Author: Chris

Get ready…Tickets go on sale Monday morning Feb 23rd at 8:00 AM!

Join us on Thursday, March 19, at the Homer Wright Community Center for the most exciting show of the year! Jack Kelly, magician extraordinaire, will be back to amaze us with an ALL NEW SHOW!!  He will be shocking us again with his magic. Anyone who attended the show last year knows this is an event you don’t want to miss!  

Purchase individual tickets or purchase a reserved table for 4, 8, or 10. Reserved tables are available to SJPA members only. Guests are welcome.

Get your RESERVED table of 4, 8, or 10.  Members of the SJPA must buy a table, but guests are welcome.  

Tickets are $20 per person. 

More about Jack Kelly

Jack Kelly is a nationally recognized magician who has been featured on The CW,
NBC, FOX, and Kiss 95.1. Jack appeared on the hit primetime show Penn and
Teller: Fool Us, where he won season 11 by fooling the legendary magic duo,
becoming one of the youngest in series history to achieve this feat.

With over a decade of performing experience, Jack specializes in delivering
high-energy, unforgettable shows designed to engage and delight audiences.
His fresh, innovative approach to magic, paired with his magnetic personality,
ensures guests will love Jack’s magic, but more importantly, love Jack.

The 4th annual Greg Rymer Tournament will be held March 25-27th.  Registration opens March 1.  Please note this is a Troon-sponsored event. The schedule for the tournament is:

• March 25th: Mixed 3.0, 3.5, and Open
• March 26th: Women’s 3.0 and 3.5
• March 27th: Men’s 3.5 and Open

The number of entries for each division will determine the times for each day.

Cost: $40 for the first event, $20 for additional events.

Registration includes a T-shirt and a Shrimp Boil at Woodlands Park.

Registration

Club Members:
• Sign in to Court Reserve 
• Go to Events > Calendar
• March 25th, 26th, or 27th, depending on the event you are entering.
• To register: You must enter with a partner and your ratings.
• BOTH players need to register

Social Members and Non-Residents:
• Call the Tennis Shop at St. James Plantation:  910-477-8500 X-2010
• We need the following information:

1. Name

2. Rating

3. Division  

4. Partner

5. Phone Number

6. Credit Card Number

• Each player must register and supply the above information. However, one player can register both if they have all the information necessary.  If they are playing with a St. James club member, that member must register on Court Reserve.  

Link to event:

Are you a beginner or just want to improve your pickleball game? Then this event is for you!

Join us on Sunday, February 22nd. This event is for Beginners and players at the 3.0 level and below. We will drill for 45 minutes and play for 45 minutes. Drills will include serving, return of serves, dinking, and third shot drops, as well as others.

There will be an instructor on each court to answer questions and help you succeed.

Come out for a great time and practice and play against others at your level.

Please sign up, as space is limited.

This is a FREE event and is open to non-SJPA members as wel

For more details and to sign up, visit the following links:

Session 1: 1:00 – 2:30

• Join us on Sunday, February 15th, for this social, open-play event open to all SJPA members. We will be serving up some fun and friendship.  The event is free and is open to all levels of play.
• This is a round-robin social event open to all SJPA members. We will be serving up some fun and friendship. 
  Two sessions are available: 1-2:30 and 2:30-4.
• Session 1: 1:00 – 2:30
• Session 2: 2:30 – 4:00

The Winter Dance event is canceled due to a lower-than-expected response.

We are working on a future date for us to get together and boogie!

Join us on Sunday, January 11th, for this social, open-play event open to all SJPA members.

Two sessions are available: 1-2:30 and 2:30-4.
We will be playing ten-minute games on all eight courts.
The event is for all levels and will be in a Round-Robin format.
No fee. Please bring a non-perishable item for the Southport Oak Island Interchurch Fellowship Food Pantry (SOIICF)

Register for session 1. 1:00-2:30

Register for session 2. 2:30-4:00

The annual Holidink social took place last Sunday.  There were lots of fun outfits and holiday-themed attire.  Everyone was in the holiday spirit, and it showed with a generous helping of joy and camaraderie on the courts.

Thanks to all who came out to make this event a success.

The SJPA participated in the Service Club’s annual ‘Celebrate The Holidays’ fundraiser by sponsoring a tree at the Holiday Festival.  Pat Allred and Christine Cournoyer created a magical ‘Pickled Elves’ tree that perfectly captured our group’s spirit.  Thanks to all who came out to support the Service Club.

