Deep River Pickleball Q&A
Updated: Jan 19
The thinking behind the dinking.
Q. What was the inspiration for starting Deep River Pickleball?
A. Pickleball. We love the game and seeing the enjoyment it has brought to everyone who tries it. We wanted to make sure everyone in Deep River has a first-class opportunity to play the game. Getting our coaching designations opened the door to making it happen.
Q. What is your relationship with the Deep River Yacht and Tennis Club (DRYTC)?
A. The Deep River Yacht and Tennis Club provides a summer venue for Pickleball in Deep River. We are members of the Club and support it however we can.
Q. Are Spond and Winter Pickleball part of the Deep River Yacht and Tennis Club?
A. No. Spond is a third party app that we started using in 2022 to book games, share content and communicate with other players. Winter Pickleball is organized by Deep River Pickleball.
Q. What is your relationship with the Town of Deep River?
A. It is just developing. We hope to work with the town on a number of community pickleball initiatives, starting with the 2023 Winter Carnival.
Q. Do we have to join Deep River Pickleball to participate in its programs?
A. No. Most events including learn-to-play, lessons and clinics will be open to anyone interested. There will be fees for some of these events. We are working on a couple of initiatives similar to Winter Pickleball where joining as a member is simpler for everyone.
Q. How will your coaching help me?
A. We have been well taught in the basics of pickleball. That means we can offer consistent instruction on everything from rules to the key shots in pickleball as well as some pickleball strategy. Although we are decent players, we have no illusions of competitive greatness. It is not required to be a good instructor.
Q. What are your roles at Deep River Pickleball?
A. Hannah is the face of Deep River Pickleball, the CEO. She coaches, plays and organizes events. Karen is the business organizer. She handles all the messy stuff behind the scenes that Hannah and Jim aren’t very good at. Jim is a coach and comes up with some of the ideas. He did the website and works with Hannah on marketing and social media.
Q. What is your vision for Pickleball in Deep River 5 years from now?
A. Somewhere in Deep River right now there is a 10 year old who hasn’t even heard of Pickleball. In 5 years, they will be a national champion. Somewhere in southern Ontario, there is a 50 year old couple looking for a better place to live. They will choose Deep River because they want to play pickleball and in 5 years they will be the new 55+ Senior Mixed Double Champions a the Renfrew Games. 5 years from now, juniors will make up half the pickleball players in town and 80+ year olds will make up another 15%. Deep River Pickleball will have dedicated, four-season courts and a modern thriving Clubhouse. The July 1 tournament will attract players from across the county.