Greetings to every one of our 169 members of the Little Harbour Outdoor Pickleball Club! This past year has been a remarkable demonstration of our emerging brand: “Where players become friends”. As of November 2022 we have 98 female and 71 male members, the largest Pickleball membership in the province. Pretty impressive!
Attention: Membership renewals
Before we look back at the past year we must point out that 2023 membership renewals are underway AND we have introduced Early Bird draws for those who renew early. We will draw a name at the end of November and again at the end of December for either an individual member or family to receive their membership for free. We will also be awarding one of our new “stay out of the kitchen” aprons for those who refer a new member.
Governance:
We are a division of the Little Harbour Community Center however we have our own Executive and Board (volunteer committee members). We welcome nominations from all members who feel they would like to join one of the following committees, so please reach out to secretary Anne Jenkins, who is the nomination chair. Her email is annejenkins@eastlink.ca or her cellphone is 902-754-7822. In particular, we need a 1st VP for 2023 as Margie relocated and we hope to vote on nominations received at our AGM in January. Please consider joining the team!
Executive and All-Committee Board (ACB)
Executive Committee – President, 1st VP, 2nd VP, Secretary, Treasurer
All-Committee Board (ACB) includes chairs and volunteers for these committees: Maintenance and Capital, Events, Marketing/Communications, Finance/Risk Management, Membership Services, Player Development, and Scheduling. Our bylaws have been updated to reflect changes that have evolved over year one and will be presented for approval.
Maintenance and Capital (M&C)
2022 witnessed some great additions to our facility in the form of enhanced court lighting, access to a washroom/changeroom, the addition of barrier fencing, umbrellas, new concrete walkway to main apron area and also the second entrance gate, (providing for better access to the courts and also a viewing area), enhanced safety on light standards etc. 2023 should see the installation of our wind fencing, possibly a third gate at center court to facilitate efficient entry and exit during peak period. We also encourage ideas to enhance protection from the sun or any other additions you might suggest.
Court maintenance remains a responsibility of everyone, so remember to ARRIVE EARLY, to ensure you are able to guarantee a clean and safe playing surface and surrounding areas.
Finance/Risk Management
While we operate under the LHCC for grants and banking purposes we remain a well-oiled organization under the watchful eye of our own CPA and “gate keeper”. This year the treasurer will join the Maintenance and Capital (M&C) committee as co-chair to ensure financing and risk management concerns are managed.
Events
Clearly 2022 was a significant year for our club from an event-hosting perspective. Despite the fact that we decided to postpone our Fall Brawl due to Hurricane Fiona, we did manage to host our Official Grand Opening, a Club Scramble and a Regional Tournament in partnership with the YMCA. 3 big events in year one! These events are demanding and we need to ensure that we under-promise and over-deliver.
Membership Services
Year one was a year of substantial growth and with that comes a need for patience and flexibility. Now is the time to subdivide this committee into Membership, Player Development, and Scheduling. The essence of this club is player development. We took a firm stand on our scheduling strategy to ensure everyone was afforded the opportunity to play at a level of comfort. Secondly we held fast to fixed time slots for level play, based upon experienced counsel from other clubs and organizations. At the same time, we want to be flexible so that players are able to play when they can. We do have 3 courts so let’s ensure they are used optimally.
Player Development
2023 will hopefully be an exciting year from a development perspective. A membership survey will be coming your way shortly and we want to hear from you! Please reply and provide us with your insights. We were advised to develop our own “trainers” and we have encouraged a few members to become just that. We already have 3 members who have secured their Instructor level 1 Course certified by PIckleball Canada. Way to go Janet Wallace, Debi MacIntosh and Jill Boudreau! This past summer our new development coordinator, Janet Wallace, hosted beginner and intermediate coaching sessions, with the help of other volunteers. A 2023 plan is in the works, including perhaps a youth component.
Marketing/Communication
Our website was refreshed at the start of the year and now LHCC has launched a new platform for the entire community, which includes Pickleball’s site. We will continue to use this portal to communicate “need to know” information like blackout dates, membership policy, upcoming events etc. We encourage members to keep a close eye on this site, littleharbourns.com
That’s it for now. Our All-Committees Board (ACB) will be meeting November 29th to help develop our 2023 plans and these will be communicated in the Spring or at our AGM in January. In the meantime, have a safe and enjoyable winter and we look forward to seeing you and perhaps some “new friends” next season!
From your LHOPC Executive: Graham, Heather, Rick and Anne
