8 February 2025

The Canadian National Pickleball League (“CNPL”) Debuts In BC

2/8/2025 August 2, 2025, Vancouver, BC—The Canadian National Pickleball League [...]

2/8/2025

August 2, 2025, Vancouver, BC—The Canadian National Pickleball League (CNPL) Western Split showcased some of its teams with elite talent at the newly built indoor, pickleball facility IPOP in Burnaby, BC.

The Vancouver Owls’ Caelan Sampson and Armaan Jiwa Mawji in action, and jubilant after a team victory. (Click photos to enlarge.)

There was excitement in the facility as the audience watched elite pickleball professionals warm up, and everyone expected that this event would be at a higher level than the usual drop-in play – they were not disappointed. In fact to date, it was the largest CNPL audience in attendance.

On Saturday, July 19. 2025, the first match was a show down between the Prairie Pronghorns (Alberta-based) vs. the Vancouver Owls. Centre court was filled with incredible visual and audible pickleball shots produced by elite players providing a truly inspiring, endless display of locked-in, muscle-memory executions that are the by-product of tireless, repetitive drills and matches. In the end, the home team Owls was victorious in this Western Split.

Eric Fought of the Owls in combat vs. the Detroit-Windsor Drive, then he masterminded the victorious execution in the singles ‘dreambreaker’ (tiebreaker when two teams are tied 2-2) that was followed by chest-bump celebrations with the other Owls. (Click photos to enlarge.)

This milestone event signalled a strategic partnership between the Vancouver Owls and IPOP, where its Burnaby facility will be designated as the Owls’ home venue. and professional training headquarters.

Ava Weeks in synch with Owls teammate, 2025’s #1 draft pick Christina Chin vs. the Detroit-Windsor Drive. The Owls’ Caelan Sampson with Pickleball Canada’s PBCA BC Ambassador Lindsay Brown. (Click photos to enlarge.)

According to their news release: “This partnership with the IPOP team creates the perfect foundation for our vision – elite competition that inspires and engages the entire community,” said Rick Schwenk, Chief Marketing Officer for BC-based OWL Sport and General Manager of the Vancouver Owls.

According to David Snell, President, Pickleball BC Association (“PBCA”): “Having a CNPL professional pickleball team in the community such as the Vancouver Owls, presents various benefits including but not limited to: adding visibility and credibility to a sport that is increasingly developing top-notch competitive players in local, provincial and national tournament events such as our BC Provincial team event showcasing competition with other provincial teams at the upcoming Nationals in Winnipeg; creating economic opportunities in the community; and inspiring others to participate in an all-inclusive sport. All these positives support PBCA’s provincial mission of being dedicated to the growth, development, promotion, and enjoyment of pickleball in BC.”

About CNPL
The Canadian National Pickleball League (CNPL)—comprised of eight Canadian professional teams—has a vision of aiming “to transform the Canadian pickleball landscape into an international leader in the world’s fastest-growing sport. As pickleball gains global recognition and potential inclusion as an Olympic sport, we are committed to preparing our athletes to compete for Olympic gold through intense and competitive league play. We envision a Canada where pickleball is not only a national sport but also accessible and enjoyable for all.”

About the Vancouver Owls
The Vancouver Owls, formerly known as The Vancouver Rush, have recently been acquired by new majority owner Owl Pickleball, and backed by Showpass, Lemmon Entertainment, and the Forsythe family. The team’s current roster is comprised of 2025’s #1 draft pick Christina Chin; Anna Dyachenko; Caelan Sampson; Ava Weeks; Armaan Jiwa Mawji (recent Gold medal winner in the Provincial Championships Men’s Doubles 5.0+ event with Robin D’Abreo PBCA’s BC Head Coach); and Eric Fought. First-year CNPL player Armaan was featured in our Pickleball BC Virtual Trophy Wall, where he won Gold in PPA Mesa Cup, 5.0 men’s singles open bracket last February in Arizona.

The CNPL Western Split was hosted by the Inclusive Place of Pickleball in Burnaby BC (“IPOP”) which underwent a transformation with VIP lounge, audience bleachers and a studio where the matches were broadcasted live across Canada. (Click photos to enlarge.)

About IPOP
”The IPOP partnership with the Vancouver Owls is an example of our commitment to excellence at every level,” said Chris White, CEO of IPOP. “From our new premiere IPOP facility in Burnaby, grassroots development programs, championship competition, and our future world class pickleball facilities across western Canada – we are investing in the complete pickleball ecosystem to grow the sport.”

The CNPL will be returning to the West Coast in 2026.