News/Events
Bow River Dental Championship Countdown: Important Updates
A few important reminders as we get ready for the Bow River Dental 2026 Club Championship:
⏰ Start Time: All events begin promptly at 8:30 am. The check-in desk opens at 7:45 am. Once checked-in, you may proceed to your warm-up court.
🌦️ Weather Watch: The forecast is looking a little uncertain. Please keep the entire day available in case rain delays affect the schedule.
📅 Rain Date: If weather prevents us from completing an event, Saturday may be used as a rain date.
🏓 Bracket Changes: Due to lower-than-expected registration in some divisions, several A and B brackets have been combined to create more competitive and enjoyable play.
Schedule:
Women's Doubles - Thursday, September 10th
Men's Doubles - Friday, September 11th
Mixed Doubles - Sunday, September 13th.
Despite the weather uncertainty, we’re looking forward to a fantastic few days of pickleball, friendly competition and fun!
Good luck to everyone competing—and a huge thank-you to the volunteers helping make our Club Championship possible! Your response has been swift and enthusiastic, and, thanks to you, only a few volunteer positions remain!
Check out the volunteer spots by clicking here!
From the Paddle Rack to a Player’s Hands!
Did you know that Club members and instructors Jean and Peter Llewellyn have served as lead coaches for the Calgary Special Olympics Pickleball Program since it began in 2023?
Inspired by their passion for the sport and their support of Special Olympics athletes, Jean and Peter are once again collecting gently used pickleball paddles. If you have a paddle gathering dust, you can give it a meaningful new purpose by placing it in the hands of an athlete who doesn’t have one of their own.
This initiative has brought tremendous joy to athletes—particularly those whose families may find purchasing equipment difficult or who live in supported residential settings. The smiles say it all!
Paddles may be dropped off on any morning of the Club Championship:
Thursday, September 10
Friday, September 11
Sunday, September 13
If you’re unable to drop off your paddle during the tournament, please contact Jean Llewellyn at jean@jeanllewellyn.com to make alternate arrangements.
Let’s help more athletes experience the pride and joy of having a paddle to call their own!
One Last Rally: Celebrate the Season With Us!
As our pickleball season winds down, let’s gather for one final celebration! Bring your plus one and join your fellow Club members for an evening featuring:
✨ Delicious food and beverages—individual tabs
✨ Fun games and activities
✨ Fantastic draw prizes
✨ A warm send-off to our snowbirds until next season
📅 Date: Saturday, September 26
🕒 Time: 5:00–9:00 p.m.
📍 Location: The Sweet Spot at Cochrane Golf Club
240 Riverview Drive—plenty of parking available!
Space is filling quickly, and attendance is limited to 100 guests. Register through Court Reserve by September 22 to secure your spot!
Click here to Register!
Save the Date: Annual General Meeting - Wed. Oct 14 @ 1pm
The Club’s Annual General Meeting is an in-person meeting at Frank Wills Community Centre in Cochrane. As part of the AGM, elections for Board positions will take place.
We are seeking members who are interested in serving on the Board, contributing to the Club’s future, and gaining a deeper understanding of what happens behind the scenes.
Nominations will be accepted for the following positions:
President
Vice-President
Treasurer
Secretary
Director (2 positions)
For Role descriptions, please review the Club bylaws and refer to Article 3 on pages 5–7. Members may self-nominate or nominate another member (with their permission). Nominations procedures are listed below.
Any nomination of an individual for election as a Director will:
a) identify the Directors position being sought – President/Vice President/Secretary/Treasurer/Director;
b) include the written consent of the nominee by signed or electronic signature;
d) be submitted to the current Secretary of the Society ten (10) days prior to the AGM. Interested parties may send their expression of interest to Brett Mackey, Secretary at: brettmackey2@gmail.com
Ratings Update
All ratings sessions are now full for the season. If you wish to challenge a rating level in September, please contact Club Rater, Peter Llewellyn to arrange a date and payment. Members will also need to Book A Court through Court Reserve. (Peter@Peterllewellyn.com or 403-678-7729)
Once you've completed your rating session, Peter will send confirmation of the rating outcome to Ken Little at: ratingscpc@gmail.com so your rating can be updated in Court Reserve and Pickleball Canada.
For more information: Club Ratings Program
2026 Youth Camps: Big Skills, Bigger Smiles!
CPC’s first independently run Youth Summer Mini-Camps were a smashing success! Twenty-seven juniors aged 8–15 participated—an impressive 33% increase over last summer.
Throughout the camps, players enjoyed eight hours of progressive instruction, games and friendly competition. Each participant also received a Black Knight Fuel paddle, protective glasses and a CPC cap. The camps wrapped up with round-robin tournaments that showcased some amazing new skills—and plenty of fun!
A heartfelt thank-you to our dedicated Youth Team volunteer coaches, whose time, patience and enthusiasm made the program possible. With returning juniors already anticipated, we look forward to even more growth next year. Check out the PDF attachment for more details and photos of the camp kids and coaches!
Love pickleball and enjoy working with kids? Watch for next season’s call for new Youth Team volunteers!
Pickleball Rocks—and So Do Our Volunteers!
All 12 Club courts came alive with music, laughter and pickleball at Friday night’s Volunteer Pizza and Pickleball Party!
Members gathered with camp chairs to enjoy Red Swan Pizza and cake before hitting the courts to the brilliantly curated play list by Brett Mackey. Club members and public players could be seen rocking and playing throughout the evening as we celebrated the many volunteers whose collective contributions keep our Club thriving.
It was a memorable evening—and great inspiration for future Pickleball Rocks nights! (Thanks for the new moniker, Sue O!)
