News & Announcements

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Posted June 29, 2022 - Railway City Pickleball Tournament Aug. 14. 2022
It's back!  The 5th RCPT is coming to Pinafore Park this August. The flyer & registration form are posted above.

Posted June 20, 2022 - 5th Annual STPC Skills Event Coming Up
When: Rescheduled to July 10, 2022 from 9 am to noon. Where: Pinafore Park Courts.
This is a fun event for club members which will test each player's ability on 8 different pickleball skills. Players are divided into teams of 4 or 5. Each team must complete all 8 skills with individual scores being tabulated to arrive at a total team score for the 8 activities. Highest team score wins. The public is invited to watch this event at the Pinafore Park courts starting at 9 am on Sunday, June 26, 2022. All 8 courts will be reserved from 9 until noon. See you there!

Posted May 2, 2022 - STPC Annual General Meeting
Attention all STPC members. The Annual General Meeting of the St.Thomas Pickleball Club is scheduled for Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.  The location will be the Lakeside Pavilion at Pinafore Park.  Additional information regarding a  light lunch for attendees will follow.
We are currently looking for two new Board members for the upcoming year.  If you are interested in being considered for a position on the Board of Directors please let us know so your name can be added to the slate. 
If you would like to suggest amendments to the Club's Constitution they must be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting (by 17 May 2022).  The Constitution is posted on the Club website:  http://www.stthomaspickleball.ca 

An agenda and additional information regarding the meeting will be forwarded prior to the AGM.

Posted Nov. 8,  2021 -  New Rules for 2022
For months now, social gatherings and social media alike have been abuzz about all the proposed new rules and rules changes coming down the pike.
Just to give you a quick 2021 rules recap:

The USAP Rules Committee received a total of 71 suggested changes (after consolidation of like items) from the public. All those proposed rules changes were given to the IFP Rules committee to start the process of deciding which rules to keep, change or get rid of.
33 of the 71 proposals were recommended by the IFP Rules committee for consideration by the USAP Rules Committee. When the USAP Rules committee then did their review and decided which ones to recommend, they passed 19 on to the USAP Board for their consideration of approval.
Of those 19 presented to The USAP Board, they accepted and passed 18 of those 19 proposed changes.

This isn't the full 18 below, but it is the ones that we've been talking about all year.  They are written in my words, so don't shoot USAP if you don't like the really clever remarks. :)
1. The Drop Serve will be made permanent as written in the 2021 Rulebook.
2. Spin Serves using a combination of the paddle, paddle hand, or non-paddle hand to impart spin on the ball are outlawed. The proposed rule is: “The server shall use only their one hand to release the ball to perform the serve. SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE CHAINSAW SERVE AND OTHER EXCESSIVE SPIN SERVES ARE GONE.   YOU CAN SPIN THE BALL AS MUCH AS YOU WANT AS LONG AS YOU DO IT WITH JUST YOUR TOSSING HAND.  The ball cannot touch anything else that would help impart more spin.  Exception: A player who does not have the use of their non-paddle hand may use only their paddle hand to release the ball to perform the serve, or use only their paddle to toss or drop the ball to perform the serve.”
3. The “Covid Serve” allowing a player to carry the ball on their paddle during the serve is eliminated. (with the exception noted in #2 for players who do not have use of their non-paddle hand)
4. Rally Scoring was rejected; only Side-Out Scoring is permitted. Common sense prevailed and TV will actually love us for it.  But I covered that reasoning in last week's eNewsletter.
5. Wrong Score Called: Stoppage of play due to wrong score called will result in a fault on the player that stops play. The new rule is: “If the server or referee calls the wrong score, once the serve is made, play should continue to the end of the rally and the correction made before the next serve. Player comments about the score during the rally should be ignored. A player who stops play after the serve is made will have committed a fault and shall lose the rally.”
6. Wearing of Headphones or Earbuds is not allowed except for prescribed hearing aids.
7. Verbal Warnings may be given by a Referee for other infractions in addition to profanity.
8. Player Questions about score, correct server/receiver, correct position are combined into one rule allowing any player to ask any of these questions  Use these questions to your benefit.  Don't ever serve or receive with out being sure you are in the right spot and are the correct server or receiver.
Oh, and a few that did not make the grade:
1) Reinstating “Let” serves. They are here to stay.
2) Return to “Zero-Zero-Start.  Nope.  0-0-2 wins out again.
3) Smaller court size for Singles. We make the court much smaller, we can call it a table.
4) Two serves per server like tennis.  This is why the drop serve is here.  Makes it easy to get a single serve in the box.

All the new rules and changes go into affect January 1st, 2022.

Posted June 13, 2021 -  Rule Changes for 2021

There are 5 rule changes that every player should be aware of. For an explanation of

each change, the reason for the change & the impact it will have on the game please

click this link: https://pickleballnexus.com/2020/12/five-2021-pickleball-rule-changes-that-will-affect-everyone/

Posted Oct. 26, 2020 - SWOPS Poster:  Click on Poster to Enlarge

Posted Oct. 2, 2020 - St. Thomas/Elgin County Committee To Promote SWOPS Centre

The St. Thomas/Elgin County SWOPS Committtee was established on Sept. 31, 2020 to promote the new 13 court pickleball & squash centre planned for southwest London. The immediate goal is to involve all pickleball enthusiasts in our area by encouraging them to complete the SWOPS Survey & donate to the cost of the feasibility study. Please take 5 minutes to complete the survey. There are no strings attached & it will help the main steering committee to determine if the project should move forward. 

For complete details read the promotional email below. Links are provided to the survey & other valuable information.

Dear Fellow Pickleball Enthusiasts,

Welcome to the most exciting pickleball initiative to take place in our area since the beginning of the sport. You can do your part to make this a reality by giving us five minutes of your time.

Unless you have spent your days under a rock you must have heard by now that Pickleball is the largest growing sport in NorthAmerica! A common issue however is that community infrastructure has not been able to keep up with the growth. St. Thomas is lucky to have outdoor courts at Pinafore Park however there is an extreme lack of indoor facilities in all communities. Indoor multi-use cramped poorly lit courts which are being offered in some locations are subject to availability and the whim of the community centre. Did I mention that you can change pickleball as we know it today with only five minutes of your time?

There is an initiative underway for a new indoor pickleball facility, with 13 dedicated pickleball courts! You read that correctly “indoor dedicated pickleball courts”! The exact location of this gem is expected to be in south west London close to the 401 corridor. This facility will have proper lighting, proper court surface, pickleball court lines only, heated in the winter, air conditioned in the summer, permanent nets and a court divider system for uninterrupted play. That information was just about the courts!

This new facility is for pickleball players of every level. There will be a Pickleball Director who will facilitate youth programs for those 6 years and up, intro clinics, lessons, ladders, tournaments, social round robins and of course personal court bookings.

This may all sound too good to be true but it is not! The success of stage one of this endeavour, called the Feasibility Study will be measured in survey responses. It has been determined that we need about 2000 survey responses to prove the interest in this world class facility located in your backyard! The steering committee for this endeavour wants to build this facility with all the components that are most important to YOU! This is where you come in with your five minutes to fill in the survey to let us know what is important to YOU. Please go to www.swopsc.ca/survey! As if you don’t already have enough incentive; filling in the survey gets you one-month FREE membership!

If you are as excited about this as we are and you would like to be an Ambassador for this mind blowing venture then please go to www.swopsc.ca/survey and fill in your name and email address to receive your Ambassador Kit!

The feasibility study costs are significant but are necessary to prove to all the large stake holders that the players really want this facility. If you would like to contribute to the $20,000 cost of the feasibility study please go to donation@swopsc.ca.

We are contacting you as the St. Thomas/ElginCounty SWOPS committee. Since this is the first contact we have made we will let you know who we are so you can contact us at any time to share your excitement, ask questions and give us your ideas! 

Posted Sept. 25, 2020 - Fabulous New Indoor Facility Planned for Southwest London
Looking for a great non-profit venture to donate some funds to. Plans are in the works for the SouthWestern Ontario Pickleball

& Squash Centre to be located in southwest London near Lambeth. Watch the video clip for details. 

Photos & video relating to pickleball were all taken at the Pinafore Park outdoor courts with the assistance of players from the

St. Thomas Pickleball Club. This facility will be within easy driving distance of St. Thomas & will feature 13 dedicated pickleball 

courts in a year round climate controlled indoor environment.

The SWOPS CENTRE will be a great addition for St. Thomas players & deserves your support. Information on how to donate can be 

found on the SWOPS website at:  https://swopsc.ca

Posted Aug. 19, 2020 - STPC Notice of Annual General Meeting 2020

·         Where: Lakeside Pavilion in Pinafore Park 

·         When: August 25, 2020  5:00 pm. 

·         Who May Attend:  Any member who has paid their 2020-21 membership fee. This includes regular

members & NAM’s.  If you have not already paid the $15.00 fee and wish to renew your membership please send

an e-transfer to: stthomaspickleball@yahoo.ca or mail a cheque payable to the St.Thomas Pickleball Club to

our Treasurer, Jill Noad at 102 - 2 Wood St. St.Thomas ON N5R 4HK or bring with you to the meeting.

