HOW DO I CONTACT THE CLUB?

• Send an email to INFO@SOUTHSOUNDPICKLEBALL.ORG
• The club's mailing address is: 118 Judson Street, POB 822, Gig Harbor, WA, 98335

WHAT IS WILD APRICOT?

Wild Apricot is the membership management software used by SSPC to manage member profiles, renewals, and event registrations. The page you are looking at now is the website version of the Wild Apricot site.

The phone app of Wild Apricot is an abbreviated version of the website, allowing access to your personal profile, the member list, and event registration. The website version contains expanded information, including membership signup and renewals, weekly schedule, newsletters, general SSPC activities, and SSPC administrative documents.

WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BOOKMARK THE WEBSITE. THIS IS WHERE YOU WILL FIND ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT SPECIAL EVENTS AND CANCELLATIONS.

CAN I GET ON YOUR MAILING LIST WITHOUT BECOMING A MEMBER?

Yes, we can add you (or a friend) to our contact list. You will be sent appropriate communications such as general newsletters and event announcements. Use this link to fill out the contact form: CONTACT FORM

HOW DO I GET INFORMATION ABOUT EVENTS AND SCHEDULE CHANGES?

All club events and schedule changes are communicated using the club's communication tools: 

• SSPC website on Wild Apricot, especially the SCHEDULE tab

• SSPC events tab on Wild Apricot, plus emails to appropriate members

• Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/167007723639205

• GroupMe chat groups for Sehmel and VanZee (see instructions below)

• Periodic newsletters sent to your email address

You should definitely bookmark the club's SCHEDULE page on the Wild Apricot website so you can find it easily. Don't be disappointed by arriving at the courts to find that no one is there or that they are reserved by others!

HOW CAN I FIND PEOPLE TO PLAY WITH DURING NON-CLUB TIMES?

• Join the chat group called GroupMe by installing the app on your phone, then use the links below to apply to join the chat group for Sehmel and/or Van Zee. You do not need to be a member of the club to join these groups. Both these groups are private; you must apply to become a member and successfully answer a security question. Most applicants are admitted within 24 hours.

• Use this link to join the SOUTH SOUND SEHMEL group:
  https://groupme.com/join_group/88315865/LumA0eQD

• Use this link to join the SOUTH SOUND PICKLERS- VAN ZEE group :
  https://groupme.com/join_group/84021557/0j3glOzt

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MEMBER?

• Membership can be purchased under the Membership tab on this website. There are membership levels for 1 year, 3 year, Family, and Student.

• You need to be a member of the South Sound Pickleball Club to play for no charge during designated group drop-in times and to participate in club-sponsored events. Guests of members are welcome with a $10 drop-in fee. See the Schedule tab for information about scheduled group drop-in sessions.

• Only members are given the combination code to access the club's portable nets and balls at Sehmel and Van Zee

• Only members are covered by the club's liability insurance

DO I NEED TO CARRY A MEMBERSHIP CARD?

• All active members of SSPC have a digital membership card as part of their personal profile on Wild Apricot. You can show the card to the court ambassador with the image on your phone. If your membership has lapsed, you will not have access to the digital membership card until you have paid your renewal fee.

DO YOU ALLOW GUESTS?

• Guests who live in the local area may play at scheduled club sessions for a drop-in fee of $10 (cash or Venmo)

• Guests who are passing through the area on vacation can play once for no charge

• Guests of members are asked to pay the $10 drop-in fee unless they are in the area short-term (such as for holidays or vacation). It's always best to introduce the guest to the court ambassador as soon as you arrive at the courts. The ambassador will verify your membership status.

• Guests must also agree to the Liability and Use Waiver

WHAT ARE YOUR POLICIES CONCERNING PRIVACY?

• SSPC wants to respect each member's wishes concerning privacy and personal preferences. For this reason, the club does not distribute a paper or electronic roster to members.

• A member roster is available in a member-only section of the website. Members may opt out of having their name published by making the proper selections on their personal profile.

