It’s been another busy period for pickleball across Queensland. Thank you to our clubs, volunteers, officials and players who continue to contribute so much to the growth of our sport.

• Queensland Pickleball Tour: Congratulations to everyone involved in the Gold Coast and Brisbane make-up tournaments and another hugely successful Yeppoon QPT.  I’m hoping to get there next year!  Cairns inaugural QPT tournament was a huge success. Thank you to our host clubs, volunteers and officials.
• World Pickleball Cup Fundraiser: A huge thank you to Chris Novic and Focus Pickleball Redcliffe, together with Rykie Louw, Andrew Jones-Perrin , Caroline Roets and everyone who supported the fundraiser. The community effort has enabled us to fully fund PAQ’s support for our Queensland representatives heading to Vietnam. Best of luck to all our Queensland representatives on the Australian team – we’ll be cheering you on!
• Queensland Pickleball Championships: Thank you to Rykie Louw and Caroline Roets for their leadership in delivering another successful State Championship, and to everyone who contributed.
• New Referees: Congratulations to our newly qualified referees following recent training at the State Championships and in Yeppoon. Growing our officiating capability across Queensland remains an important priority. I’m looking forward to seeing you put the theory into practice on court.
• PPA 1500 Brisbane: We’re looking forward to the PPA 1500 coming to Brisbane in October. It will be a fantastic opportunity to see some of our Queensland stars, who have been shooting the lights out on the world stage, competing at home alongside some of the biggest international names in the sport. Look out for the PAQ team on site, come and say hi, and find out how you can get involved in this great sport.
• Logan Facility: I’m pleased to report that we have made significant progress at Logan. PAQ has now been given approval to commence operations at the courts while the final agreement with Pickleball Australia is completed. Our vision is to progressively develop Logan into a significant home for pickleball in Queensland, supporting community play, clubs, development programs and major events. There is still work to do, but we are getting close to having players on the courts. More details will be shared shortly.
• Tennis Australia / Pickleball Australia: We welcome the continuing dialogue between Tennis Australia and Pickleball Australia, including around the future National Sporting Organisation framework. PAQ supports discussions focused on strengthening pickleball and creating greater opportunities for players and clubs across Queensland.
• Let’s Talk: If you have a question or concern about PAQ, please come directly to us and ask. We are always happy to have a conversation. We are considering holding an open Q&A with members and/or club executives about PAQ, our priorities and the future of pickleball in Queensland. If there is something you would like discussed, please send your question or topic to president@pickleballqueensland.org. If there is sufficient interest, we will arrange a forum.
• Join the PAQ Management Committee: Our AGM is only a few months away and we are looking for members who would like to contribute to PAQ. We particularly welcome people with skills in governance, finance, administration, marketing, sponsorship, communications, membership and/or volunteer coordination. You don’t need to be a pickleball expert. If you have skills, enthusiasm and a few hours a week to contribute, please reach out to me or any Committee member for a chat.

There are some exciting opportunities ahead for pickleball in Queensland. Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to seeing you on the courts!

Dan Johnson
President
Pickleball Association of Queensland