Meeting starts promptly at 5 pm;  Agenda, financial statement & amendments to the Constitution have 

been forwarded to all members. 

Please advise by 22 August, 2020 if you will be attending.  If you plan to attend please bring copies of the 

agenda, financial statement & amendments to the Constitution that were emailed to all members.   Also     

bring your own chair as the City has not provided any picnic tables in the pavilions this summer.

Posted Aug. 3, 2020 - More Good News Re Play @ Pinafore Courts

Doubles Play & Club Play Resumes at Pinafore - but take care (see below in red)

The City has approved our reserved club playing times (Monday 9am - 11am,  Wednesday 7pm - 9pm, Saturday 8:30am - 10:30am)  at the outdoor courts at PInafore Park until 30 September 2020.  Members who wish to play at these times are welcome to use the 6 reserved courts at their own risk. 

Although the club has always encouraged inclusivity in play, due to potential transmission of COVID19 we are asking that you limit the number of people with whom you play.  As we all have varying degrees of comfort regarding possible exposure to the virus, each of our "bubbles" may be different (family, friends, social).  Your comfort level will determine how many potential players you may play with.  As indicated in previous correspondence from Pickleball Ontario, it is a good idea to keep track of who you play with to aid in contact tracing, if necessary.

The City has provided hand sanitizer at the courts.  If you wish to take additional precautions (i.e. sanitizing balls and/or paddles) as previously recommended, you will need to bring your own supplies (sanitizing wipes or spray).  Although masks are not required they can be worn for additional protection.

We ask that you play responsibly and be considerate of other players and their choices.  Maintain social distancing of at least 2 metres as much as possible when playing and waiting to play (on benches).  We all want to stay safe so we can continue to enjoy the game.

With the resumption of outdoor play we are requiring that all members who wish to renew their memberships do so prior to the Annual General Meeting scheduled for 25 August, 2020.  The fees for the outdoor season (2020/21) have been set at $15.00.  We encourage payment be made by e-transfer to stthomaspickleball@yahoo.ca.  Cheques made payable to the St.Thomas Pickleball Club can also be mailed to the club Treasurer, Jill Noad at #102 - 2 Wood Street, St.Thomas ON N5R 4K9.  Fees for indoor play will be determined if/when we secure the gymnasium at St.Joe's.

If you have any questions regarding the above information please contact any member of the Board of Directors.  Thank you,

STPC Board of Directors

Posted July 26, 2020 - Update on COVID Playing Restrictions from May 22 Post (see below)

As part of Ontario's Phase 3 step to reopening, all 8 courts at Pinafore can now be used for SINGLES PLAY ONLY.

The washrooms at Pinafore Park will also reopen on Aug. 8.

Posted June 6, 2020 - What Are You Waiting For, Go Hit Some Balls At Pinafore

The Board of Directors of the St.Thomas Pickleball Club have decided, in support of those most in need in our communities, 

to make monetary donations to the St.Thomas Elgin Food Bank (The Caring Cupboard)  ($500), the Port Stanley Community 

Cupboard ($250) and the Grace Café ($250).

The St.Thomas Caring Cupboard food bank has been our charity of choice for a number of years.  Because our opportunities

to collect non-perishable food items through donations at tournaments and special events will likely be curtailed this year due

to COVID-19 we thought a monetary donation would be the best way to help.  If you wish to donate to the St.Thomas Elgin

Food Bank you can do so in person at 803 Talbot St., St.Thomas, by mail at PO Box 20025, St.Thomas ON N5P 4H4, or

on-line at www.stthomaselginfoodbank.org 

We have quite a few members who reside in Port Stanley so the food bank in the village was included in our donation.  They

are located at the Christ Anglican Church, 203 Colborne St., Port Stanley N5L 1B9 if you wish to make a donation.

The Grace Café in St.Thomas is a completely volunteer and donation funded organization that provides meals, free of any

charge, to some of the most vulnerable people in our community.  Donations can be dropped off or mailed to Grace Café,

323 Talbot St., St.Thomas N5P 1B5.  Hours are 8 am - 1 pm Mon. - Sat. (10-11 am best time for in person donations).

We would encourage all of our members to donate what they can to local charities to help those most affected during these

challenging times.  We realize there are many very deserving organizations that would benefit from some additional support.

The Board of Directors hope all members and their families are well and coping with the restrictions and uneasiness during

this period of social isolation.  We miss seeing our Pickleball Pals!  Stay safe.

Lyle, JiIl, Pam, Jan and Catherine

STPC Board of Directors

Posted Apr. 22, 2020 - Just For Laughs - You Gotta Watch These

Miguel Encino has way too much time on his hands during lockdown! But he has some great 

videos posted on YouTube. Here are three just for laughs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJJlbU-QnCE

https://youtu.be/7fBBIcyXOUM

https://youtu.be/Vbu31bIUrCE

Posted Apr. 22, 2020 - STPC Couple Show Dinking Skills on CTV Breakfast Television

Posted Apr. 22, 2020 - April Newsletter from Pickleball Canada

Posted Apr. 21, 2020 - Pickleball Withdrawal Symptons Pt. IV

Posted Apr. 11, 2020 - Pickleball Withdrawal Symptons Pt. III - Fabulous video!

How many big name players can you identify in this video?

Posted Apr. 11, 2020 -  Pickleball Withdrawal Symptons Pt. II - More Indoor Play!

Posted Apr. 3, 2020 -  Pickleball Withdrawal Symptons Pt. I - Do this indoors!

Posted Mar. 7, 2020 - Trivia Contest For STPC Members, Mar. 26, 2020

NOTE: This event is cancelled due to COVID-19

WHERE:  Port Stanley LegionWHEN:  Thurs. March 26 2020TIME:  1 pm - 5 pmCOST:  No chargeREFRESHMENTS: The bar will be openWHO CAN ATTEND:  All regular members & NAM members (first 25 to sign up). Spouses who are not members may attend this & other selected events by  taking out a Non-Playing Affiliate Membership (NAM) for the annual fee of $10.WHAT DO I BRING:  An appetizer/snack + food donation for food bankREGISTRATION:  RSVP to stthomaspickleball@yahoo.ca by March 23 2020

Posted Feb. 6, 2020 - London To Get New Outdoor Pickleball Courts?

This article appeared in the Londoner on Feb. 6, 2020. The exponential growth of the sport is mentioned as well

as the possibility that London will be getting new outdoor courts in the not-too-distant future.  Read the complete

article at: https://www.thelondoner.ca/news/local-news/london-in-a-pickle

Posted Jan. 3, 2020 - Draft of Parks & Rec 10 Year Plan Now Available

A draft of the 10 Year Plan for the St. Thomas Parks & Rec Dept. has just been released. The document should

be read in it's entirety to see all references to pickleball & to the need for more recreational opportunities

for seniors as that part of the demographic increases in the next decade or two.  The link to the entire draft can

be found here: https://www.stthomas.ca/positionedforgrowth.

Responses to the draft must be sent to growth@stthomas.ca by Jan. 24 & a public open house session will be held at

the Memorial Arena on Wed. Jan. 15 from 6-8 pm.

The key references & recommendations to pickleball are included below. Please note that these are only recommendations

which will need to be adopted by city council. The plan does mention that all but 13% of the previous 10 year plan's goals 

were achieved by the city. 

1. Key references to outdoor pickleball facilities:

St. Thomas has been at the forefront of pickleball growth and development in the province, as one of the first municipalities to invest

in a dedicated pickleball complex. Municipal provision of dedicated pickleball courts was not considered in the original 2008 Master Plan

as it emerged after this time. However, given the tremendous growth of the sport in St. Thomas, a community and sport-specific

provision target is now recommended. St. Thomas’ population is growing, particularly in the older adult age cohort (a common age

group for pickleball participation) and popularity of the sport continues to expand. To reflect the unique demands of the pickleball 

community in St. Thomas, a provision target of one pickleball court per 4,000 residents is recommended. 

This target should be reassessed regularly due to evolving participation patterns. The City currently supplies one (1) outdoor

pickleball court per 4,864 residents, suggesting that the current courts are at capacity and demand for additional facilities exists. Application

of a 1:4,000 provision target equates to future demand for12.0 outdoor pickleball courts and indicates long-term need for four (4) additional

pickleball courts by 2041. Local pickleball enthusiasts have demonstrated sufficient demand to warrant provision of additional

indoor (discussed in Section 5.3.2) and outdoor play opportunities. Development of future outdoor court facilities should be considered

for the north end of St. Thomas; this was identified as a distribution gap and geographic barrier by stakeholders. Additionally, future court

facilities should be developed in a minimum of 2-court pairings (both tennis and pickleball), preferably as 4-court complexes (for pickleball only)

to accommodate league play, drop-in opportunities and social interaction among players. Single-court developments are not recommended;

although a single tennis court may be installed on a site paired with multiple pickleball courts. 

Recommendation #33

Develop four (4) additional pickleball courts (short-to-medium term) and one (1) additional tennis court(long-term).

Development should be designed in multiple court complexes (and / or multi-sport designs), preferably in the north end of the City.

2. Key references to a new indoor gymnasium:

Survey respondents also indicated program and activity gaps for both volleyball and pickleball due to a lack of indoor facilities.

