A Message of Appreciation: Recognizing Our Tournament Volunteers and Honouring the Spirit of Play
Dear Members of the Calgary Pickleball Club,
As we enjoy a fantastic summer of play, I want to share two important messages with our community regarding the spirit of our club, both on and off the courts.
A Monumental Thank You to Our Provincials Organizing Committee and Volunteers
Hosting the Provincials is no small feat, and it is truly noteworthy how our organizing committee helped create a tournament that ran so smoothly. An event of this scale with over 700 players, simply couldn’t happen without the dedicated efforts of over 120 volunteers who generously gave their time to support the Alberta Provincial Tournament.
In particular, we owe a massive debt of gratitude to CPC Board Members:
Karen Chown for her exceptional organizational skills, coordination of tasks and numerous meetings with Pickleball Alberta.
Yvette Marchand, for her incredible work organizing the volunteers and schedules prior to the event—a hugely time consuming and demanding task.
Laurie Robertson, for coordinating all volunteers during the entire weekend.
To support the Organizing Committee, we also want to give special mention to the dedicated Team Leads: Judy Vaillancourt, Wendy Fallon, MJ McLeod, Chantal Desgagné, Rebecca Chin, and Carrie Johnston, who provided critical leadership on the ground to guide our volunteer teams. Other volunteers went above and beyond and were incredibly helpful in roles that they hadn't even signed up for. We have reached out to thank them personally.
We often read about thanking volunteers, and it can become easy to grow accustomed to expecting someone else to "just do the job." While some of our members always remember to say thank you and genuinely appreciate the effort, it is easy to forget that volunteer efforts are what make our pickleball play, rec and tournament, so enjoyable—and, quite frankly, possible.
Before you step onto the court this summer, please take a moment to reflect on the work that happens behind the scenes. Our summer play and this tournament required continuous, organized planning that started back in January, carried through to the first day of play, and continues throughout the summer. To everyone who makes this happen: THANK YOU!
Bringing the Spirit of Appreciation to the Court
In that same spirit of appreciation, I want to remind all players to extend courtesy and gratitude to their fellow players on the court:
Thank your partner: Always appreciate that they showed up to share the game with you. Keep the comments positive and encouraging. Sadly, this is not always the case on our courts, and this is a friendly reminder to keep comments and attitudes positive.
Play to the level of the court: If you are clearly a higher-level player in a recreational mix, adjust your game to match the level of those around you. You don’t need to smash the ball to the heavens. Instead, use the opportunity to perfect your placement and showcase your control rather than using just pure strength.
Let's keep our courts welcoming, respectful, and fun for everyone. See you out there!
Warm regards,
Cat Hackman, President volunteer
Calgary Pickleball Club
