SPI 2025 PROGRAMMING
2025 FALL INDOOR DAYTIME PROGRAMMING |
Saskatoon Pickleball Inc. and our partner, Saskatoon Soccer Centre Inc., are pleased to offer SPI members exclusive access to pickleball programs at Uptown Jack’s. Courts are located at the Saskatoon Kinsmen/Henk Ruys Soccer Centre, located behind the Lawson Civic Centre. Please refer to our BOOKINGS PAGE for a complete description on how to access Programs.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
What are the Hours of Operation? During the Fall/Winter indoor season, September 3rd, 2025 - May 31, 2026, courts are open Monday through Friday with four two-hour session blocks each day. How Do I Sign Up? Please refer to our BOOKINGS PAGE for a complete description on how to access Programs. What is the cost to play? Court costs are collected from every player for every session. SPI members can opt to pay cash ($8.00 per session) or can purchase a 10-session punch card for a reduced cost of $75 or a 30 punch pass for $210. Some programs will have additional costs as outlined within the programming description. Players must produce their Punch Cards each time as on-site trackage of card use has been discontinued. How and Where Do I Pay? All purchases (per session rate and punch cards) can be made at the Soccer Centre using cash, debit or credit card. |
A FEW MORE NOTES ABOUT INDOOR PROGRAMMING
- Players can make 5 signups within the first 48 hours. After Saturday at 10:00 am, there is no signup limit.
- If Reserving-A-Court, please ensure that the names of all players are in the comments field.
- Being part of a special group counts as one play time whether you sign up or not.
- The weekly SUG email invite shows links to ALL programs, however members only have access to sign up on the links for programs they are invited to on SignUp Genius.
- As per SPI booking rules, players are NOT ALLOWED to make bookings in more than one level of bucket play during the first 48 hours after bookings open. Your name will be removed from a bucket booking if this occurs.
- If you signup for a bucket and are no longer able to attend, PLEASE REMOVE your name from the bucket so other players wishing to play can sign up. Thank you for your cooperation.
- If you are cancelling a Reserve-A-Court, please ensure that all players remove their names.
- SPI provides balls for Bucket Play only - please bring your own balls for other court usage.
- All SPI programming is CLOSED on stat holidays:
FALL 2025 PRIME TIME PROGRAMMING
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MONDAY EVENING PRIMETIME AT UPTOWN JACK'S
Prime Time play is back on Mondays this fall. A few details:
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GUESTS are WELCOME
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GUESTS CAN NOW PLAY DURING ALL SPI PROGRAMS - Indoors and Out!
SPI members can now bring out visiting friends and family and have a blast at the indoor (Uptown Jack's) and outdoor courts (Father Basil Markle and Umea Park) during SPI times! Outdoor steps for Guest play:
PLEASE NOTE:
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OUTDOOR PLAY |
Inclement weather and poor air quality create unsafe conditions for people playing on outdoor pickleball courts. Rain leads to wet, slippery courts and air quality at a high risk level is inadvisable for play according to Canada's Air Quality Health Index. If you are questioning whether the courts will be open for SPI Sponsored Play, click the button below.
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OUTDOOR PLAY IN OCTOBER
Starting the week of September 29, Father Basil Markle Park and Umea may still be open for public play during what had been SPI times. However, this would be considered public play and not SPI organized programs. As such, members would not be covered by PCO insurance. While we don’t have a specific date from the City for closure of the courts, they can start anytime after October 1st. Father Basil and Umea are usually some of the last facilities to close. Weather permitting, this generally means they could be open until Thanksgiving … but there are no guarantees. |
HOW MANY TIMES CAN YOU SIGN UP FOR PROGRAMS? |
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Every Wednesday at 7:00 pm bookings are open for the following week. Bucket Play, Reserve-A-Court, Special Groups and Lessons all count towards your signup quota at the facility in which the program occurs.
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Initial bookings close Friday at 7:00 PM and reopen Saturday morning at 10:00 AM. From that time on, you can book courts for the upcoming week with no restriction on the number of bookings at any of the court locations.
PLEASE NOTE: If you need to cancel a booking, that's easy!!!! Just go on to your SUG account, find the booking and click the "x" next to your signup. Then we can open the court or booking to others who may be searching for court time.