Those supporting development of a municipal gymnasium further indicated that the facility would support use by multiple indoor court sports

including volleyball, pickleball, basketball, badminton and more. Gymnasiums were highly-supported by survey respondents, ranking

8th out of 25 listed facilities with support for additional investment from 79% of contributors. Investment in community meeting/event

space was supported by 64% of survey respondents, ranking 13th of the 25 listed facilities. These results indicate interest in and support for

indoor recreation facilities in St. Thomas. The survey results were further supported by consultations with stakeholder groups,

particularly regarding investment in a municipal gymnasium. Court sports were well represented during stakeholder consultations.

Representatives from local pickleball, volleyball and basketball organizations were present to discuss demand for an appropriately-sized

gymnasium facility in the City. Each of the organizations represented discussed growth in their sport accompanied by difficulty accessing

suitable and consistent facilities. Many discussed sport-specific design requirements, such as regulation ceiling heights, setback distances

between court perimeters and surrounding stanchions/walls, and multi-court/competition ready facilities. Concerns were expressed over

the current lack of access to gymnasiums, and inconsistent access to external providers. This gap hampers usage and program function

for active indoor recreational pursuits. It is expected that projected population growth for St. Thomas will further increase demand for multi-use

recreational facilities. A common provision rate in comparable municipalities across Ontario is one municipal gymnasium per 50,000 residents.

Considering population projections for St. Thomas (increasing to 52,700 by 2041), it is recommended that the City initiate a feasibility study and

site selection process in the medium-to-long term to assess options and viability of a multi-use recreation facility. Timing and priority may be

influenced by future planning for an indoor aquatic facility and / or new private recreation (i.e., YMCA of Southwestern Ontario) development.

 It is important to consider external service providers to avoid duplication of services and market-saturation.

Recommendation #46

In the short-term, prepare a feasibility study and site selection to assess options and viability of a multi-use recreation facility

containing flexible spaces capable of supporting multiple sports and activities (e.g., gymnasium, meeting rooms / multi-use spaces, etc.)

Posted Nov. 21, 2019 - Items From the Nov. 5 STPC Director's Meeting

1. A thank you will be sent to the rec dept. for the improvements made at the Pinafore

Park courts this year.  This includes the addition of a washroom & the paving of the parking lot.

 A request will be also included for additional garbage/recylcing containers near the pickleball courts.

2.  Thanks go to St. Thomas Wendy's for donating $500 for naming rights to next year's high

school tournament. Here is the logo for the 2020 tournament:3. 2020 dates for all club events at Pinafore Park plus our request for reserved playing time have beensubmitted to the rec dept.
4. The trophy that was announced at the AGM to honour retiring President

Dave Hall has been purchased & will be called the Dave & Helen Hall Cup.

This will be presented annually to the team with the best overall record at the

high school tournament.

Posted Sept. 20, 2019 -  "Pickleball" Now Officially a Word

Merriam-Webster just added 530 new words to the pages of it's dictionary. We can all rest easy as the word "pickelball"

is now officially a word according the M-W. The only question is....what took so long? Here the link to the news item:

https://www.abc-7.com/story/41071482/merriamwebster-adds-new-words-to-the-dictionary

Posted Sept. 8, 2019 - Great Day At the Iron Horse Tournament Sept. 7, 2019

Congratulations to everyone who participated in the STPC Iron Horse Invitational Pickleball Challenge yesterday in St. Thomas.

The weather co-operated & everyone had a great day. 

Prize money for top three players in each division was $200, $100 & $50. Winners as seen in the photos above were:

Men's:  1st -  Bob Butnari (centre) 2nd - Larry Whitnell (right) and 3rd - Ralph Hackbarth (left)

Women's:  1st - Heather Cannom (centre)  2nd - Joyce Reid (right) and 3rd - Sandy Perryman. (left)

Group photos of all 24 players are posted to the slideshow on the main page of this website.

It's interesting to note that 6 women were still jockeying for 2nd and 3rd place at the end of round 10 (Heather had 1st sewn up by that time).  Also, 5 men were still jockeying for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place after the end of round 10. There were a number of ties that were decided by calculating the total point differential for each player.

Thanks also go to the club conveners & those club members who assisted with the organization & running of this event. It was a job well done.

Posted July 2, 2019 -  50 Players Enjoyed Our Canada Day Pickleball Event

Click to enlarge photo

Posted June 28, 2019 - Canada Day Pickleball

Posted June 22, 2018 - 4th Annual STPC Railway City Fun Tournament Aug. 17, 2019

Click on flyer to enlarge

Posted June 16, 2019 - Fun Time Had By All Players At 2nd Annual STPC Beginner Tournament

Posted May 28, 2019 - High School Tournament A Big Hit

Posted May 27, 2019 - Beginner Pickleball Tournament June 15, 2019

                                       Click on flyer to enlarge

Posted May 11, 2019 - STPC 3rd Annual Skills Competition Lots of Fun

It was a great day for 36 club & non-club players at the Pinafore Park courts. When the smoke cleared

Team 4 consisting of Lyle McLean (Capt.), Clayton Watters. Al Pretty, Richard Lenz & Brenda Cairns

topped the score sheet. Second place was taken by Team 6 - Jan Sykes (Capt.), Rod Nicholson, Valentyna 

Stevens, Valerie Stone & Vern Huston. Third place honours went to Team 1 - Marianne Campbell (Capt.),

Catherine Upfold, Harold Berger, Chris McQuiggan & Dwayne Pyper.

Nine players are $5 richer as they hit the money cones for some extra cash.

70 lbs. of non-perishable food items & $15 in cash were collected for the local food bank.

Thanks go to the Conveners & others who helped make this event possible.

Posted Apr. 13, 2019 -  CBC Reports on Toronto Cup Pickleball Tournament Apr. 12-15

Posted Apr. 11, 2019 - May 10 Deadline For Input to Rec Dept. Master Plan

Attention Pickleball Players:  You have until May 10 to have your say in the St. Thomas Parks and Recreation Master Plan which will guide 

decisions over the next 10 years. As a pickleball player or supporter this is your opportunity to tell the city that we need better indoor 

facilities for our sport and other indoor sports.

You can do this by completing a 10 minute survey and by using the interactive recreational map of the city

at: Social Pinpoint - St Thomas Parks & Recreation Master Plan Study

Remember, if you don't participate you can't complain about decisions that are made later.

The Executive,

St. Thomas Pickleball Club

Posted Feb. 13, 2018 - STPC Mini Tournament At St. Joe's Mar. 5/18

Attention All STPC Members (regular members & PAM's)

You are invited to sign up for a mini fun tournament to be held at the St. Joe's gym.

This tournament will help you perfect certain elements of your game.

Where: St. Joe’s Gym

When: Monday, March 5. This is a regular playing night but the courts will used for tournament play only.

Time: 6:30 pm to conclusion

Cost: No charge. Open to all regular members & PAM's.

Format:  

a) Teams of 4 players will be selected by the Convenor

b) Play a total of 6 games (two with each of your team members)

c) Rally Point Scoring (either side can score a point on each rally not just the serving team)

d) First team to 15, win by 1 is the winner 

e) You will be required to play 3 different types of games with each game concentrating

     on a different skill e.g. the serve, the backhand & the lob. The details on each of

     these will be explained by the Convenor prior to the start of play.

Registration:  If you want to join in the fun please respond by Fri. Feb. 23 to stthomaspickleball@yahoo.ca OR give your name to

Clayton when you see him at St. Joe's.

Questions? – talk to Clayton Watters at the gym or email him at cdwatters2017@gmail.com

Posted Feb. 8, 2018 - Pickleball Expanding At Greenhill's in Lambeth

Hi Pickleball Enthusiast,

LOOK What's New at the Club.......for PIckleball Players

Free Introductory Pickleball clinics: Wednesday, February 21 from 11:30am to 12:30 & Saturday, March 3 from 12:30 to 1:30pm with coach Michael Brandon.  Register for this clinic on line as space is limited, in the 'Programs' then 'Adult Lessons' section. Members and Non Members are welcome.

Expanded HOURS for Pickleball Play Policy:

- Tennis Club members may book the court up to 7 days ahead

- Non Members may book up to one day ahead (bookings start at 8:30am precisely day before)

- Pickleball can NOW be booked any hour that the club is open provided the court is available

- There are a few loaner paddles at the club if you would like to try this fun game

- $4 per player for 2 hours during normal 'Pickleball Hours' 11:30am - 4:30pm Weekdays & 12:30 to 4:30 Weekends.

NEW: For All hours outside of these 'Pickleball Hours' - $4 per player whether 2 hours or ONLY 1 hour is booked due to availability.

TABLE TENNIS - We have purchased a high quality new table tennis table with paddles to be used when you are at the club. The table will be located in the upper viewing area in the 'glassed' section behind court #2. Equipment is to be borrowed and returned to reception.Reminder: The club will close at 4:30pm on Family Day, Monday, February 19.

Visit www.totaltennis.ca/london to learn more about the club and to sign up for pickleball - Free Clinics (once on website clibk on "Non Member" Registration)...space is limited.

Posted Jan. 21, 2018 - Games Night @ The Legion Jan. 19 = Lots of Fun

Posted Jan. 3, 2018 - Board Games & Cards Night Coming for All STPC Members

First - Happy New Year to everyone!

