Spring is here, and with it comes a busy season for Pickleball Ontario. For those I haven’t had the chance to meet yet, my name is Jonathon Moody and I’m honoured to be serving as your President. In this update I want to touch on our clubs and tournament season, share a few notes from our recent AGM, and give you a peek at some of the bigger changes we’re watching and working on as a sport.
For clubs across Ontario, spring means courts filling up and members coming back for their busiest time of year. On the tournament side, it’s been a competitive year with more events on the calendar than ever. And for those following the performance side of the sport, Nationals are coming to Ontario this year.
The Eastern Regional wrapped up in Kingston in May. Still ahead: the Western Regional in Cambridge (June 4-7), the Northern Regional in North Bay (July 10-12), and the Provincial Championships at Downsview in Toronto (July 30-August 2). We’ve updated the Team Ontario selection process this season, lowering the event requirement to one PO tournament. Full details are available at selection.pickleballontario.org.
At our AGM, we made several changes to the board. I stepped into the role of President, with Deanna Christie moving to Vice President. We also welcome Tyler Goldsack as our new Treasurer. I want to thank the Directors who have moved on, welcome those joining the board, and thank everyone continuing to serve. It’s worth saying plainly: Pickleball Ontario has no paid staff. Everything you see and read comes from volunteers, mostly board members.
Pickleball is changing fast. The sport is getting younger, more competitive, and more commercial, with private facilities and clubs growing across Ontario. We’re working on how we approach sanctioning and support for private facilities and clubs, and that work is a key part of Pickleball Ontario’s strategic plan, which is now underway. Clubs and members will be hearing from us as it takes shape.
Thank you for being part of this.
Jonathon Moody
President, Pickleball Ontario