Andrew Linch

Margaret Barry from River John Pickleball Club

RENDA VANDERTOORN

Renda has taken a very enthusiastic lead role in promoting the sport of pickleball. Having graduated from Acadia University with a Physical Education degree, Renda taught elementary and junior high Physical Education for 30 years. Upon retiring in 2017, she has leveraged her teaching skills with with her love of pickleball and is passing along all her knowledge and enthusiasm to encourage people – especially females – to learn this game properly, encourage them to be physically active, and enjoy the camaraderie that this sport provides.

She initially formed a Pickleball Skills Group in Hantsport and willingly gave up her Wednesday mornings to provide players with the help they needed to improve their game. She also worked with various Recreation Directors and organized a Beginner Level Pickleball Clinic at the Hants Memorial Community Centre in Windsor. Many of those participants came away from that clinic with the desire to learn more and continue playing the game as a direct result of Renda’s enthusiastic approach to teaching the sport.

After confirming that there was sufficient interest, Renda organized a Women’s Pickleball Skills Program at the Louis Millett Community Centre in New Minas. Over 45 people registered for this program, and Renda continued to provide training in a fun and informative manner. She has also attended many other venues over the last year to give instruction on the game and has organized many pickleball tournaments within her community including the Annual New Year’s Day Pickleball Tournament in Hantsport.

Renda was approached by the Valley Recreation Directors group (members from throughout the Valley to Yarmouth area) to speak about pickleball at a Recreation Directors’ Meeting in Halifax. Accompanied by some Pickleball Nova Scotia board members, Renda took the lead in that presentation which was a real eye opener for the Recreation Directors on just how fast the sport of pickleball has been growing.

With Renda’s contribution to the pickleball community, so many people – especially seniors – have benefitted from her instruction and are continuing to be physically and socially active within the community. She has definitely become a great Ambassador for pickleball in Nova Scotia and we wish to congratulate her on being nominated and selected as this year’s recipient.

Congratulations Renda!

ANGELA WELD

Through her vision and commitment, Angela provided leadership to the Board of Pickleball Nova Scotia and taken on the responsibility of the membership committee. She contributed to a period of considerable growth by helping in the retention of current members and in the increase of new members.

Angel Weld also championed the lead role of coordinating and training of officials.

Whenever there is a local event, Angela is the first to volunteer to help, and she enthusiastically promotes pickleball on behalf of both Pickleball Nova Scotia and Pickleball Canada.

Through Angela’s dedication and hard work, she has played a big part in building the foundation for the growth and development of our sport. 

Thank you, Angela, for your outstanding contributions!

MIKE HINCHEY

Pickleball Nova Scotia would like to congratulate Mike Hinchey as the recipient of our 2020 Volunteer of the Year Award. Here are some of the reasons why Mike was selected….

-President of Antigonish Pickleball Society.

-Served as Co-Chair of the 2019 Nova Scotia Provincial 55+ Games Pickleball Tournament.

-Established extremely positive working relationships with local governments and academic institutions related to securing court time and providing training for new players. 

-IPTPA Level One Certified Instructor.

-Provides introduction clinics to beginners in Antigonish and outlying areas and helps seniors remain active and social.

-Provided a pickleball training session to Antigonish Special Olympians.

-Organizes regular recreational tournaments for players in the Antigonish area. 

-After securing some playing time in a local school, Mike initiated a drop-in fee that applies to some of our pickleball playing times and money generated goes to purchasing equipment that exceeds the school’s budget. With this year’s donation, the school bought supports for the children to learn how to skate.

-Mike also encourages school teachers to play pickleball and has put on a training session at a teacher in-service day.

-Mike provided 10 pickleball instructional sessions to the Human Kinetic students at St. FX and put together care packages for the students that our club shares gym time with at the university.

-Manages club playing schedule which is constantly changing and keeps all club members up to date.

-Mike instigated an ongoing initiative that sees our pickleball club provide financial donations to local charitable organizations such as the food bank and the Saint Martha’s Hospital Foundation.