With play cancelled at St. Joe's on Fri. Jan. 19 the STPC will substitute a games night at the Port Stanley Legion from 7-9 pm.  All regular members, NAM's and PAM's are invited to attend. This event was held last Jan. and a fun evening was enjoyed by everyone. 

Cost is $2 to cover the cost of snacks etc. The club will cover the rental cost for the room.

The room holds 35 people so the first 35 to send a reply to stthomaspickleball@yahoo.ca will get to join in on the fun.

We hope to see you there,

The Executive 

STPC

Posted Nov. 15, 2018 - STPC Christmas Party is Coming to St. Joe's on Mon. Dec. 18

All regular members & NAM's are invited to attend the STPC Christmas Pickleball Party

at St. Joe's on Dec. 18. 

Come out for a fun evening of play & socializing but remember to bring:

a) Your festive hat or outfit to show your Christmas spirit

b) A canned food of dry food item for the local food bank

c) Some Christmas snacks or treats to share with your fellow club members

Posted Nov. 15, 2018 - New Place to Play Pickleball for St. Thomas & London Area Players

The indoor tennis facility at Greenhill's Golf Club in Lambeth is under new management. The STPC met with the new manager and he has agreed to paint lines for 2 pickleball courts on one of the indoor tennis courts. 

If you are interested in making the short drive to Greenhill's to play pickleball here is what you need to know.

1. Opening Day: Monday, Jan. 3, 2018.  

2. Number of Courts: 2 indoor courts with portable nets. More may be added next September if there is sufficient demand. 

3. Cost: $4 per player for a 2 hour session tax included. 

4. Booking A Court: This is not drop in play. Players must book a court for two hours Mon.-Fri 11:30 to 4:30 pm & weekends 12:30-4:30 pm. Get a group of 4 or more players together and call 519-652-5033 ONE DAY IN ADVANCE OR THE DAY OF to reserve your court.

5. Nets: Players may be required to put up & take down the portable nets depending on when they are playing. 

6. Facilities:  Washrooms are available but no showers.

7. Rules:  Water is allowed on the courts but no food or other drinks.

Come Have A Look: Players are welcome to see the facility. Drop in and have a look anytime during regular hours.

Posted Oct. 26, 2017 - St. Joe's Pickleball Season Starts With Halloween Special

Unofficial STPC play starts at St. Joe's on Mon. Oct. 30/17 with our Halloween Pickleball Night. This will be our third

Halloween special so feel free to dress up and show up next Monday @ 6:30 pm. This event is open to both regular

members and NAM members. There will be a prize for best costume.

Official club play for regular members will commence on Fri. Nov. 3/17. 

Regular members please read the following carefully before coming out to play at St. Joe's on Nov. 3:

1. Again this year play will be on Monday 6:30-9:30 pm & Friday 6:30-8:30 pm. A loonie will NOT be collected each

evening as that is now covered by your membership fee. As in the past, the two box system will be used from

6:30-8:30 pm on Monday & Friday.  Open play will be on Monday 8:30-9:30 pm. INITIAL THE ATTENDANCE SHEET

EACH NIGHT AND KEEP TRACK OF YOUR ATTENDANCE. YOU MAY REQUEST AN UPDATE ON YOUR ATTENDANCE BUT

DO NOT RELY ON THE EXECUTIVE TO KEEP YOU INFORMED OF YOUR STATUS.

2. 40% Rule.  As per our Constitution, you must attend 40% of the St. Joe's sessions in order to renew your

membership next June.  Oct. 30 is an unofficial play date....the 40% rule is in effect starting Nov. 3/17. There

are 43 official play dates scheduled at St. Joe's between Nov. 3/17 and Apr. 30/18. It may be longer if we can't

move outdoors to Pinafore by May 1. In order to renew your membership next June you need to participate for a

minimum of 17 out of the 43 play dates.

3. Exemptions:  If you are ill or injured for an extended period or are on an extended travel vacation, this time will

NOT be counted as part of the 40% participation requirement. As approved at the AGM, there is a change from last year. 

You must be absent for a minimum of four consecutive playing sessions before you can apply for an exemption.  

For your convenience, an Absentee Notification Form has been added to the club website at: 

http://www.stthomaspickleball.ca/contact-us .  If you are eligible for an exemption, fill out the form and

click Submit. Exemption requests should be submitted as soon as you know it is needed NOT at the end of the year.

Corrections to an exemption request can be done by submitting another form if necessary. Let us know by email if you

 have any problems using this form. 

It should be noted that at the end of June anyone who does not meet the 40% requirement is still eligible for a

Non-Playing Affiliate Membership (NAM). A $10 fee would apply and would go to support club goals. NAM's can

participate in most special events organized by the club, attend the AGM, etc. A NAM membership is easily worth

the $10 and we currently have over 20 NAM's.

4. To protect the gym floor, please change into your court shoes once you arrive at the gym.

5. PAM Memberships: Currently we have 50 RPM's (Regular Playing Members).  Optimum number for play at St. Joe's

without extended waiting time is about 35 players per night.  We will be offering some temporary

memberships (PAM's - Playing Affiliate Memberships) again this winter once we know how many club members are

away for the winter months.

We look forward to another successful season and hope to see everyone at St. Joe's on Oct. 30.

The Executive

STPC

Posted Oct. 9, 2017 - Great First Season For STPC At the New Outdoor Courts

Attention All STPC Members:

The outdoor season at Pinafore will soon be over.  As noted in the list below, this has been a busy first season since the

outdoor courts opened on June 30.

1. Club reserved play was scheduled on 6 courts for 2 hours every Mon., Wed. & Sat.

2. Three instructional clinics lasting 2 hours each, were held on July 29 for 36 participants.

3. The Railway City Tournament was held on Aug. 26 with 84 participants.

4. A Skills Event was held on Sept. 30 for 35 participants.

5. Three sets of beginner lessons were held between Aug. and Oct. with a total of 48 participants.

6. A two hour Try It Session was held for a retired teacher's group (Elgin RTO) on Sept. 13.

Off the courts, 35 golfers had a fun day at The Bluffs playing in the 2nd Annual STPC Pickleball Golf Tournament on Sept. 9.

Thank you to everyone who participated in any of these events but a special thanks goes out to the executive and other club

members who worked hard to make these events a success.

In September an arrangement was negotiated with a local supplier for purchasing paddles and court shoes. Of Courts in

London now offers substantial discounts for group orders placed by the STPC and will also give discounts to club members

who purchase equipment directly from their store. Make sure you mention that you are an STPC member if you go to their

store at Richmond & Oxford.

We are hoping to meet with the Rec Dept. to review the first season of play at Pinafore and make suggestions for

improvements etc. If anyone has suggestions please forward them by return email to our club address.

Thanks again for a great summer. Outdoor play will continue until the weather forces us indoors. Information on the

winter season at St. Joe's will be coming shortly.

Dave Hall

President

STPC

Posted Sept. 30, 2017 - STPC Skills Event Today At Pinafore Courts

Congratulations to the 35 pickleball players who participated in the STPC Skills Event today at the Pinafore Courts. Each of the 8 courts provided players with an opportunity to test themselves on a different skill. Everything from the serve, drop shots, dinking, overheads, forehands, backhands, return of serve & lobs was included. Participants were able to accumulate points by hitting targets or lose points by hitting out balls. Five courts included a "money cone"....players could instantly win $5 by hitting the designated cone. This was as much a fun event as it was competitive. The top three point scorers were: Larry Whitnell (82 points), Dave Hall (79 points), Barb Gonyou/Rick Hodges (tied at 75 points). All received $15 gift certificates for STPC pickleball apparel at Union Sports in St. Thomas. In addition, six participants managed to hit a cone and take home $5 each. 

Thanks go to the club convenors who organized this event. Several boxes of food were collected as admission was free

with a donation to the local food bank. 

Posted Sept. 17, 2017 - STPC Test Your Skills Event On Sept. 30, 2017

Posted Sept. 15, 2017 -  STPC Equipment Discounts for All Local Players

The 40 or so golfers who participated in the 2nd Annual STPC Golf Tournament at The Bluffs on Sept. 9 had a 

great time. It was a weather perfect day & the operative word was fun as everyone enjoyed the best 

ball scramble with some pickleball elements thrown in for good measure. A tasty meal was served up by

the Bluff's staff and this was followed by a draw for door prizes with a pickleball putting contest closing out the day.

The Champion's Trophy was won by the team of David Loucks, Bryan Van Patter, Rick Hodges & Larry Whitnell.  

Other prizes winners included:  closest to the pin prize Bryan Van Patter, longest putt Bob Graham & putting contest

Sharon Harbaruk.

Thanks go to Convenor Rick Hodges & also to the staff at The Bluffs for all their hard work in putting this together.