PLEASE NOTE: If you need to cancel a booking, that's easy!!!! Just go on to your SUG account, find the booking and click the "x" next to your signup. Then we can open the court or booking to others who may be searching for court time.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS |
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SPI OPEN BUCKET PLAY OPTIONS
Open Bucket Play provides an opportunity for members to play a social (and somewhat competitive!) game of pickleball with anyone who has registered. In these sessions, players of all levels will mix with one another, with no separation by skill level before play starts. There are a variety of Open Bucket options including: |
RECREATIONAL BUCKET (every day)
~ This level of play is for people who are looking for more social, less competitive play. Players in this group can include a variety of skill levels from those who are new to the game to people who might have been playing for several years. Players with a higher skill level are expected to soften their game if they want to play in this time slot.
INTERMEDIATE BUCKET (every day)
~ Games at this level of play will become quite consistent with all players mastering basic skills like serve and return, dink, drop and volley and be very familiar with the rules of the game. Games at the intermediate level will likely become more competitive with an increased pace. Players with a higher skill level are expected to soften their game if they want to play in this time slot.
MEN’S OPEN BUCKET (Wednesdays)
~ This bucket play is open to men at all levels. It is set up as a round robin in which you switch partners by a pre-determined schedule.
WOMEN’S OPEN BUCKET (Tuesdays)
~ This bucket play is open to women at all levels. It is set up as a round robin in which you switch partners by a pre-determined schedule.
NEW TO PICKLEBALL BUCKET (three times a week, Monday and Wednesday)
~ This bucket is for players who are new to the game and want to get started with other newbies. It’s a place where you can gently get into the game and learn all the basics before you move on to recreational play.
OPEN BUCKET PLAY (twice a week ~ Monday and Friday)
~ Open bucket provides an opportunity for all members to play a social (and somewhat competitive!) game of pickleball with anyone who has registered. In these sessions, players of all levels will mix with one another, with no separation by skill level before play starts. Try it out - you’ll be surprised!
~ This level of play is for people who are looking for more social, less competitive play. Players in this group can include a variety of skill levels from those who are new to the game to people who might have been playing for several years. Players with a higher skill level are expected to soften their game if they want to play in this time slot.
INTERMEDIATE BUCKET (every day)
~ Games at this level of play will become quite consistent with all players mastering basic skills like serve and return, dink, drop and volley and be very familiar with the rules of the game. Games at the intermediate level will likely become more competitive with an increased pace. Players with a higher skill level are expected to soften their game if they want to play in this time slot.
MEN’S OPEN BUCKET (Wednesdays)
~ This bucket play is open to men at all levels. It is set up as a round robin in which you switch partners by a pre-determined schedule.
WOMEN’S OPEN BUCKET (Tuesdays)
~ This bucket play is open to women at all levels. It is set up as a round robin in which you switch partners by a pre-determined schedule.
NEW TO PICKLEBALL BUCKET (three times a week, Monday and Wednesday)
~ This bucket is for players who are new to the game and want to get started with other newbies. It’s a place where you can gently get into the game and learn all the basics before you move on to recreational play.
OPEN BUCKET PLAY (twice a week ~ Monday and Friday)
~ Open bucket provides an opportunity for all members to play a social (and somewhat competitive!) game of pickleball with anyone who has registered. In these sessions, players of all levels will mix with one another, with no separation by skill level before play starts. Try it out - you’ll be surprised!
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LEVELLED BUCKET PLAY - Recreational and Intermediate
Players without a CTPR or club rating should look at the descriptions below to ensure they are playing in an appropriate level. This is not a perfect system, but SPI is asking everyone to work with us to make sure each level results in good games for all. If you sign up for recreational play and you end up winning almost every game, you might consider moving up to intermediate and giving that a try. If you are winning most of your games at the intermediate level, consider trying out for Advanced Bucket play. RECREATIONAL This level of play is for people who are looking for more social, less competitive play. Players in this group can include a variety of skill levels from those who are new to the game to people who might have been playing for several years. Generally, though, players will be at a level between 2.5 and 3.0. Players with a higher skill level are expected to soften their game if they want to play in this time slot. INTERMEDIATE Games at this level of play will become quite consistent with all players mastering basic skills like serve and receive, dinking and volleying and be very familiar with the rules of the game. Games at the intermediate level will likely become more competitive with an increased pace. Generally, players will be in the 3.0 range. |
LEVELLED BUCKET PLAY - Advanced and A+
Saskatoon Pickleball Inc. now has a team of volunteers who conduct club assessments for two levels of Bucket Play: Advanced Bucket and A+ Bucket. Members wishing to play with those groups must be pre-approved in order to access the signups.
