Bow Valley Pickleball Association

About BVPA

Bow Valley Pickleball Association
Bow Valley Pickleball Association ("BVPA") was incorporated under the Societies Act of Alberta as a Non-Profit Organization on April 25, 2022.

Mission statement
Our mission is to develop pickleball as a sport for all in the Bow Valley by promoting the health, physical and social well-being of its members through offering organized recreational and competitive play in an atmosphere of collegiality and sportsmanship.

As elected at the 2024 AGM (held February 20, 2025), the 2025 Board of Directors and Officers:

• Sheila Churchill
• Bill Foden
• Doris Foden
• Leanne French
• Mike Layton
• Rosie Neil
• Darryl Stann
• Therese Rogers

Official designations of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer will be confirmed and posted after the March 12, 2025 Board Meeting.

Many THANKS to our outgoing Board Members - Doug Thomson, Helen Thomson and Michelle Vincent. Their deep knowledge of pickleball boards, governance and exemplary volunteer commitment will be missed. However we are excited to welcome our three new Board Members - Leanne French, Darryl Stann and Therese Rogers who all bring extensive expertise to our Board and our membership. 

Board member bios are below.

2024 Committees (the search is always on as we gear up for our 2025 Committees!)

• Governance Committee - Michelle Vincent, Bill Foden, Helen Thomson
  • Nominations Sub-Committee - Helen Thomson, others TBD

• Play Committee – Rosie Neil, Doug Thomson, Helen Thomson, Mike Layton, Neil Skaluba, Sue Cowitz, Sheri Layton, Therese Rogers

• Development Committee - Rosie Neil, Doug Thomson, Helen Thomson, Mike Layton

• Member Services Committee – Sheila Churchill, Doug Thomson, Helen Thomson, Mike Layton

• Social Committee - Doris Foden, Charlene Butler, Leanne French, Ani Haubner, Adriana Storms
  

2025 BVPA Board Member Bios

• Rosie Neil Rosie has played squash for years and is now a pickleball convert. She moved to the Bow Valley from Calgary in 2017 to be closer to the mountains to enjoy biking, skiing and hiking. Rosie has a background in sport administration and exercise physiology having worked in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary and with the Canadian Sport Institute. Rosie is excited to help develop and grow the pickleball community in Canmore.
• William (Bill) Foden Bill was born in Toronto in 1958, raised in Toronto and Mississauga. Undergraduate study at UWO and U of T. Graduated Osgoode Hall Law School 1982. Called to the Bar of the Province of Ontario in 1984. Notary Public for the Province of Ontario. Member of the Law Society of Ontario. Avid sports enthusiast including hockey, squash, skiing, golf, biking, hiking and pickleball. Former coach of ringette, hockey, basketball. Former board member of the Pickering Ringette Association. Former member of the Durham Business Contact Exchange. Director of Durham Support Services (supporting those with physical or mental disabilities to live in their own homes). President of Rougemount Investment Corp., President and director of Dunbarton Investment Corporation. Member of the Assessment Review Board of the Town of Canmore. Moved to Canmore full-time in December of 2020.
• Sheila Churchill Sheila brings a broad base of volunteer experience to the BVPA. An educator by profession, she retired from full-time teaching to focus on her young family when she moved to Canmore in 1990. For the next 18 years she was an active volunteer and organizer in the schools, on parent councils, with the Banff Alpine Racers as well as a part-time substitute teacher. When her daughters left for university she returned to work as an administrative assistant at the Alpine Club of Canada, a position she held for 9 years. After the sudden death of her husband in 2016, Sheila and three fellow survivors launched Backcountry Safe, an initiative to bring awareness to safety in the backcountry and push for change and accountability with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. 
• Mike Layton Mike brings his extensive business experience with Sobeys Inc and Danone Inc. (regional sales and national account management) to the BVPA. He also built, owned and operated a yoga studio before relocating to Canmore. Active in sports all his life playing minor sports including hockey, softball, football, basketball (provincial level), volleyball (AAAA) provincial champ, college volleyball player and many years as a senior A volleyball player. Yogi for over 20 years. Coached minor hockey, lacrosse, volleyball.  Referee experience includes past Volleyball Regional level (level 3). Mike dedicates many hours to mentoring our beginner and novice players.
• Doris Foden With a BA in Psychology from Carleton University and a 30 year career as a Sales Specialist for a large food broker, Doris brings a proven ability to skillfully and professionally organize and run hugely successful special events for the BVPA including the 2023 and 2024 Canada Day Silent Auction and Social. Moving to Canmore in December 2020, she loves both the mountain lifestyle and of course, pickleball!
• Leanne French With practical experience in team dynamics, and expertise with leadership development, communication strategies, governance and financial management, Leanne brings a wealth of experience to the BVPA Board. Leanne has an extensive corporate background as a market researcher, account manager and Real Estate investor as well as a professional coach, entrepreneur, sports and outdoor enthusiast. She has extensive experience with prior boards, athletic associations and charities. With her company PragMagic and role as a Leader Development Coach, she helps clients unlock their professional and personal potential. Her areas of interest with the BVPA Board are to enhance our team dynamics, build an effective communication framework, promote growth and sustainability within our pickleball community and help develop internal and external partnerships.
  
• Darryl Stann Darryl is a Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), with experience in both public and private companies. His areas of business and financial expertise include commercial and global finance, supply chain, strategy planning, corporate development and assessing risk. A natural athlete, Darryl has a diverse athletic background having competed in multiple summer and winter sports at a highly competitive level. His strong financial background will ensure our financial security and help guide the BVPA forward.
  
• Therese Rogers Recently retired from a 16-year career as General Manager of Corporate Services with the Town of Canmore, Therese has extensive experience to help advise, guide and direct the BVPA as we move forward into the future. Her deep understanding of the Town combined with her volunteer background with various sports organizations such as the Canmore Nordic Ski Club, she will provide valuable insight balancing our vision with practical realities. Plus, she is an avid pickleball player, IPTPA Level 1 trained, volunteering with our Novice mentoring sessions and challenges.