 9th.  Thanks to Eileen, Karen and Jeanine for organizing, James Porter for creating the round robin sheets for score recording and our seeded player volunteers for agreeing to participate in these sessions.  Eligible members aspiring to achieve 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 Club rating levels will receive e-mails announcing future DUPR Rating Sessions as they open for registration (one to two weeks before each session).

2.  If you are interested in attending a DUPR Rating Session, please do not register for one of these sessions until you have set up a DUPR profile.  Instructions on how to do so are included on the SAPC website under Skills Levels and Ratings and the subheading "SAPC DUPR Play FAQ" (you may access by clicking here). 

3.  With the ratings freeze now over we will accept IPTPA ratings up to the 3.0 level including those from Mike Dingwall at EVP.

Outdoor Play

We are all very excited about outdoor play including Club organized play at the Alpine outdoor courts.  Thanks to the team of volunteers who are cleaning those courts today - your time and effort is very much appreciated!

Club play at the Alpine courts will begin May 1st with the Outdoor Play Calendar to be posted on the SAPC website as early as next week.   

Referee Clinic

We will be hosting a referee clinic on Saturday,  May 13th which will run from 9:00 am to about 2:30 pm.  If you are interested in refereeing or just want to learn the rules, please contact Ken Dentzien for more information.

Upcoming Events

SAPC Fun Tournament June 10/11 - Members Only

Registration will open on Pickleballbrackets.com for this "Summer Kick-Off" tournament on April 20th at 6:00 pm.  Information regarding tournament is now up on pickleballbrackets website; click here if you are interested.  If you have not joined St. Albert Club on pickleballbrackets you must do so before you can register.  This tournament is for SAPC members only and will not affect any of your tournament or club ratings.  

Ladies Ladder League (3.5+)

We are once again having Ladies Ladder League for 3.5 plus ladies players.  These will be held on Monday nights starting at 6:00 pm.  The cost is $10 for the season and registration will open on pickleballbrackets.com on April 19th at 6:00 pm.  Click here if you are interested.

4.0 Plus Team League Play

We are planning on trying something different this season and will be having a 4.0 plus team league. Teams will consist of 10 players each and each week teams will play against other teams in men's, women's and mixed categories. Once we compile a list of all players wanting to join the league, we will have a draft to form the teams.  The cost of this will be $10 per player for the season. These sessions will take place on Thursday evenings.  Please email Ken at kendentzien@gmail.com if you would like to play in the league, be a captain for a team or be a spare for the league.

Charity Tournament

The 1st Annual Feisty Pickles Charity Tourney, in support of Breathing Space, Canada’s 1st home away from home for lung transplant patients and families, will be held from May 5 to 6th, 2023 at the EVP Centre, Edmonton, AB.  This two day charity event will be fun and competitive!

On Friday, May 5th come out and cheer on local Celebrities & Pickleball Pros; there will be music, free food & beverages plus a great auction.  Saturday, May 6th will be a fun & competitive round robin event - there will be swag bags for each participant, medals, auction, food trucks and more.   

Click here if you are interested.

Until next time keep your paddle up!    

In this issue:

Call for Captains	Lifting of the Ratings Freeze
DUPR Rating Sessions	Recruiting - Membership Director
Referee Clinic	Upcoming Tournaments

Call for Captains

In response to our call for captains for outdoor play at Alpine we have the following so far:

Type of Play          Number of Captains

    2.5 Level                              4

    3.0 Level                              3

    3.5 Level                            12

    4.0 Level                              5

      All Play                               4

  Partner Play                          1

Thank you to those who have already volunteered.  However, In order to offer play sessions for a variety of levels we need to have more captains volunteering.   We ask all members to consider stepping up in this role.  You may not be aware, but you don't need to captain every single session for a particular play type or time slot; in fact, especially for larger group sessions, we like to have a couple of co-captains where captaining responsibilities are shared.   Even if you would like to be an occasional or "spare" captain, you should attend one of the upcoming captains meetings which are scheduled as follows:

April 18th  6:30 - 8:30 pm - Red Willow Church 

April 19th  9:00 - 11:00 am - Red Willow Church

If you are even considering being a captain this spring/summer, please attend and respond advising which of the two meetings you will be attending.

Please also note that to date requests have been made for the following types of play sessions (in addition to the "traditional" play sessions the Club offers):

• paddle play. 

