Sharing of Expertise and Information to Grow the Sport
There are many people across the country and within the territories and provinces who have great expertise, knowledge and information. Being an affiliate with PCO allows us to more easily connect and share.
Reduced Costs and Shared Funding
A case in point is insurance where Pickleball Ontario and other affiliated provinces will embark on optimizing insurance coverage with PCO, for the purpose of providing the best insurance coverage for our affiliated clubs and members at the most economical cost. On the share funding front, Trillium is an excellent example where, if the Pickleball Ontario Trillium grant application for Coaching Development is successful, Pickleball Ontario will develop the Coaching Program for PCO and the other provinces to share. If the application is not successful, we will be looking to PCO and the other provinces to share costs through other provincial, territorial and national grants or budget contributions. Access to National, Provincial and Territorial Sports Organization Funding Here there is a need to collaborate and support each other such that the PCO can be registered as the National Sport Organization (NSO), governing the sport at the national level, and each province and territory become registered as their respective Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) or Territorial Sport Organization (TSO). Once the regions and PCO are recognized as PSO/TSO and NSO, then many avenues for funding open up, with the purpose of developing the sport even further for the enjoyment of the members.
Having a Voice on the Interprovincial Territorial Advisory Committee
Our voice can develop policies, programs and recommendations for the sport of pickleball nationally, regionally and locally. Having a voice to create and or influence the development of a sport within a country is very valuable, and affiliation with PCO allows an easy access in that regard. It is exciting times for a relatively new sport in Canada, with the growing pains and development of programs and policies that will enable the sport and its members to grow appropriately.
Advocacy and Lobbying for Support to Grow the Sport
There is strength in numbers in dealing with elected officials and government bodies. By affiliation, the provinces, territories and the national body can combine to lobby and advocate for specific and general causes to support its members.
Membership Details
Becoming a PCO Affiliate means that every member of Pickleball Ontario is entitled to membership in the PCO.