Calgary pickleball players are now invited to come and play with us every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Cedarbrae Community Centre which is located at 11024 Oakfield Dr SW.

This is an introductory program. Equipment is provided. No fees are required, but donations are accepted from those who wish to contribute.

Most of the players in this program have just learned or are just learning how to play. However, there are a half-dozen experienced pickleball players who are able to play competitively.

Players who want to learn to play pickleball for the first time are welcome. An instructor is on hand every week to teach new players the ropes. There is no charge for the lessons. On average, it takes about 20 minutes to learn how to play pickleball.

Most of the players in this group are over 50, but all ages are welcome. The balance of women to men is roughly equal, with a slight edge going to the women.

In other words, drop-ins are no longer permitted at Oakridge. Members who wish to use our tennis, squash, pickleball or speed badminton courts must book their court ahead of time via this website.

Rationale

Why we require players to book courts online:

1. Our court booking system can only be accessed by members. Therefore requiring players to book online helps to ensure that only members are using our courts.

2. By booking courts online, it is clear who has which court booked when. This prevents conflicts and disagreements. It also ensures members that the court they want to use will be available when they arrive to play on it.

3. Court time is rationed equally amongst members. By requiring online booking, administrators can monitor the system and spot the few who might abuse it.

4. Online booking creates data that we may choose to study when the time comes to improve our systems and/or rules.

5. The data created by online booking helps us answer questions on grant applications about who is using our courts and when they are using them.

6. Requiring online booking saves us money because we do not have to hire a receptionist to keep an appointment book.

7. Online booking help us with scheduling staff and coordinating maintenance.

Brought north on the wings of returning snowbirds in recent years, pickleball players formed their first active clubs in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan in the 1990s. Then, in April 2009, they banded together to create Pickleball Canada — a new national organization that hopes to spread the sport from coast to coast to coast.

Created during the summer of 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, by Congressman Joel Pritchard and his neighbours, the game derives its odd name from a family dog named Pickles who would chase after balls and then hide them in the bushes.

Over the next three decades, the game slowly spread south into Arizona, Florida and other US communities with large populations of vacationing snowbirds. Many Canadians who came into contact with the game became addicted and started dreaming of the day when they would be able to play their favourite racquet sport in their home and native land.

That day has finally come. Canadian Pickleball players have many active clubs to choose from in Ontario and British Columbia. There are also a few clubs in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Quebec.

Alberta’s first Pickleball Club was created this week in Calgary by the Oakridge Community Association with the assistance of Racquet Network. The new club will play its first games this summer on the outdoor courts adjacent to the Oakridge Community Centre. If enough Calgary pickleballers can be found to support a thriving club, indoor facilities will be sought to allow continuous play throughout the year.