Posted Aug. 27, 2017 - Railway City Tournament Makes CTV News & Local Newspaper

Our tournament on Aug. 26 was featured on the CTV London News. You can see the feature

at:  http://london.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1196328

A feature also appeared in the St. Thomas Times-Journal at:

 http://www.stthomastimesjournal.com/2017/09/05/new-st-thomas-courts-attract-more-than-80-players-for-weekend-tourney

Posted Aug. 12, 2017 - National Pickleball Day Celebrated in St. Thomas

Posted Aug. 11, 2017 - London Store Expands Pickleball Inventory

Of Courts (https://ofcourts.com/) in London is under new ownership and they are expanding their pickleball inventory. For example, they stock the new line of Head pickleball paddles and

there have been some excellent reviews of these paddles.  Until Sept. 26 they are offering a 13%

discount on all in store products. The discount can be obtained by using promo code STPB13.

Posted Aug. 4, 2017 - STPC Golf Tournament Coming Up On Sept. 9

Attention All St. Thomas, Aylmer, Port Stanley & Area Pickleball Golfers:

Posted July 27, 2017 - STPC Clinic Held At Pinafore Park 

Posted July 12, 2017 - 4th Annual General Meeting of the STPC Was The Best Yet

A lot of positive comments were heard last night after the club AGM. 54 club members and 2 guests had a great time at this event which was

held at the Lakeside Pavilion in Pinafore Park. The turnout was the best the club has had in the 4 years that the AGM has been held at Pinafore.

The business portion of the evening featured a financial & membership report from Treasurer Jill Noad. President Dave Hall summarized club activities

from 2016-17. A number of amendments to the club constitution were passed and a board of directors consisting of Dave Hall, John Harbaruk,

Cynthia Rutledge, Jill Noad & Catherine Upfold was approved for the 2017-18 year.

A number of items were also raised under the New Business part of the agenda. Peter & Barb Burtoft are moving to Mexico and they were presented

with a card & best wishes by V-P John Harbaruk. A draw for a table full of great door prizes was held at the conclusion of the business portion of the meeting. 

Some rather hilarious entertainment was provided by Peter Burtoft & Vern Huston. It seems that Peter is a singer and Vern had Morris Livermore suing the club because his wife Mavis gave him up for a bad ass biker. Vern, assisted by Joyce Blair, Kay McLean & Jan Nicholoson, also demonstrated the many uses of the new water bottle holding apparel presented to President Dave while also presenting him with a fabulous pickleball crown.

The potluck that followed was unbelievable & members were invited to finish off the evening with play at the nearby Pinafore courts. 

Thanks to everyone who made the AGM an enjoyable, fun experience which combined business & socializing. This only served to emphasize what we already knew......pickleball players are a great bunch of people!

Posted July 12, 2017 - STPC Court Storage Box For Sale  ****SOLD NOV. 2017

Posted May 29, 2017 - St. Thomas Players Compete in London Pickleball Tournament

Congratulations to a group of St. Thomas pickleball players who competed in the London Tournament, May 27-28 at Fanshawe College.

1. Participating STPC regular members & PAM members included: Peter Burtoft, Marianne Campbell, Robin Hewson, Rick Hodges, Bob & Chris McQuiggan, 

Pam Moore, Bernie Peschutter, Catherine Upfold, Lyn Levandoski (Silver medal in Open Women's Doubles), Richard Lenz & Larry Whitnell.

2. Non-Club players included Wes Bogart & Scott Elliott (Bronze medal in Men's Double 3.0 rating level). 

Posted May 26, 2017 - Dates Changed for two Events and Set For Two Others

1. The July 18 grand opening of the new Pinafore courts has been cancelled as tennis pro Daniel Nestor is no longer able to attend.

     A new date for the ribbon cutting ceremony will be announced as soon as the courts are completed.

2. The STPC Annual General Meeting date has been changed to Tuesday, July 11. Details to follow.

3. The date for the Railway City Pickleball Tournament will be Aug. 26. All 8 courts at Pinafore are reserved. This tournament is

     open to all Elgin County players. Details to follow. 

4. The STPC Pickleball Golf Tournament is booked for Sept. 9 at The Bluffs in Port Stanley. Again, this is open to all area players.

Posted Apr. 21, 2017 - Civic Award For Two STPC Members

Posted Apr. 11, 2017 - Bits and Pieces from Apr. 9 Club Executive Meeting

1. 2017 AGM set for July 11 @ Pinafore Park

2. Official ribbon cutting ceremony for new Pinafore courts to be announced.

3. Spring lessons:  Apr. 22 class is full, with a few spots left for our Apr. 29 class

4. Three major club events returning in 2017: OSGA Dist. 31 tourney (June 3), STPC Railway City Tournament

Aug. 26 & STPC Golf Tournament Sept. 9 at The Bluffs. These events are open to all area players not just club members.

5. Discount Paddle Order: Apr. 22 is the deadline to order your club discounted paddle

6. STPC recommended balls for club play: Outdoor - Durafast 40 (neon), Indoor - Onix Pure 2 (orange)

Posted Mar. 20, 2017 - Florida League Winners Includes STPC Member

Left: Apex Pinnacle  Middle: Paddletek Element (first & seconds) Right: Paddletek Tempest (firsts & seconds)

1.    Apex Pinnacle - Website price:  $77.74 (includes HST & shipping).   

Check it out at:  https://www.pickleballdepot.ca/products/apex-pinnacle

Club Price = $60 (22.8% discount). Includes HST & shipping.

2.    Paddletek Element Second (red only) Very Limited Availability.  Minor surface imperfections. Playability not affected.

Website price: $90.34 ea. (includes HST & shipping). 

Check it out at:  https://www.pickleballdepot.ca/products/element-factory-seconds

Club Price = $70 (22.5% discount). Includes HST & shipping. Limited Availability.

3.    Paddletek Element First (4 colours) – No blemishes. Website price: $112.94 (includes HST & shipping). 

Check it out at: https://www.pickleballdepot.ca/products/paddletek-element 

Club Price = $90 (20.3% discount). Includes HST & shipping.

4. Paddletek Tempest Wave Graphite First - Website price: $146.84 (includes HST & shipping)

Check it out at:  https://www.pickleballdepot.ca/products/tempest-graphite 

Club Price = $118.00 (19.6% discount). Includes HST & shipping.

5. Paddletek Tempest Wave Graphite Second - Website price: $101.64 (includes HST & shipping)

Check it out at:  https://www.pickleballdepot.ca/collections/seconds-and-demos/products/tempest-factory-seconds 

Club Price = $90 (11.4% discount). Includes HST & shipping.

Posted Mar. 7, 2017 - STPC Spring Beginner Lessons Scheduled for Apr. 22

Join the pickleball craze and get ready to play at the new outdoor courts in Pinafore Park this spring. It's easy to learn, fun, good 

exercise, very social and inexpensive.  

When:  St. Joe's High School Gym, Sat. Apr. 22 from 8:30-12:30 pm

Cost: $20 for 4 hours of instruction & play

Class Size:  the first 16 beginners to register are guaranteed a spot, extra classes will be added subject to demand

Format: Introduction, how the game is played, rules, different shots, practice drills, learning resources plus 2 hours of

coached playing time. You will be playing the game before the class is finished.

Paddles:  Paddles & balls are supplied. Different paddles are discussed. Group paddle orders through our club receive

a 20-25% discount.

Who Can Register:  Any Elgin County resident 18 years of age or older.

Registration:  You must register in advance. The first 16 are guaranteed a spot. To register, send an email to 

stthomaspickleball@yahoo.ca 

Posted Feb. 16, 2017 -  STPC Membership for 2017-18 Includes Tips Booklet

Posted Feb. 3, 2017 - Photo Op in Florida

Posted Jan. 27, 2017 - Want a Mexican Pickleball Vacation?

Canadians are playing in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Lake Chapala/Ajijic and a brand new resort dedicated to pickleball (10 courts) is opening Mar. 1, 2017 on the Baja Peninsula - www.trespalapasbaja.com 

Posted Jan. 27, 2017 - Some Clarification On the Ball Approval Fiasco

The Pickleball Central Blog has a rather lengthy posting which clarifies recent news about ball approvals and the "conditioning" of new balls. Anyone who wants to take the time to read the blog should click here.

Posted Jan. 15, 2017 - Jugs Indoor Ball Saga Continues With Provisional Approval

Posted Nov. 24, 2016 - A Fun Evening at St. Joes

Special Note: The organizers would like to sincerely apologize to Robin Hewson and Bob McQuiggan for the error that occurred at the end of the regular games. As a result of overall scores in the first 4 games,

Robin should have been partnered with Chris Andersen in the gold match while Bob McQuiggan should

have been partnered with Helen Davey in the consolation match.

Thanks to all the players who donated food items. Over 100 pounds of canned and dry goods were dropped

off at the St. Thomas food bank. 

Posted Nov. 17, 2016 -  9 Reasons to Take Out An STPC Non-Playing Membership

The other night after pickleball a couple of our players got a bit gushy about the great job that has been done promoting pickleball here in St. Thomas. That got me thinking. Our regular club members certainly are aware of what the club has done and continues to do for them as STPC members. However, if asked, they probably could not come up with some of the items on the list below. I was a little surprised myself when I finished putting the list together.   What about players who are not club members? Many don't know the history over the last 3.5 years and probably don't realize that our club has and still is providing services and opportunities that benefit all players in the St. Thomas area. Everyone knows that

our regular membership is capped but they are probably not aware that they can take out a Non-Playing Membership to support what

the club is doing.