• round robin play, 

• sessions for 60+,

• sessions for 70+,

• sessions for playing up and down , example (2.5-3.0) (3.0-3.5) (3.5-4.0)

Lifting of the Ratings Freeze

As announced in a recent e-mail, the SAPC ratings freeze is over and a new Club ratings framework has been adopted.  In conjunction with these developments, the Club has updated the SAPC website to explain all of these changes.  We recommend that all members read through these webpages at your earliest convenience to familiarize yourself with our new policies and processes.

That being said, I will once again reference some key points and provide links to the aforementioned pages below.

Now that the freeze is over, how do I get a Club rating change?

Members will ask for a Club rating adjustment by emailing "rating@pickleballstalbert.ca" on or immediately before (within two days) each of the following dates: January 15, March 15, April 15, May 15, June 15, July 15, September 15 and November 15.  In your e-mail, specify whether you would like a Club rating adjustment based upon your CTPR, your IPTPA rating or your DUPR rating.  The requirements for achieving the rating levels of 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 vary and are specified on the Club's Skills Levels and Ratings webpage.  

The Club will review each request as follows:

1.  By the 20th day of the month, the Club will look up the member's CTPR or DUPR rating and games played or evaluate the IPTPA certification (in the case of IPTPA, submit your evaluation paperwork with your request).

2.  By the 26th, the Club will adjust the member's consolidated Club rating in their member profile if warranted.

Please note that some rating types are dynamic and can change even if a member is not playing.  In the case of CTPR and DUPR, your rating must be above the threshold of the desired Club level (eg. 3.500 DUPR for a 3.5 Club level) on the day/time we look it up.

It is important to note that SAPC members with current Club ratings will not have those ratings affected by this new framework, and that our adoption of the Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR) will not affect those members in any way.  We are simply changing our policies and processes related to those members who want a Club rating or desire to achieve a higher Club rating.

DUPR Rating Sessions

As noted on the Club's website, a Club rating is required to play in SAPC organized play at and above the 3.0 level. One way of getting or advancing your Club rating is to play in sessions that will be recorded by the Club in DUPR; such sessions will provide you with some of the games needed to get a qualifying DUPR rating (20 games in total are required as noted above).

Each play session is open to SAPC members wanting to attain a DUPR rating at the level specified and possessing the skills likely to achieve that level. The Club will send out event invitations to selected groups of members who qualify to attend each particular event, based on members' current Club rating or lack thereof (ie not to the entire membership). 

We have no preset time when each session will be open for registration as we want to avoid the dreaded, automated "midnight" openings.  Rather, all eligible members will be notified at the same time, via e-mail, one to two weeks before each session -  so, if you are interested, keep on top of your Club e-mails!  Registration will take place on a first come, first served basis.

What will these DUPR play sessions run by the Club look like?

• Play will be round robin format, play to 11, or until time is called, whichever comes first.

• The fee will be 1, 2 or 3 stickers depending on the venue, payable at the event.   Stickers must be purchased in advance. (link to Store).

• Before registering for this event, you must have a DUPR profile (account) and you must join SAPC on DUPR. See the SAPC DUPR Play FAQ for more info.

• If you cannot attend after registering please cancel your registration at least two days in advance using the process specified at Reserved Play. If canceling within two days, email rating@pickleballstalbert.ca.  

• Players are asked to arrive 10 minutes before the start time to sign in, pay with stickers and warm up.

• We recommend that registrants read all SAPC webpages at and under the menu page Skill Levels and Ratings. Questions not already answered on those pages may be directed to rating@pickleballstalbert.ca.

• A session leader will oversee the recording of all game scores, and the Club will enter all game scores into DUPR within a week of play. DUPR will adjust players' DUPR ratings within a week of score entry. 

• There is no sticker charge for the volunteer, seeded players assigned by the Club to participate in these sessions; these players already have a DUPR rating, have a pre-reserved spot and do not need to register online (once again, the Club is so grateful to these members for volunteering in this capacity!).

• Please be patient as this is new to all of us; we will take learnings from each step and play session and modify our processes as required going forward - your feedback is welcome.

Vacancy - Membership & Volunteer Director

Please be advised that Carol Mah, our Membership & Volunteer Director recently resigned from her position.  The Board would like to acknowledge the many contributions Carol has made in this role over these past several years.

We are now recruiting for an individual to take over this role and Carol has graciously offered to assist in this transition.

The job description for a Club Director and the role of the Membership & Volunteer Director can be accessed by this link.

If any member has interest in this role, please send an e-mail to our President, Eileen, by clicking here and she will get back to you to discuss.