• PHOTOGRAPHS: Photographs are often taken of players at the courts. By default, the club assumes you give your permission to have YOUR NAME and/or PHOTO displayed on the club's social media, such as the website or Facebook. If you wish to opt-out, the club will do its best to ensure your name/photo is not published on any official club communication or social media. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM THE PHOTOGRAPHER IF YOU HAVE OPTED OUT OF NAME/PHOTO PUBLICATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

• However, many photos are taken by individual members, and the club has no control on the use of those photographs. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM THE PHOTOGRAPHER IF YOU HAVE OPTED OUT OF NAME/PHOTO PUBLICATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IN CASE OF EMERGENCY?

In an emergency or if needing assistance during an accident, dial 911 and give the court address:

• Sehmel Homestead Park -- 10123 78th Ave NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98332. Specify the tennis courts.

• Van Zee Park -- 300 Tremont St, Port Orchard, WA 98366

WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY TO PLAY ON PUBLIC COURTS?

• PenMet operates its facilities, such as courts and fields, on a fee-for-use basis. SSPC pays PenMet Recreation District for the exclusive use of the courts at Sehmel during designated hours, when only club members and paying guests can play. Your membership and drop-in fees help to pay for court rental as well as membership software, liability insurance, balls, nets, and other equipment.

• Non-club players can play at no cost on the courts at Sehmel Homestead Park during non-club hours; however, non-club players will need to take their own balls and nets. The calendar on the website shows when courts are already reserved or available. 

• The courts at Van Zee Park are not reserved and are open to the public. That said, there is a lot of organized play at Van Zee, generally every morning and evening, with players connecting through the chat group called GroupMe. Only SSPC members can access the nets & balls in the locked bin.

DOES THE CLUB PLAY WHEN IT RAINS?

• For safety reasons, the club does not play at Sehmel Park or Van Zee Park when it rains.

I'M A BEGINNER. CAN I STILL PLAY WITH YOU?

Absolutely! Beginners are welcome at all "open" or "all skills" sessions. Courts are organized by skill levels so you will find others to enjoy a compatible game of pickleball.

WHAT ARE THE HOME COURT RULES?

• The club has a Code of Conduct that all members must acknowledge each year when purchasing membership. Visitors are expected to follow these rules.

• All members are encouraged to "drop in" at any of the club's publicized open play times. There is almost always a court ambassador to greet and assist you if you have questions or want to play at a certain skill level. With the exception of Tuesday and Thursday evening sessions, which are restricted to 4.0+ advanced players, everyone is welcome. The club uses a rotation protocol to ensure that everyone gets equal time on the courts.

DO YOU HAVE A CHALLENGE COURT?

• There are 2 challenge courts for advanced players during Saturday's scheduled session. 

• The advanced players on Tuesday and Thursday evenings may elect to establish a challenge court as long as the courts do not have long waiting lines.

CAN ANYONE PLAY ON THE CHALLENGE COURT?

• Those who play on the challenge courts are usually 4.5 and 5.0 rated players with fast, aggressive games. If your game skills and rating match these guidelines, you are welcome to play on the challenge courts.

DOES THE CLUB PROVIDE BALLS?

• Yes, during the scheduled SSPC sessions, the Franklin X-40 ball is provided to all players at Sehmel and Van Zee. Members are asked to use their own balls during non-club times. Balls are not provided during the off season from late September to early May.

DOES THE CLUB PROVIDE LOANER PADDLES?

• The club has a few loaner paddles at Sehmel and Van Zee for those who have not yet purchased a paddle. Players are expected to have their own paddle if they wish to continue playing.

IS THERE SEATING AT THE COURTS?

• The club provides some seating at Sehmel on portable folding benches. You may also take your own camp chair. There is limited space for chairs at Sehmel, but Van Zee is more spacious with lots of room for chairs.

DO YOU HAVE A LOST AND FOUND?

