The Rotary Club of St. Albert is looking forward to your next court appearance — pickleball court appearance, that is.
The club is gearing up for its second-annual I Love Pickleball Charity Tournament in February, and the organizer hopes it will bring families out for a day of fun and action, all for a good cause. The tournament goes at Raise Athletics in St. Albert on Feb. 15.
Daniela Ionitescu is a member of the Rotary Club and has been a pickleball player for two years. She started with the St. Albert Pickleball Club, and loves the sport and playing with her family.
"I play, my husband plays, my son plays. So it became like a family sport," she said. She thinks the tournament will be a good opportunity for people to connect, be active, and have fun with their families.
"You know, it brings together all ages," she said. "That's special about pickleball. I can play with my 15-year-old son in a tournament, or I can play with my father. So it's a very good sport at bringing family together."
Pickleball has been growing in St. Albert, something that made her keen on organizing the first edition of the tournament last year.
"We noticed with the Pickleball Club, more and more people are signing up and are willing to perform and to play together in different setups," she said. So last year, the Rotary Club partnered with the St. Albert Pickleball Club and organized their first tournament.
"With that, we raised $13,000, and without the support and expertise of the St. Albert Pickleball Club we couldn't have achieved such an outstanding result," Ionitescu said.
A lot of the funds raised supported various local organizations, including the non-profit organization Neutral Ground and the St. Albert Food Bank, along with others, said Shelly Nichol, the Rotary Club's public image chair.
The tournament is open to the public and for all ages and skill levels. Ionitescu said last year's tournament saw 122 players, and they're hoping to have similar numbers again. With 22 pickleball courts available at Raise Athletics, Ionitescu said she hopes people curious about the sport will register and come try it out.
"We encourage the beginners and youth especially to join this and we've created the brackets for youth under 17 with discounted entry fees," Ionitescu said. "And also we are trying to go the extra mile, inviting the Special Olympics community to participate. So we will have two courts dedicated to these players, ensuring they feel welcome and included."
The entry fee for one event will be $70, with women's doubles, men's doubles and mixed doubles on different brackets. Discounted entry for those under 17 will be $35, and free for members of the Special Olympics community, with registration ongoing until Feb. 5.
Those interested in more information, including how to register, can go to the tournament's website at pickleballtournaments.com/tournaments/i-love-pickleball-rotary-club-of-st-albert-charity-pickleball-tournament.