SPI 2023 PROGRAMMING
2024 OUTDOOR SUMMER PROGRAMMING
NOTES ABOUT *SPECIAL GROUP BOOKINGS* at UMEA.
NOTES:
DAYTIME SUMMER INDOOR PROGRAMMING
DAYTIME WINTER INDOOR PROGRAMMING |
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Please refer to our BOOKINGS PAGE for a complete description on how to access Programs. 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. What are the Hours of Operation? During the Fall/Winter indoor season, September 5th, 2023 - May 31, 2024, courts are open Monday through Friday with four two-hour session blocks each day (8:30 - 10:30 AM, 10:35 AM - 12:35 PM, 12:40 - 2:40 PM, and 2:45 - 4:45 PM). 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 ($7.00 per session) or can purchase a 10-session punch card for a reduced cost of $65 or a monthly pass for $85. 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, punch card and monthly pass) can be made at the Soccer Centre using cash, debit or credit card. |
PRIMETIME PROGRAMMING AT UPTOWN JACK'S |
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SPI offers Prime Time sessions including both bucket play and reserve-a-court in the fall, winter and spring. Prime Time Sessions are offered select evenings and weekend days depending on demand.
SPI rents courts from the Soccer Centre for all Prime Time Programs, and covers the full cost of that rental up front. This cost is then passed on to players who must commit and pay for the entire session block when they register. Players who cannot make it to an entire session block can cost-share or have subs on the days they must miss. It is up to the player to find, and get reimbursement, from subs. Cost for these sessions is $96 for an 8-session block (cost-recovery). Fees are collected through SignUp Genius at the time of registration. As this is Prime Time, punch cards and monthly memberships cannot be used for these sessions and Prime Time Programs do not count towards a player's signup quota. |
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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OPEN BUCKET PLAY
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. |
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LEVELLED BUCKET PLAY
Players without a CTPR rating should look at the descriptions below and self-rate to make sure 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. So if you self-rate at advanced, for example, but lose all or almost all your games at that level, you might consider signing up for intermediate the next time. 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. We also encourage people who are new to the game and have been playing in the New to Pickleball Bucket sessions for a while to try levelled play at the recreational level and see what they think. Self-rating for this type of bucket play DOES NOT mean you will be forced to stay at the same level forever. As your game improves, and as your desire for more or less competitive or strategic games changes, you can move to different levels. The goal is for everyone to have good games at whatever level of play they choose. |
Here’s the descriptions of what play should look like at each level:
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 to 3.5 level.
ADVANCED
The Advanced Bucket is a by invitation bucket play for players who are CTPR rated at 3.25 to 3.4999 or club rated to participate in the Advanced Bucket. Games at this level will be quite competitive and pace within the game will vary from fast-paced to slow resets, include skills like 3rd and 5th shot drops, involve more sustained dinking, and generally be a more strategic game.
A+ BUCKET
The A+ Bucket is a by invitation bucket play for players who have a 3.5+ CTPR rating or have been club assessed at being a 3.5 plus player. Assessments are scheduled when at least four people have requested one. Players should be prepared to run through a series of drills and shots that would be expected of a 3.5 player followed by game 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 to 3.5 level.
ADVANCED
The Advanced Bucket is a by invitation bucket play for players who are CTPR rated at 3.25 to 3.4999 or club rated to participate in the Advanced Bucket. Games at this level will be quite competitive and pace within the game will vary from fast-paced to slow resets, include skills like 3rd and 5th shot drops, involve more sustained dinking, and generally be a more strategic game.
A+ BUCKET
The A+ Bucket is a by invitation bucket play for players who have a 3.5+ CTPR rating or have been club assessed at being a 3.5 plus player. Assessments are scheduled when at least four people have requested one. Players should be prepared to run through a series of drills and shots that would be expected of a 3.5 player followed by game play.
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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. |