Consider the following benefits which apply to all our pickleball players:

1. Lobbying For New Facilities. The STPC provided an entity and the credibility needed to lobby the city for more pickleball facilities in St. Thomas. Two presentations were made to Council and we worked closely with Parks & Recreation to attain this goal. All players benefit from these initiatives.

2. Pinafore Park Project. The approval of this project was a direct result of the club's efforts to obtain more playing facilities. Once this project was approved, the club executive was instrumental in providing design ideas. Recently, input was also provided with regard to rules and etiquette as well as other aspects of the day to day operation of the courts. Opening in the spring of 2017 these eight new courts will benefit everyone who plays the sport from May to October.

3.  Local Tournaments:

a)      OSGA Dist. 31 (Oxford-Elgin) Tournament. This tournament was started by the STPC three years ago at the urging of the Ontario Senior

         Games Assoc. It is now an annual event run by our club for the benefit of all players in the Oxford-Elgin (Dist. 31) area.

b)      Railway City Pickleball Tournament. Organized by the STPC in 2016, this tournament will be an annual event open to all players who

         reside in Elgin County. Last August half of the 60 players in this tournament were not club members. 

c)      Pickleball Golf Tournament. Held in Sept. 2016, this will be another annual event organized by the STPC but open to all pickleball 

         players in the St. Thomas area. Three of the four teammates who got to hoist the trophy in Sept. were not club members. 

4.  Purchasing Equipment. The club arranges for group purchasing with discount pricing on select paddles and balls. In the past 2-3 years we have ordered approximately 200 paddles for local players. You do not have to be a club member to take advantage of this service.

5.  Timken Pickleball.  Negotiations with management led to an increase in the number of playing time slots from 2 to the current 10 and to the introduction of designated levels of play. At our request, two new nets replaced badminton nets and the NVZ line was painted on the badminton courts. The Rules & Etiquette sign

and the tarp that covers the west doors were supplied by the club. Our portable net was on loan to Timken for a year until it was needed at St. Joe's. Anyone who plays at Timken benefits from these initiatives. 

6.  STPC Website. There is a wealth of valuable information on our website which is available to the general public and to all players.

7.  Beginner Lessons. The STPC has introduced the game to approximately 400 adult and school aged beginners. One of them may have been you. We plan to 

continue promoting the game to new players in the future.

8.  Dissemination of Information. Our email lists provide a valuable service to club and non-club members. Almost 300 individuals are kept informed about

cancellation of playing time, upcoming tournaments and pickleball related news items. If you know players that are not on our mailing list and would like to be

added, please have them email us.

9. Future Considerations: Club organized league play at Pinafore next summer. All St. Thomas players would be eligible. Subject to approval by Parks & Recreation.  

Non-club players who want to support our continuing efforts to promote the sport, provide services to all players and obtain more and better

playing facilities can request a Non-Playing Affiliate Membership (NAM). The annual fee is $20. Contact us at stthomaspickleball@yahoo.ca if

you are interested or have questions.

DATE: Monday, Nov. 21, 2012

LOCATION:  St. Joe's gym

TIME: 6:30-9:30 pm (please arrive by 6:15 for warmup, sign in etc.)

WHO CAN ENTER: Any club member

NO PARTNER REQUIRED:  organizers will assign partners  

HOW TO REGISTER: Email Clayton at cdwatters2017@gmail.com

REMINDER: The maximum number of players is 32, so the first  32 people to reply will be included in the tournament.

PLEASE BRING:  canned good for the food bank.

Rules for the tournament:

1) Four games for each entrant and each game is a maximum of 15 minutes. There shall be a one minute warm up for each person's first game. The one minute is included in the fifteen minutes maximum time.

2) Leading at 15 minutes is three points, a tie is one point, points less than your opponent is zero. A whistle will be blown at the fifteen minute mark to end the game, no continuing until a fault occurred.

3) Maximum number of players is 32.

4) Each person has new partner for each game in the tournament. Only exception is the championship game (four players with the highest scores) and the consolation game (next four players highest scores).

5)  The championship playoff game and the consolation playoff game shall be a one game, to 15 points with pickle ball rules.

6) If two or more players have the same points then the first tie breaker will be point differential, the second tie breaker will be a coin toss.

7) All decisions are made by the organizer.

Posted Oct. 29, 2016 - The Huntsman World Senior Games Pickleball Tournament Oct. 2016

 What a blast it would be to go to the Huntsman World Senior Games as a player or even as a spectator.

 Held in St. George, Utah over a two week period in October each year there are thousands of senior (50+)

 athletes from all over the world competing in 27 events. 

  Pickleball alone had 633 players from 34 states and 2 provinces playing in 1530 matches. This great video

  collage from the recently completed 2016 pickleball tournament not only shows why this is a great tournament

  but it also illustrates why pickleball is such a great social sport even at the highest levels of competition. 

Posted Oct. 23, 2016 - Something Smells A Little Fishy!

In case you didn't know, the rules we follow in pickleball are established by the International Pickleball Federation (IFP) which is the world governing body.

In November 2015 the IFP introduced new specs for balls and paddles which were aimed at standardizing the way the game was played. All IFP approved balls had to fall within certain specs for Diameter, Weight, Bounce, Hardness and Number of Holes (see Oct. 18 posting below). That was good news. As 

long as you use an IFP approved ball the specs will be nearly the same and there shouldn't be a huge difference in play from one brand to another.  

The deadline to meet the new specs was Oct. 1, 2016. Some balls, like the indoor Jugs ball which the STPC uses for indoor play, did not meet the specs 

and are no longer approved as of Oct. 1. The Jugs company is working on a new ball but so far no replacement has been introduced. 

Recently a video clip (see below) got me thinking that something might be rotten in the state of Denmark. In this clip, 3 outdoor balls are tested and there 

was a very large differential in the bounce height. The two Onix balls both bounced at least 4-6" higher than the Durafast 40. However, when the IFP 

tested and approved all three balls the recorded differential on the bounce was only 1" between the Onix balls and the Durafast 40. Is this poor quality

control on the part of the manufacturer, a gliche in the IFP testing system or something else?

So what gives and why should you care?  The higher bouncing ball will favour the bangers (generally anyone rated 3.0 or lower) since the chances of hitting into the net are less. Players who use the 3rd shot drop and dinking game (generally 3.5 rated and above) will find it more difficult to keep the ball low and may end up getting more hard returns in the face or other body parts. If you play in tournaments or play in other communities when you travel you might find 

a wide variation in how the ball plays if different balls are being used. It seems to me that this is exactly what the new ball rules were trying to eliminate .

The STPC uses the DuraFast 40 for outdoor play and with the new courts at Pinafore opening next spring the outdoor game is going to become a much bigger part of the playing scene here is St. Thomas. At least we will be using a ball that meets the standards set by the IFP.

NOTE: For indoor play our club has always used the lime green Jugs ball. We are currently testing the indoor Onix Pure 2 ball and are waiting for the 

revised Jugs ball in order to test it out as well. 

                                                                            Pickleball Bounce from Keith Bing on Vimeo. Posted on The Pickleball Life Blog site. 

Posted Oct. 22, 2016 - STPC Beginner Lessons

16 beginners completed 4 hours of instruction and practice on Oct. 22. Another class scheduled for Nov. 5 is full but there are still openings for a third class scheduled for Nov. 19 at St. Joe's High School from 8:30-12:30 pm.  Anyone interested in registering for this class should contact the STPC at stthomaspickleball@yahoo.ca or call 519-207-1466.

Posted Oct. 18, 2016 - Clarification On New Specs for Approved Balls

For three weeks beginning August 8, 2016 and ending August 26, 2016, volunteers helped introduce pickleball to children attending the Salvation Army’s Children’s Day Camp. Each week involved a new crop of kids and volunteers tried valiantly to bring order to madness, mayhem and chaos.

We were successful because, by week’s end, we had the kids playing pickleball correctly (as correctly as a group of 6 – 11 years olds can play). Plus, at the end of each week, we gave out a certificate and small bag of candy to each child. The kids had a great time and their feedback was very positive, especially after the candy was handed out.

We had so many volunteers that we actually didn’t use all of them, but “Thank You” to all the volunteers who helped make this a memorable experience for the kids. Volunteers were:  John Bole, Terri& Chris Boss, Peter Burtolt, Helen Davey, Bob Esseltine, Barb Gonyou, Bruce Graham, Marilyn Graham, Rick Hodges, Harry Knibbe, Richard Lenz, Pam Moore, Betty Ann Schleihauf, Catherine Upfold, Larry Whitnell.

I was so involved in the day, that I completely forgot to get any "action" pictures but we do have a photo above of the kids from one week of the camp. However, I did remember to get a picture of some of the volunteers at the Post Day Camp Trauma & Convalescence Center. That picture is attached. 

Dave Loucks, 

Chief Organizer

STPC

Note: Thanks go to Dave for taking on the job of organizing the pickleball portion of the day camp and to the volunteers who assisted. If you ask any of the volunteers, teaching kids aged 6 to 11 can be a hectic but rewarding experience. It's enough to drive you to drink! No wonder they had to attend a Trauma & Convalescence Center at the end of the three weeks.