Cochrane Indoor Pickleball Association: Come Play This Fall!
Enjoy indoor pickleball this fall at the SLS Sport Courts in Cochrane — no need to drive to Calgary!
Program highlights include:
Sessions for all levels, from beginner to 4.0-rated players
Dedicated groups based on playing level
1.5-hour sessions
A maximum of 18 players per group
Monday/Wednesday, Tuesday/Thursday or Friday-only registration blocks
Approximately three months of play
Reasonable fees with no additional SLS charges
Beginner training, tournaments, social events and more
Limited spaces are still available, so register early.
For information or registration, contact Bill Cooper At: cooperab@telus.net.
Play and Give: Cochrane Food Bank donations are welcomed.
48-Hour Release of Courts from Low-Registration Events
Some round-robin events are not filling to capacity. To make the best use of courts, events will be reviewed daily at 9pm for the upcoming 48-hour period and total allocations reduced and reassigned to Book a Court for cohort play and lessons if registration is low. Please register early to ensure your event has enough registrations to proceed. As a reminder, at this time, only Club members may participate in Club events, cohort bookings and lessons.
Thank you for your understanding.
LOST SLK Halo Control XL Paddle
Please contact Karyn if you have any information regarding her paddle. Thank you!
Thanks to our Court Maintenance Volunteers !
A HUGE shout out to our Court Maintenance Team who are tasked with keeping our courts in great condition by checking the garbage receptacles and using the high powered blowers to clear dust and debris. Please extend your appreciation to the following team members for their time and effort to keep our facility clean and safe. Mike Mellon, John Lyons, Barry Stevenson, Bernd Wagner, Richard Huot, Jim Bend and Donna Murphy under the leadership of Ken Little.
Thank you for helping keep our courts in great playing condition.
Cochrane Charity Classic Tournament
July 23-25, 2026
Check out all the amazing tournament photos
A Few Reminders - Code of Conduct, Gates and Gum!
Everyone is responsible for a safe and inclusive Club. Click here to refresh on the Code of Conduct.
Please take care of the gates. Open and close them gently, and make sure they are secure when entering or leaving the courts so they are not bashed around by the wind. DO NOT force gates or kick them.
Please email: cochranepickleballclub@gmail.com if a gate is sticking or needs repair.
Please refrain from chewing GUM on the courts. Not only is it gross to step into or touch on a gate or fence it is very difficult to remove and can damage the playing surface. Please dispose of your gum in the receptacles provided before stepping onto the court.
Engage with Club Members on Facebook
Thanks to Judy Kircher for her work on our new FB page. Lots of work has gone into refreshing our look and feel! What's great is that members who have joined the group can now also post Pickleball Club related stuff! Check out all of the Charity Classic tournament photos posted recently!
Click here to join the FB group and start posting!
Read Our Media News!
Cochrane Pickleball Club builds confidence after first independent youth camps. Read more
Greystone courts host Cochrane Pickleball Club's Charity Classic tournament. Read more
Cochrane pickleball tournament eyes future championships. Read more
The Cochrane Pickleball Club is hosting a free youth Try It night on June 15. Read more
Cochrane Pickleball Club returns to Greystone courts with growth, new youth programs, and a major charity tournament ahead. Read more
A Note of Appreciation
We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the 61 Club members who generously shared their time, knowledge and expertise in support of the Skills and Strategies program.
From May through the third week of August, our coaches delivered an impressive 70 coaching sessions, with most sessions requiring at least four coaches. This would not have been possible without the commitment and enthusiasm of our volunteers.
Thank you to everyone who helped make the program such a success!
Sincerely,
Linda and Tony van Son
Skills and Strategies Coordinators
Special Olympics Bow Valley
The Cochrane Pickleball Club aspires to be a thriving, connected pickleball organization where players of all ages find fun, belonging, and inspiration — we are proudly recognized for our spirit, inclusiveness, and leadership in the sport and broader Community. Special Olympics Bow Valley is looking for volunteers to help make its pickleball coaching sessions supportive, inclusive and fun for players with special needs.
Whether you are offering gentle guidance, helping adapt drills or simply bringing patience and positivity to the courts, your presence can make a meaningful difference. If you love pickleball and believe everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy the game, this could be a rewarding volunteer experience for you!
Fall Season Details
Six-week season beginning in mid-to-late September
Weekly sessions at Spray Lake Sawmills Centre
Sessions are currently 1½ hours, with the possibility of increasing to two hours
All volunteers must complete a Vulnerable Sector Check
Looking Ahead: The Spring 2027 season will run from the first week of May through the end of June.
Interested in volunteering? Contact Lesley Johannson via text or phone @ 403.604.6815.
Calling Alberta’s 70+ Pickleball Players!
Could a province-wide network help Alberta’s competitive 70+ players find one another, play more and stay connected? That’s the idea behind a new initiative currently being explored.
Possibilities include:
Informal round robins in communities across Alberta
Competitive events organized by age and skill level
Help finding tournament partners and practice groups
Advocacy for more 70+ divisions at existing tournaments
Regional competitions and MLP-style events
Nothing has been decided—we want players to help shape what this becomes. A short survey is being planned to measure interest and gather ideas.
Interested—or know someone who might be? Contact Daryl at daryl.snider4@gmail.com
Let’s see what we can build together!
Please be reminded that Club members are NOT allowed to bring guests onto Club Courts for a myriad of reasons including insurance coverage. This also means, that no public members can be invited to "fill in" for Club scheduled events. We understand this can be frustrating and are working to find a sustainable solution!
Thank you for your patience as we work to improve Club operations and member experience!