• Yes, there is a lost and found bin at Sehmel in the right-hand storage locker. See the button at the top of this page for photos. Periodically, the items are photographed and posted to the SSPC Facebook page and on this website. Unclaimed items are donated.

• At Van Zee, found items are announced on the GroupMe chat group.

ARE THERE BATHROOMS NEAR THE COURTS?

• Yes, there are men's and women's bathrooms at both Sehmel and Van Zee just a short walk from the courts.

IS THERE A FIRST AID KIT AT THE COURTS?

• Yes, there is a small first-aid kit at both Sehmel and Van Zee. There are also cold packs available.

ARE THE COURTS LIGHTED?

• The courts at Sehmel Homestead Park are not lighted.

• The courts at Van Zee Park in Port Orchard are lighted.

ARE THERE NETS AT THE COURTS?

• Neither Sehmel or Van Zee have permanent pickleball nets. Both have portable nets (12 at Sehmel, 4 at Van Zee)

• MEMBERS have access to the lock boxes at Sehmel and Van Zee to get portable nets and balls during non-club hours. Only members may access these nets, and they must be returned to the box and locked when a member is not present. The nets should never be removed off site.

• • SSPC uses only portable SwiftNets. These nets can be confusing at first. Watch this YouTube Video to learn how to assemble and disassemble the net properly.

• There is one heavy-duty community net on wheels at Sehmel. NON-MEMBERS can use this net if not already in use. If that community net is already in use, non-members must take their own nets and balls. After use, the community net must be rolled to the NE corner of the tennis enclosure next to the chain-link fence so that is does not impede play on the tennis court.

• Players at Van Zee must take their own nets and balls unless there are already members at the courts with the nets set up. When the member(s) leaves, the nets are taken down and stored with the balls in the lock box. 

• Under no circumstances may non-members use club equipment without a member present.

DO YOU OFFER PICKLEBALL LESSONS?

• The club partners with PenMet to offer 4 beginner clinics each summer. These are advertised in the SSPC Facebook page and on this website.

• In addition, some SSPC members are certified instructors and offer private lessons. Contact info@southsoundpickleball.org for specifics.

• There are other organizations that offer clinics in the regional area, these are often advertised on the SSPC Facebook group.

• During the summer of 2025, 1-hour clinics are offered on most Tuesday and Thursday mornings (at Sehmel) and Wednesday mornings (at Van Zee) from 8am-9am. Each clinic focuses on one or two specific skills and is suitable for advanced beginners and intermediate players. The cost is $15 per student payable at the courts to the instructor (cash or Venmo preferred). Students must register on the Swish sports app.

• During the summer of 2025, the club has scheduled 8 3-hour clinics on Saturday afternoons. The flyer can be found under NEWS and the Events/Registration under EVENTS.

WHAT IS THE SWISH sports app?

SWISH is used primarily as a registration tool for clinics, round robins, and DUPR games. One person creates an event (called a "game") on the app that others can join, and the app shows who has joined. Games often have a player limit. SWISH will maintain a waiting list if the game is already full. 

At Sehmel, SWISH is used to register players for Tuesday and Thursday morning clinics. At Van Zee, SWISH is used to register players for clinics, round robins, and other events where the organizer wants a count of attendees. Payment is not made through the app but is paid at the courts to the instructors.

You must first install the SWISH sports app on your phone, then use the links below to ask to join. You will be admitted within 24 hours. Note that these links work ONLY on a phone or tablet; they will not work in a computer.

• South Sound Pickleball - Sehmel
  https://swishsports.page.link/zBJG 

• SSPC- Van Zee
  https://swishsports.page.link/58pm 

• South Sound DUPR Games SSPC
  https://swishsports.page.link/DmWQ

HOW CAN I GET MORE INVOLVED?

• See the Volunteers button at the top of the page. Contact any of the club board members at the courts or by email (info@southsoundpickleball.org). There are many opportunities to get involved with short-and long-term projects.

WHAT IS A PLAYER RATING?