Posted Aug. 18, 2016 - PAO President's Report Worth A Read 

Please take a couple of minutes to follow the link below and read the President's Report that will be presented at the Pickleball Association of Ontario's AGM at the Markham PAN AM Centre on Sept. 23. Some of the comments in the report apply to our own situation here in St. Thomas. You will also notice two references to the goal of moving the sport forward so that someday it will be part of the Olympic Games.

http://pickleballontario.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/PAO-AGM-2016-PRESIDENTS-REPORT.pdf

The PAO had it's beginnings in 2010 and became an incorporated entity 5 years ago. Thanks to the hard work of PAO volunteers and also volunteers  working for Pickleball Canada, I believe that our national and provincial associations, along with those from other countries, will be instrumental in pickleball becoming an Olympic sport.  It may not happen in our lifetime but can you imagine how great it would be to watch our sport at the Olympics along with all the other sports being played in Rio as this is being written?

Your STPC membership no longer includes a membership in the PAO. Due to insurance considerations we opted out of compulsory PAO membership this year. In the future I think our members should reconsider this decision. In the meantime, once you read the President's Report I am sure you will agree that the $10 spent on a PAO membership is money well spent. Go to the PAO website where joining is as easy as a couple of mouse clicks.

Dave Hall

President

STPC

Posted Aug. 9, 2016 - STPC Golf Tournament Coming Up On Sept. 9/16

Click on the flyer below for details & registration information. This is billed as a fun golf event for all skill levels. It is open to anyone who plays pickleball in St. Thomas.

Club & non-club members are welcome.

60 players enjoyed 5 hours of friendly play pickleball at St. Joe's on Aug. 4. This was not about winning or losing but when the smoke cleared 

three teams emerged at the top of the heap although it was extremely close. So close that a tie breaker was narrowly avoided.

Results: 

1st Place - Navy Team (22 points) Rick Hodges, Christine Boss, Brian Crocker, Jan Nicholson, Elise Appleford, Kathy Zyburra

2nd Place - Kelly Green Team (21 points) Bruce Graham, Helen Davey, John Bole, Chris McQuiggan, Richard Desabrais, Lynn Sietsma

3rd Place - Royal Blue Team (18 points) Mary Tully, Robert Hillman, Ken Rosevear, Michele Horton, Terry Boss, Bob Hayes

Based on player comments at the tournament and the emails received afterwards, this was an enjoyable, well run event. Congrats to

the organizers and volunteers for making it so. Click here for tournament photos.

Don't forget to sign up for our next event....the Pickleball Golf Tournament at the The Bluffs in Port Stanley on Sept. 9. This will be another "friendly play"

event with the empahsis on having fun. Complete details will be emailed shortly.  

Posted July 27, 2016 - Attention All Players Who Registered for the Railway City Pickleball Tournament

Posted June 2, 2016 - Ukes of Hazard To Perform at Club AGM June 21

Posted May 14, 2016 -  Pickleball Tournament At St. Joe’s A Big Success

Posted Feb. 23, 2016 - Club Fun Tournament A Lot of..........FUN!

Posted Dec. 10, 2015 -  Calling all “would be” Santas, Elves, Mrs. Claus! 

Posted Nov. 25, 2015 - Fun Tournament Enjoyed By All.  36 players and a few spectators had a great time at St. Joe's on Nov. 23 at the club's "Ur Chance To Whine" fun tournament. The event lasted three hours and everyone played four games with a different partner. The top four point getters played off in the championship match with the team of Marianne Campbell & Bob McQuiggan winning over Chris Anderson & Howard Tims by a slim margin of 11-9. Thanks go to to Convenor Clayton Watters and Rod Nicholson for running the show. Look for more of these events in the future as Clayton has agreed to be the "Special Play Convenor" for our club.  Check our photo page for pictures.  

Posted Nov. 8, 2015 - Club Fun Tournament on Nov. 23 at St. Joe's.  This is your chance to win a bottle of wine & have fun playing pickleball.  The format allows ALL club members to participate without worrying about skill level.  Players will draw names for a partner for each match. You will not play with the same person twice in the pre playoff portion. Minimum 4 games guaranteed. Games are timed to 15 minutes. Each player gets 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie. The four players with most points play 1 game to 11 win by 1. Winning team each get a bottle of wine.  Contact Cynthia to sign up.  Deadline to sign up is Nov. 16.

Posted Oct 31, 2015 - Halloween Pickleball, Oct. 31, 2015.  Last night was Halloween Pickleball at St. Joe's.  St. Joseph himself showed up & handed out treats at the door. There were some great costumes, plenty of treats & lots of fun. Check out the pictures posted on our Photo page.

Posted Oct. 26, 2015 - "Drills & Skills" Starts Nov. 2/15 at St. Joe's

Mon. Nov. 2 will be orientation night for our "skills & drills" sessions which will take place each Monday from 6:30-7:00 pm up until Dec. 21. At that point we will do an evaluation to determine if changes are needed or the sessions are worth continuing. If you did not sign up for this activity you can still do so by emailing Cynthia. Regular play will commence at 7:00 pm each Monday (please note exception for Nov. 2 mentioned below).

For this first session on Nov. 2 only we are reserving one hour (6:30-7:30 pm) for the orientation and we would like all those who signed up to attend since we will be doing a demo of each of the suggested practice drills. Regular play will commence at 7:30 pm for all club members. If you did not sign up for the drills please do not come out until 7:30.

After Nov. 2, with four courts we can only accommodate 16 players for the weekly sessions. Each week 16 players will be selected and receive an email notification. We will attempt to ensure that everyone receives an equal amount of practice time. If you cannot attend when your name comes up please let us know so we can slot in a replacement.

Please keep in mind that this is not a clinic or lessons. However, we will provide assistance for those that have questions or need help with the execution of certain shots. You will receive a handout explaining the various drills. A list of web links is also available so you can study the proper execution of every shot. Most of these can be practiced at home with your paddle. The handout & list of links are posted at the bottom of the Pickleball Links page of this website.

Posted Aug. 27, 2015 - Try It Days Draw To Successful Conclusion.  Our 3 day Try It Program concluded on Aug. 25.  The results of this project exceeded our expectations. We are pleased to report that over the three days, 136 participants between the ages of 34 and 87 came out to see what the sport was all about and to hit some balls with our club members. Over 80 people have signed up for beginner lessons which are being offered this week and into September. Approximately 50 club members also attended over the 3 days to assist the participants and play some pickleball. 

A video collage of the event is posted on our main page. Thanks go to Ezra Nicholson who served as producer, director, camera man & drone pilot for this production.

We would like to thank the Ontario government for providing a $3000 grant to run this program and also the Parks & Recreation department for providing the courts at Pinafore Park.

 Posted Aug. 12, 2015 - Try It Day #2 Draws Crowd.

Posted July 28, 2015 - A Great Day for Pickleball in St. Thomas.

Posted June 26, 2015 - Club AGM A Fun Evening.  The 2nd Annual General Meeting of the St. Thomas Pickleball Club was called to order by President Vern Huston at 5 pm, June 25 at Lakeview Pavillion, Pinafore Park.  The financial report was presented by Sec./Treaurer Jan Nicholson and President Vern's report outlined the significant club events from the past year. Brief reports were presented on the status of our playing time at Pinafore Park and also the $3000 grant that the club just received from the Ontario Seniors Community Grant Program. The door prize draws included both pickleball and non-pickleball items with many club members taking home a prize. Special presentations were made to retiring Sec./Treasurer Jan Nicholoson and newly sworn in Canadian citizen Chris Boss. Diamond ring presentations also went to Jan Nicholson, Birgit Peschutter and Catherine Upfold. 

A new five member executive was elected consisting of John Harbaruk, Cynthia Rutledge, Catherine Upfold, Chris McQuiggan and Dave Hall. The business portion of the meeting was followed by a fabulous potluck dinner and social hour. 

Special thanks go to retiring executive members Vern Huston, Rick Hodges and Jan Nicholson for all their work over the past year. 

Photos from the meeting are posted on our Photo page.

Posted June 22, 2015 -  Club AGM To Be Held June 25, 2015 - All club members are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting at Pinafore Park (Lakeview Pavillion) this Thursday starting at 5 pm.  The annual business meeting will be followed by a potluck social and a draw for fabulous door prizes. See you there. 

Posted June 22, 2015 - Pickleball Workshop in Strathroy.  Four members of the St. Thomas Pickleball Club conducted a half day workshop with 16 players at the Gemini Sportsplex in Strathroy today.   Jan and Rod Nicholson teamed up with Dave & Helen Hall to put on the "improve your game" workshop. Various skills and drills were covered as well as basic strategies used in the game. 

Posted June 18, 2015 -  St. Thomas Pickleball Club Applies for $3000 Grant.  If our grant application is approved, the Ontario Seniors Community Grant Program would provide up to $3000 to our club to "help seniors stay connected, active and involved in their community."  A big thank you goes out to club member Catherine Upfold who prepared the application.  If we get the grant the plan is to hold several "Try It" sessions this summer for retirees and seniors in order to encourage them to get involved and take up the sport.

More details will be released if and when the grant application is approved. 

