POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Midland Area Pickleball Club is a non-profit organization. Fees cover: court bookings, balls, portable nets as needed, equipment related to maintaining courts or nets, tournaments and related costs such as treats or prizes, events, and any equipment needed to run the club effectively. 


Our policies and processes are reviewed annually by the Board of Directors of the club.

Last Updated: Sep 17, 2024


Below, you can find some excerpts of key information from the manual, or you can download the full manual here.

FULL MEMBERS

​A Full member can attend any of the days/times indicated in our play calendar with the exception of special events where they may need to sign up in advance (such as Ladder Play). Full membership is capped at 160 players based on the number of venues and times we have available to play to avoid overcrowding. Adding more members with the existing number of days/times creates long waits to rotate in to play. Full members are added when there are existing Full members who leave the club (moving, no longer interested, etc) by extending an invitation the top of the wait list (longest wait at the top).

Members who leave the club after the season has already started will not be offered a refund.

Members must be at least 18 years of age to play.


ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

​An Associate member is someone who is on our wait list to become a Full member, but has chosen to pay to play at one of the schools (for example, James Keating and St. Theresa’s) where time in the gyms has been booked. Associate membership is capped at 100 based on the number of days/times available to avoid overcrowding. Being an Associate member does not impact the priority or position on the wait list.

Each season, the existing Associate members will be given first priority for renewing as Associate members or choosing to just be on the wait list (if they decide the play at the schools or times available are not suitable). If the number falls below 100, the offer will go out to others on the wait list. If there are only a few spaces available, we will first target people who are newer to the wait list and, therefore, didn’t have the chance to sign up as Associates previously.

If an Associate member is offered a spot as a Full member part way through the season, their Associate fee they have already paid will be counted towards the Full member fee. For example, if the Full membership fee is $125 and the player has already paid $50 to be an Associate member, they would pay the difference of $75 to become a Full member that season.

Associate members who leave the club after the season has already started will not be offered a refund.

Associate members must be at least 18 years of age to play.


WAIT LIST

The Wait List is capped at 200 people. People who request to be added once we are at 200 will be turned away as the wait time will be several years at a minimum. People are added in order of the date requested with the oldest requests at the top.


INJURED PLAYERS AND MEMBERSHIP

Players who know they will be out injured for the season (for example, having knee surgery), do not have to pay to play that year and will not lose a full membership spot. They can return later that season and pay a pro-rated rate or return the following season. They can re-join even if we are at the membership cap; it just means there will be fewer open spots for the following season.

From time to time, the nature of the injury is such that they may miss multiple seasons and we will still maintain their spot as a full member; their membership will be considered “on hold.”


Players who are skipping a year due to injury must indicate that at the start of the season they are missing. They should reply to the membership renewal email indicating they are injured and planning to return. Failure to do so means they will be considered “former” members in future and their spot is not guaranteed.


WAIVERS

Both Full and Associate members must have signed a waiver to play. They are requested to submit one via email if they can scan it in and email it or bring it to the first time they play. The convenors or executive can collect the forms and they should be returned to the Club Secretary.

A new waiver is not required each year unless there is a substantive change to the text.


If a member, Full or Associate, has not completed a waiver after several attempts to collect one, they will be asked to stop play until it is complete. Any player who does not agree with the waiver and will not sign it can choose to leave the club.


CODE OF CONDUCT

  • Treat others with respect
  • Do not engage in unsportsmanlike conduct and avoid criticism and negative verbal or non-verbal communication
  • Be generous when you win, graceful when you lose, and celebrate your teammates and opponents
  • Do not engage in any behaviour that would endanger the health, safety, or well-being of others
  • Engage in conduct that is free from fear, discrimination, abuse, and harassment
  • Be fair and honest in play and when making line calls and dealing with others
  • Know and follow the rules of pickleball, and cooperate when situations arise that aren't covered by the rules
  • Accept responsibility for your own actions

Any member, Full or Associate, who does not agree with the Code of Conduct can choose to leave the club; refunds will not be issued if the season has already begun. By playing as part of the club, members are implicitly agreeing to the code of conduct.


ABUSIVE BEHAVIOUR POLICY

Abusive behaviour is not tolerated and violates the club’s code of conduct. The United Nations defines abuse as:

  • Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure, or wound someone.


In case of abusive behaviour of members:

  • The first instance will result in a verbal warning from the convenor and/or club executive. All such warnings should be noted with the Club Secretary to document it.
  • Should a second instance occur by the same player, a written warning will be sent via email from the club executive.
  • A third instance of abusive behaviour will result in the player being removed from the club and their membership fee refunded (we will refund the prorated amount based on the number of months into the season). The player will not be allowed to re-join the club in the future and can no longer play or participate at any club booked times, events, tournaments, etc. They will be added to the Former Members list with a note indicating that they are not permitted to re-join the club.