July 10, 2025 (Comox Valley) – The Comox Valley Pickleball Association (CVPA) hosted another successful “Fun Day” pickleball tournament at the Comox Rotary Highland in late June. Fifty players were on the courts to compete in the one-day event, with six dedicated courts and an additional five temporary courts set up in the adjacent lacrosse box.
View photos from the Fun Day Tournament
The event emphasized fun, laughter and friendship. Pickleball players of all levels were mixed with players that they often don’t get a chance to play with. “Regular play” occurred on four of the six courts, while the remaining two courts featured “specialty” courts: one court hosted a dinking game, while the second court implemented a “play your non-dominant or opposite hand” rule.
“There are always hoots of laughter and ‘try that again’ comments heard from this court,” said CVPA secretary, Donna Turner. “Players enjoy it so much, and several want to get a chance to get on that court more than once!”
In the lacrosse box, four of the five courts are “regular play”. The last court is the “Queen’s Court”. The CVPA crowns a King and Queen at their annual Christmas party. These two members of royalty reign over the goings on at that court, which can include:
• Playing with a sponge ball, nerf ball, or a tennis ball (sometimes an orange);
• Playing with a ping pong paddle or a kids sand paddle;
• Playing with a wig, funny glasses, hats, tiaras, capes, etc.
This year’s Queen Roxy reigned supreme. If she got bored with watching all the frivolity, she interrupted the game, changed equipment for some of the players, changed the score, moved players from one side to the other. The “Queen’s Court” is a source of much laughter, and everyone comes away a winner!
Photos courtesy of CVPA
“This year at the end of the festivities, there were 36 prizes drawn that ranged from pickleball socks to pickleball keychains to pickles,” added Turner. “The last prize awarded was a “Chocolate Bar Story” which is one of those gifts that you have to see to understand. But, trust me, it is very cool.”
Turned added that Jane Kolmatycki deserves high praise for all the work she puts into the event every year.
“King Peter and Queen Roxy did a fantastic job in a most enjoyably royal way,” concluded Turner. “April Hull is always ready to lend a hand, and does a great job with registration and keeping everyone organized.”
To learn more about the CVPA, cvpickleball.ca.
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