2026 SJPA Membership Registration is now open

You can now join or renew your SJPA membership for 2026!

SJPA membership has an annual fee of $20 per individual (paid online through Zeffy). Membership runs from January 1 to December 31 of each year. Of course, the Early registration starts your membership NOW and continues for all of 2026.

For information about the benefits of membership and to sign up, click here.

The link is also available on the top menu of our website.

In lieue of an Annual Meeting, the SJPA Board presents this summary of 2025. In it, you will find a report from each committee, the Treasurer’s report, notes from the President of the SJPA, a list of next year’s board members, and information for renewing your membership for 2026.

Please take a look at the presentation. Feel free to send any questions to stjamespickleballassociation@gmail.com.

Link to the Annual Summary presentation

Video from our outgoing president, Christine Cournoyer.

Join us for the Holidink Social on December 7.  This is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society so please bring cash or check made out to ‘American Cancer Society’.

There will be two sessions: 1 – 2:30 and 2:30 – 4.

Both sessions are for all levels of play.

There is no fee for this event.

Register for Session 1: 1 – 2:30

Register for Session 2: 2:30 – 4

The following candidates are running unopposed for the 3 open board positions for 2026.

Vice President Position – Mike Melnyk

I have been an organizer and leader of people for my entire professional career.  I was an educator for 34 years, holding many club leader positions within the school such as student council, key club advisor and Student Assistance Team member. I was a college football coach for 10 years and a head high school football coach for 20 years.  I am currently a member and head coach of the CFIL Advanced team here in St. James, where we have resided for 2 1/2 years. I was also elected the HOA President for the Lakeside Commons community here in St. James for the past year.

These career positions required me to work with a variety of groups including, administrators, students, fellow teachers, parents and community members.  I can communicate well, be extremely organized, and I am dedicated to putting in whatever hours it takes to complete a job.  I never ask anything of anyone I represent to do something if I am not willing to do it myself.

I believe in the team concept and feel that I could help this organization represent the entire pickleball community here in St. James.  Moving forward is important to me and I like to leave anywhere I work in a better position than when I arrived, and I feel like I could do the same here with the SJPA. For example, as the HOA president, I have been able to get the irrigation system in Lakeside Commons up and running (at least partially), for the first time in 3-5 years. I am a people person and I have strong leadership skills that I would like to continue to use in my retirement.

Treasure Position – Leo Pacyna

My wife (Sandy) and I moved to St. James in April of 2023.  We both have been members of SJPA since mid-2023. I have also been a member of the Events committee for 2 years.

I am retired from a 40+ year career in Finance, including the last 34 years with Tetra Pak, the world’s largest beverage/dairy packaging and processing equipment company.  My last position was as a market CFO for US/Canada with $1.2bn in revenues.

I have a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Connecticut as well as a M.S. in Corporate Financial Management from Fairfield University.

Secretary Position – Robyn Smith

I would like to volunteer for the position of recording secretary of the SJPA. I haven’t had an actual resume since partway through my career in publishing, which began more than 45 years ago. Having been recording secretary for my sorority in college doesn’t mean all that much now.

Having said that, St. James has been my home for more than 10 years. Pickleball has been my favorite sport and an important part of my lifestyle for more than half that time. I play in several different groups and have an awareness of what members appreciate and where they see room for improvement. I have been an active member of the events committee for the past 3 years and have been in charge of several of the social events we organize during the year. 

In addition to pickleball, I regularly enjoy bridge and other card games, classes at the gym and being a volunteer with St. James NEST. I’m just starting to get back into tennis and hope I can adjust to a different racquet and ball.  If not, that leaves even more time for pickleball.

I look forward to the opportunity to participate on the board of the SJPA and to contribute where I can. 

Calling all pickleball beginners! Our weekly Beginner Round-Robin sessions are starting back up on Wednesday, September 17after the summer hiatus.

These are free sessions where you can practice your skills with an instructor and other beginner players.  You need to sign up each week since slots are limited.

Look for the sessions on our calendar to see more information and to register.

• The 4th Annual Sneaker Recycling Drive begins September 1st. The drive is sponsored by the St. James Pickleball and Tennis Associations and anyone may participate. The Drive runs September 1st through September 30th.  For more information, click here