Our Winter Reopening

Hi fellow pickleball players,

We have the go ahead for playing indoors this winter starting on Monday. There are many changes; please read this carefully so you will understand how it is going to work.

We have been given the following times: 10:30-2:30 Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We will divide time slots up as follows: 10:30-12:25, 12:30-2:25. 

MEMBERSHIP

All players need to be current members of the Nelson Pickleball Club to play. 

No drop-ins will be permitted. Everyone needs to be a member of a pod. The maximum pod size is six players. It will assist the committee if each pod nominates a computer-literate “captain”, as an online spreadsheet needs to be filled out each day. Membership fees are $30 or $25 if you were a member last year. See the website for information on payment. 

SIGNUP

We will use the signup.com website as usual, but only one person from each pod will sign up. Pod cancellations are permitted up to 24 hours in advance. If the cancellation is not received within that time and your court is not used, you will still be charged. You will sign up for a specific court. Court 1 is the closest to the entrance, Court 3 is the middle court, and Court 5 is the far court near the exit door.

PAYMENT

Courts will be rented to pods rather than to individuals. Credit at $5 per punch will be given for punch cards from last year, which you should bring to your first session. If you do not have a pass, you will begin the season by paying $90 to our account at the NDCU. This will buy you $100 of Pickleball credit. Do this by sending the $90 to pickleball@fp2.ca through your online banking.

Doug will explain the online spreadsheet set-up to each pod “captain”.  The spreadsheet will track each individual's credit, and debit them for each day that they play, and will show their balance. This will become much clearer as time goes on. 

GYM PROTOCOL

You will enter the building front doors at 10:30 or 12:30, and not before. You will be wearing masks as this hallway is a public area. There is a hand sanitizer station just inside the door; please use this. Change your shoes in the hallway. You can leave them on the runner beyond the coke machine. You should re-sanitize your hands after changing your shoes. We recommend you bring your own so you do not have to return to the front door. You will then enter the gym and proceed to the benches behind your court area, where you will remove your outerwear and place it neatly on the floor. 

Two (or maximum three) players will set up the nets in the morning. There will be a bucket containing our first-aid kit and a clipboard in the pole cupboard. The clipboard has a Covid waiver form that must be signed by EVERY PLAYER, EVERY SESSION. We suggest that everyone brings their own pen for signing this form.

The morning players will leave the clipboard on the bench closest to the entry door for an afternoon session player to take to Jeanie. Please bring both sheets (morning and afternoon) to the office at the end of play, and return the clipboard to the bucket. 

Both groups will end their play promptly 5 minutes before the end time and be outside the building by the bottom of the hour. Please leave by the doors at the far end of the gym wearing your mask, so that you will not be interacting with the incoming group.

At the end of the afternoon play, 2 or 3 people will take down the nets and clean the poles (sanitizing solution and rags will be supplied in the pole cupboard). They will also ensure that the clipboard has been returned to the bucket and the two current sheets are brought to the office. If Jeanie is not in the office, please leave the forms outside the office window. 

Everyone will bring their own filled water bottles. If they need to be refilled throughout the session, you will wear a mask while filling at the water fountain. Drinking from the fountain itself will not be possible. If you need to use the bathroom, you must use a mask and sanitize your hands before returning to the gym. Again, we encourage you to bring your own sanitizer. 

BALLS

We will supply each pod with 1 ball for each member. Keep these balls within your pod. There will be no club balls or paddles in the cupboard. When balls break, let us know and we will provide replacements. Other pods’ balls must be batted back (no hands!) if they come onto your court. 

These rules have been either stipulated or agreed to by the administration at Selkirk College. We hope all players will adhere strictly to them, so that we can all enjoy playing pickleball during these difficult Covid times. 

See you on the courts!

Doug, Gloria, John and Tricia

Nelson Pickleball Committee