Referee Clinic

We will be hosting a referee clinic on Saturday,  May 13th which will run from 9:00 am to about 2:30 pm.  If you are interested in refereeing or just want to learn the rules, please contact Ken Dentzien for more information.

Upcoming Tournaments - Save the Date!

Please note the following dates for our 2023 Tournaments.  Please put these dates into your calendar and start to make your plans to attend as a participant or volunteer:

June 10 to 11 - Members Only, Fun Tournament

July 14 to 16 - Sanctioned Tournament

September 16 - Members Only, Fun Tournament

If you or someone you know would like to be a sponsor for one or all of these upcoming tournaments, please let Roger or Ken know.  You can find the opportunities available by clicking here.

Until next time keep your paddle up!    

In this issue:

New Board Members / Volunteers	Referee Training
New Equipment Coordinator	DUPR Player Volunteers Needed
Termination of Level 1 Sports

New Board Members / Volunteers

As you are aware, we held our Annual General Meeting last night.  We would like to thank all members who joined the Zoom meeting and contributed their time, questions and comments.

During our meeting a number of Board member changes and appointments to key volunteer positions were approved.   

First of all the new (current) Board of Directors is as follows:

President - Eileen McClean (incumbent)

Vice President - James Porter (incumbent)

Treasurer - Laura Spencer (formerly Ray Keroack)

Secretary - Jenna McCully (formerly Douwe Spriensma)

Communications Director - Roger Hutlet (incumbent)

Director of Membership and Volunteers - Carol Mah (incumbent)

Director at Large - Ken Dentzien (incumbent)

Director at Large - Douwe Spriensma (formerly Tamas Virag)

The Club would like to thank all the new incumbents for their willingness to stand for election and to volunteer their time and skills to the Club in these capacities.  As well, words cannot properly describe the gratitude of the Board for the contributions of Ray and Tamas in their Board of Director roles over the past many years.  Finally, we thank Ray for taking on the role of technology lead going forward, to Tamas for staying on the technology team and to Douwe for staying on as a Director at Large.

Other Key Positions Elections

Ombudsperson - Mike Bowen

Auditor - Lawrence Taylor

Nominating Committee Chair - Kevin McClean

Nominating Committee Members - Brenda Regehr, Cassey Campbell

The Board would like to thank Gerry Gartner and Jenna McCully for their past service and contributions to the Nominating Committee.

Referee Training

The Club would like members to be aware of the following referee training opportunities:

1.  Learning to Mark the Scoresheet

For those members who would like to learn how to mark a Pickleball scorecard properly, please attend the zoom meeting below (please note it is 5:00 pm Arizona time which is 6:00 pm our time).

The National Leader of Officiating is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting as follows:

Topic:  Referee Training Session 1 -  Marking the Scoresheet
Time:  Mar 13, 2023 5:00 PM (Arizona time)
Join Zoom Meeting:  https://us06web.zoom.us/j/7728339865
Meeting ID:  772 833 9865

2.   Referee Clinic

We will be hosting a referee clinic on May 13th.  If  you would like to become a referee or want to learn more about the rules, please email Ken Dentzien at kendentzien@gmail.com (as well as to register and get more information).  There is no cost to take the clinic.

New Equipment Coordinator

Mark Nadeau expressed interest in leaving the Equipment Coordinator role that he has held and performed admirably in for several years.   As such, the Club recruited Wally Peltonen to take on this role.  We would like to thank Wally for volunteering to take on this position and Mark for doing a great job in this capacity during his tenure (together with his may helpers).

DUPR Player Volunteers

In terms of the logistics for the upcoming DUPR Rating Clinics described in a recent e-mail to members, it makes sense to run the first clinic for those members who would like to achieve a 3.5 Club Rating (for clarity this would include unrated players and those who currently have 2.5 or 3.0 Club Ratings).  As noted in the DUPR implementation plan, this requires at least one and possibly two player volunteers who have a current DUPR (Non-Provisional) Rating between 3.25 and 3.75.  The Club is aware that several of our members fall into this category and would ask that they step forward and participate in some of the early DUPR Rating Clinics which are likely to take place indoors in early April.  If you meet the criteria and are willing to volunteer in this way, please e-mail our Rating Coordinator team (unless you have done so already).  

Level 1 Sports Termination

In case you have not heard, our contract with the Level 1 Sports venue has not been extended.  Unfortunately, our members did not sufficiently support this venue and without that support we can no longer offer this venue despite a variety of play options at this site.

Thanks to those who did attend the sessions at Level one and kept it open for over three months.

Until next time, keep your paddle up!