PickleballCANADA
CANUCKS AND PICKLEBALL TOURISM
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With the Pickleball Canada Championships ( National and Regional ) now complete for another year , we see the continued upward trajectory in the number of Canadians playing in tournaments — and why .
Canadian pickleball infrastructure continues to advance in communities across the country , with more places to play in our own backyards . Yet , more than ever , Canadians continue to pursue and take advantage of opportunities to play pickleball away from home .
Part of this can be attributed to the vastness of our land , and the relative sparseness of our population distribution relative to many of the countries our ancestors come from . It is in our Canadian DNA to long for connection to other Canadians , and the broader world .
The very real Canadian focus on staying connected may be a large part of the psyche of the pickleball player north of the 49th parallel . Tournaments bring people together , with an element of excitement , celebration , surprise and the unknown .
Pickleball tourism continues to grow within Canadian borders , with a growing number of provinces having the capacity and willingness to host major tournaments , such as Pickleball Canada ’ s National and Regional Championships , and a growing number of Canadian provinces hosting their own Provincial Championship tournaments .
While many Canadian snowbirds spend the winters in the southern parts of the U . S ., adopting pickleball as part of their annual ritual to find warmer climates , we are also seeing more Canadian tournament players becoming snowbirds , with a desire to sustain their competitive edge by DAVE HARRIS
during the winter months . While some Canadians take the annual “ polar bear plunge ” to mark the new year , others use tournaments in Florida , Arizona and other states to kick-start their winter pickleball season and connect with others while separated from many of their loved ones .
Other Canadians partake in a shorter annual vacation to warmer climates , and players are increasingly looking for destinations with pickleball infrastructure and local players to connect with during these winter escapes . Seven to 10 days without pickleball is unthinkable to many passionate Canucks , who are looking at resorts , cruise ships , and communities that offer pickleball courts as part of the vacation experience .
Canadians are excited about what the Pickleball Federation of the Americas ( PFA ) will mean for pickleball in our hemisphere , and for the pickleball tourism opportunities that will naturally come from the accelerated growth and development of our beloved sport in the Caribbean and Central and South America . Personally , I have been longing to explore South America for the first time , and the PFA may be the impetus to finally take my own polar bear plunge into South American culture with pickleball pit stops in the PFA member countries .
A relatively high percentage of Canadians have passports , due in part to our desire to feel connected with and be able to access the larger global community . Canucks are excited to see how the continental expansion of pickleball will keep us connected with each other and the broader world . •
Canadian Pickleball Players in Mazatlan , Mexico .
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