You'll often hear pickleball players describe themselves with a number. Ratings are on a scale of 1.0 to 5.0, with half point increments. If you plan on playing in tournaments, you will need to assess your rating so that you can enter the appropriate level bracket. During SSPC's sessions, courts are often allocated by skill level, with beginners in the 2.5-3.0 rating, intermediates in the 3.5 rating, and advanced in the 4.0+ rating. There is a button at the top of this page that will take you to a description of the skill ratings.

WHAT IS USAPA?

The USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) was organized to promote the growth and development of pickleball, not only on a national but an international level. This organization provides players with official rules, tournaments, rankings, and promotional materials. If you have a question about a pickleball rule, this is the place to go! There is a button at the top of this page with a link to the USAPA website.

HOW ARE CLUB FUNDS USED?

SSPC is a non-profit organization. All monies collected from dues and drop-in fees are invested in benefits for the members and promoting the sport in the community. This includes equipment (nets, benches, balls, etc.), liability insurance for every paid member, court rental fees, member events, and other pickleball-related items for players at Sehmel and Van Zee. The club's finance report is posted on the website.

ARE MY CLUB DUES TAX DEDUCTIBLE?

No. The IRS in Publication 463 (Travel, Entertainment, Gift and Car Expenses) is very specific regarding deducting club dues and membership fees. Any club that is organized for pleasure, recreation OR other social purposes is not a deductible expense. 

SSPC BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SSPC is run entirely by volunteers. Members of the Board of Directors are voted in every November. The Board has 9-11 members, with the executive officers of President (or co-presidents), Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Board usually meets monthly, sometimes in person and sometimes virtually. Every board member takes on an administrative project.

The Board is the engine that keeps the club running. It handles the administrative duties of the club, such as reserving courts, scheduling events, collecting membership and registration fees, managing finances, managing the website, setting policies, organizing court management, communicating with members via newsletters and social media, and more.

WHAT ARE THE POLICIES FOR POSTING TO THE SSPC FACEBOOK PAGE?

The SSPC Facebook page is located at https://www.facebook.com/groups/167007723639205

•  Anyone can post to the Facebook Page. Several admins watch the page to be sure posts stay within these guidelines:

Generally only for pickleball

o   Play schedules and cancellations

o   Pictures of people playing at our courts

o   Pickleball tournaments

o   SSPC announcements

No ads unless approved by SSPC

o   No selling items

o   No ads for lessons for profit

o   No posts not related to pickleball

• The SSPC Facebook page is "open," in other words anyone can join, and the board would like to keep it that way as long as the unwanted posts are kept to a minimum. Occasionally there is spam, usually in the form of advertisements for pickleball t-shirts. The Facebook admins watch Facebook daily and will usually catch these posts and other non-related posts within a few hours.

Doris Heritage Park

• The 6 new dedicated pickleball courts at Doris Heritage Park (near the Tom Taylor YMCA) are a project of the City of Gig Harbor as part of a large recreational expansion. They are not associated with SSPC.
• The courts are individually fenced, have permanent nets, open at 6am, and are lighted until 10pm at night. They are not covered, so they can be used only during dry weather.
• These courts are community courts for open play and cannot be reserved or restricted to a private group, including SSPC. If there are multiple people waiting, players are expected to start a 2-in, 2-out rotation so that everyone gets equal time on the courts.
• At this time, there are no organized times for skill level groups.

PenMet Parks Recreation Center 2524 14th Avenue NW in Gig Harbor, WA. Hours of Operation – Effective July 1 The PenMet Parks Recreation Center is open seven days a week, except for holidays. Monday through Friday: 6:30 AM – 9 PM Saturday and Sunday: 8 AM – 5 PM Open Gym Passes

Open Gym Passes are good for drop-in activities based on the facility schedule, such as basketball, pickleball, volleyball, and soccer.  Outside training, coaching, and practices are prohibited unless the space has been rented for that purpose. Check the website for the current month's open gym schedule: https://penmetparks.org/penmet-parks-recreation-center/