Posted June 6, 2015 - First Ever St. Thomas Pickleball Tournament A Huge Success

Saturday June 6, 2015: The OSGA District 31 Summer Games Pickleball Tournament was held at St. Joseph’s High School today. Play commenced at 9 am and was completed by 3 pm.  35 players from the Oxford-Elgin area registered for the event.  St. Thomas Club members won 11 of the 12 medals that were up for grabs. Winners can advance to the OSGA Southwestern Ontario Regional Summer games being held in London on Sept. 10, 2015.

This was a great opportunity for some of the less experienced players to get a feel for tournament play without having to travel or stay overnight.  Everyone had a good time and enjoyed the competition and fun.

The St. Thomas Pickleball Club volunteered to convene this tournament for the OSGA. The club would like to thank the OSGA for providing financial and administrative assistance. Thanks go to the LDCSB for providing a great facility. Thank you to the volunteers who helped organize and run the event.  

Congratulations to the following winners:

Women’s Doubles: Chris McQuiggan/Catherine Upfold (Gold), Jan Nicholson/Jane VanDerkuyl (Silver), Jill Noad/Sharon Mahon (Bronze).

Men’s Doubles: Bob McQuiggan/Bryan Van Patter (Gold), John Kupisz/Al Robertshaw (Silver), Ken Rosevear/Rick Hodges (Bronze).

Mixed Doubles 55-64 Age Bracket: Chris & Bob McQuiggan (Gold), Sharon Mahon/Ken Rosevear (Silver), Jane & Harry VanDerkuyl (Bronze).

Mixed Doubles 65+ Age Bracket:  Chris & Terri Boss (Gold), Joyce Blair/John Rutledge (Silver), Jill Noad/Peter Burtoft (Bronze).

Photos of the winners and a group photo of the players can be seen on the photo page of this website.  

Posted June 2, 2015 - St. Thomas Pickleball Club Players Attend London Tournament.  A number of our club members played in the London Pickleball Tournament May 30-31, 2015. Among the 140 players who registered for play were Bob & Chris McQuiggan, Harry Van Derkuyl, Bryan Van Patter, Catherine Upfold, Vicki Carrothers and Lyn Levandoski. Lyn was a big winner with a gold (Women's Doubles 50-59), a silver (Open Women's Doubles) and a bronze (Open Mixed Doubles).  Volunteering to officiate were John Harbaruk, Rosanne Smith, Rod Nicholson and Dave Hall. Congratulations to all of you for doing a fine job representing our local club.

Posted May 28, 2015 - Club Donates to St. Joe's High School (from the St. Thomas Times-Journal May 25, 2015)

Posted Apr. 28, 2015 - New Rule Added to IFP Rule Book.  The International Federation of Pickleball rulebook is the only rule book followed by Pickleball Canada, the Pickleball Assoc. of Ontario and the USA Pickleball Assoc. On Apr. 20, 2015 the following rule was added:  Section 9 - Non-Volley Zone Rules.  Rule 9. G. For non-officiated play, non-volley zone faults may be called by any player on either team.  In effect, this means that players can now call NVZ faults on their opponents in non-officiated play. This should be done as diplomatically as possible and in social or friendly play situations players MAY decide to have a reserve rather than inflict a loss of point or loss of serve.  

Posted Apr. 24, 2015 -  OSGA Dist. 31 (Oxford-Elgin) Summer Games Pickleball Tournament.  June 6, 2015, 9 am-5pm.

Where: St. Joseph's High School, St. Thomas, Ont. This is  beautiful gym with 4 courts, good spacing & lots of seating. Portable nets will be used. 

Categories: Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles, Mixed Doubles

You May Play in Two Events:  You will need a partner for each event.

Age Brackets: 55-64, 65+ (65+ players can play down with a younger partner but 55-64 players cannot play up)

Who Can Participate:  Any Oxford-Elgin (Dist. 31) resident 55 or older who are OSGA members.

Cost: $8 for your OSGA membership +$2 for each event you participate in. Maximum total cost is $12 unless you already hold an OSGA membership in which case you pay just $2 per event. All fees are included on the registration form. You will not find a more reasonable fee for a pickleball tournament anywhere in Ontario.

Registration:  Click here for cover letter, registration form and waiver.  Please print out the form and the waiver. Be sure to complete all required sections and also complete the Liability Waiver form. If you are not an OSGA member your total should be $8 + $2 for one event and an extra $2 if you choose to play in a second event e.g. women's doubles, mixed doubles.

Deadline:  Registration forms & cheques must be turned in to the St. Thomas Pickleball Club executive or mailed by May 8, 2015. The mailing address is at the bottom of the registration form. NOTE: A registration is not complete until each partner has submitted a registration form.

Details: Tournament organizational details will be forwarded once we know the number of participants. A round robin format will allow each team to play a number of games depending on how many teams are in your bracket.

Winners in this tournament can advance to the OSGA Southwestern Ontario Regional Tournament in September if they wish.

If you have any questions please contact us at stthomaspickleball@yahoo.ca or phone 519-207-1466.

The Executive

St. Thomas Pickleball Club

on behalf of the OSGA Dist. 31 Committee

Posted Mar. 13,  2015 - This Pretty Well Says It All About Why Pickleball Is A Great Sport. 

The date for the Christmas Pickleball Social has been changed from Dec. 19 to Dec. 23. It is still scheduled from 11:30-12:30 as

                                  announced in the flyer below.

Posted Nov. 20, 2014 - News from the Nov. 18 Executive Meeting.  A number of items were covered in the agenda. Major topics of interest included:  a) A motion was passed to raise the membership cap from the current number of 56. There is a waiting list for new members and these players will be polled before a final decision is made on how much the cap will be increased. b) A Christmas get together is being planned for Dec. 19 at the Timken Centre. All players will be included, not just club members. More details will be available soon.

c) President Vern and V-P Dave reported on their meeting with Ross Tucker on Nov. 17 regarding the reconstruction of the courts at Pinafore Park and the allocation of more dedicated playing time to the 4 pickleball courts that were used last summer.  This was a very positive meeting and we continue to move forward. More updates will be available as these plans are firmed up.  Note:  A copy of the minutes of this meeting can be obtained by emailing club Secretary Jan Nicholson at sthomaspickleball@yahoo.ca

Posted Nov. 17, 2014 - Back To School !  St. Thomas Pickleball Club members went back to school today.....as teachers! Eight club members provided instruction to 3 boys & 1 girls grade 11 Phys. Ed. classes at St. Joe's High School. Phys. Ed. head Richard Mommersteeg had recently purchased 30 paddles and a couple of dozen balls in order to add pickleball to the phys. ed. curriculum. Thanks go to the following club members who helped bring our great sport to the next generation of players:  Vern Huston, Jan & Rod Nicholson, Rick Hodges, Chris McQuiggan, Helen & Dave Hall, Bryan Van Patter. A picture is posted on the Photos page.

Posted Oct. 31, 2014 - Colonel Sanders Was In the House. On this Halloween Day a celebrity visited both the Competitive & Intermediate players at theTimken gym. Colonel Harland D. Sanders spoke briefly to the players & showed perfect form in his serving demo. He did notbring any fried chicken 

but his bucket was full of Halloween treats. More photos are available on our Photo page.

Posted Sept. 19, 2014 - Good News for Pickleball in St. Thomas?

The following email was sent out to all players on Sept. 16, 2014:

Greetings to All St. Thomas Pickleball Club Members & Friends,

More good news for pickleball players! Monday night's St. Thomas City Council meeting included an agenda item from the St. Thomas Pickleball Club executive. The club executive sent Council a letter describing the growth of the sport and the need for more facilities. Part of the letter is included below as it explains our request:

"To accommodate this growth, our club would ask Council to take the next step in providing more pickleball facilities for St. Thomas residents.  We are aware that through the city’s “Asset Management Plan” it has been identified that the Pinafore tennis courts are scheduled for replacement.  We respectfully submit that consideration be given to including dedicated pickleball courts with permanent nets as part of the reconstruction project.  With Council’s permission, the club would like to look for sources of funding to help with this project.

One additional row of dedicated pickleball courts (the equivalent of four tennis courts) would provide for eight courts.  This would allow the general public, working residents and students to play as the courts would be available all day, seven days a week. We could also incorporate reserved time for club play, beginner lessons for all age groups, school use, skill development clinics and even tournament play. With eight courts St. Thomas could become a hub for outdoor tournaments since to our knowledge there is no community in Ontario that has sufficient outdoor courts to host large tournaments. 

In order to move our proposal forward could this be referred to the 2015 capital budget process? "

Our letter was submitted on the advice of Ross Tucker, Director of Parks & Recreation, in order to have some new, dedicated pickleball courts included in the reconstruction project at Pinafore. As a result of Council's decision Ross will now include pickleball courts as a capital budget item for the project.

What does this mean?  We have now officially completed Step 2 of a process.  Step 1 was to get the lines painted on the tennis courts and get reserved playing time on Tues. and Thurs. evenings. Step 2 was to get dedicated courts included in the capital budget. Step 3 will be to see the completion of these courts.

Before we get too excited about this please remember that just because something is submitted as a capital budget item there are no guarantees that it will happen next year. However, we are now part of the plan.  The Pinafore tennis courts are badly in need of reconstruction. It will happen sometime. Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later and the pickleball courts will be included with the renovations. 

Today was a good day for pickleball in St. Thomas,

The Executive,

St. Thomas Pickleball Club

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