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS
The process for each assessment is a bit different:
Saskatoon Pickleball Inc. now has a team of volunteers who conduct club assessments for two levels of Bucket Play: Advanced Bucket and A+ Bucket. Members wishing to play with those groups must be pre-approved in order to access the signups.
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS
- First, to ensure that club members are playing in skill-alike groups and having the best possible experience on the courts,
- Second, to provide the club with a list of players who would be suited for, and invited to, “advanced” level and “A+” level training programs, and
- Third, our SPI membership have asked us to do so.
The process for each assessment is a bit different:
- For the Advanced Assessment, a group of 12-20 people are registered through SignUp Genius (first come, first served). Participants play games and from the observation and checklist of five assessors, it is determined if any of the players will be moved into the Advanced Bucket Play Program.
- The process for A+ Assessment involves each player expressing an interest in being assessed. From that list, groups of four are assembled on a regular basis for an assessment of individual skills (those required for a 3.5+ rating) followed by game play. Based on observation and a checklist, players are approved for inclusion in the A+ Bucket Play Program. Please note that players wishing to be assessed for A+, must already be approved for Advanced Bucket.
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RESERVE-A-COURT
Reserve-a-court is available on all courts throughout the year. Reserve-a-court is a time for groups of four to five people to book a court. The "Lead Member" who books the court must name those people who are intended to be in the group. After that, each member must sign up individually on SignUpGenius. Payment for indoor courts is made on arrival at the soccer centre. Pre-registration is encouraged. If there is space available on day of play at the indoor courts, SPI members can just show up to register, pay at the door and play. For outdoor play, ONLY SPI members who have paid the outdoor summer fee will have access Reserve-A-Court spots. If there is space available on day of play, these members can show up at the gate, register and play. SPI members who have not paid the outdoor summer fee will not have access to any play during SPI times at Father Basil Markle or Umea, whether or not space is available.. |
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LADDER LEAGUES
Ladder leagues are open to players of any age, any level. The ladder league is NOT just for advanced players. The aim of the ladder league is for all players to enjoy playing pickleball with other players of a similar calibre. In each ladder league, players are grouped with three others closest to their own level. After play is finished, players’ scores are entered into Pickleball Brackets. After each session, players move up and down the ladder according to their own performance. In the partners ladder, players must register as a team of two on the registration date. That team can be two men, two women, or a mixed team. Players play with that same partner each week and move up and down as a team. To register for the leagues, you first have to sign up for a free account with Pickleball Brackets. Next, you need to go to “clubs” and scroll down to join the Saskatoon Pickleball Inc. club. After that, go to leagues and join the league you want to play in. Once registered, you still need to opt-in on a weekly basis so that organizers know who is coming. A step-by-step tutorial on how to sign up and use Pickleball Brackets is available on the SPI's Ladder League Web Page. Additional to court fees, ladder league registrants must pay $10.00 per ladder league to cover Pickleball Brackets’ administrative fees. |
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WOMAN'S ROUND ROBIN The women’s Round Robin League is open to female players of any age and skill level. Each session players are mixed in a round robin format and play approximately six games with different partners and against different players. After the formal round robin, if time allows, players can stay and mix as they choose. This is a fun league which does not rely on tracking games for movement up and down. |
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TUTOR BALL MACHINE PROGRAM
Ever wanted to test your skills against a machine! Now’s the time. Instructors are on site at Uptown Jack's to set up a variety of skills on the Tutor Ball Machine and rotate players through those skills. Ready, Set, GO! The machine spits out balls with pace and precision allowing the player to practise return of serve, 3rd shot drops, mid-court drops, block shots and more. Players will get a deeper understanding of how to gain position and place shots with purpose. Watch the signups for details on how to rent the machine. |
