Who Runs the Alberta Racquetball Association and How Can I Get Involved as a Volunteer?

The Alberta Racquetball Association (ARA) is led by a volunteer Board of Directors, and you can get involved by volunteering in roles ranging from tournament organization and league operations to coaching, officiating, casino nights, or board service. The ARA states that its volunteers are "the strength of our organization," and each year individuals from across the province contribute time and talent to every aspect of its operation. For direct contact, the ARA lists board members' emails on its website and invites questions by contacting the association directly.

Who runs the ARA: the Board of Directors

The ARA's Board of Directors is made up of volunteers from across Alberta. The website's Board of Directors section names individual officers with their home city and email address. The two roles explicitly identified in the available page content are:

The page content is cut off after the Treasurer's name, so other board roles and members may be listed on the live site. To reach a specific director, check the Board of Directors section of albertaracquetball.ca for the current list and email addresses.

What the board is responsible for

The ARA describes its mission as facilitating participation and enjoyment of racquetball through programs, access to resources, coach and official development, and support to clubs and affiliates across the province. It also states a vision of making racquetball accessible to all Albertans and being a national leader in programming, athlete development, and good governance. The board oversees this work, and the association is funded by the Tourism & Sport Ministry of the Alberta Government and the Alberta Liquor & Gaming Commission.

How to get involved as a volunteer

The ARA lists the following volunteer capacities on its website:

• Tournament organization — helping run competitions
• League operations — running leagues
• Coaching — developing players
• Officiating — refereeing matches
• Casino nights — taking shifts at the ARA's bi-annual casino nights, a fundraising activity
• Board of Directors — serving as a director

Steps to start

1. Decide which role fits you. Use the list above; coaching and officiating suit people with sport-specific experience, while tournament, league, and casino roles are open to general volunteers.
2. Check the website for current opportunities. The Volunteers section of albertaracquetball.ca describes the range of roles; look for any posted openings or intake instructions there.
3. Contact the ARA directly. The site says: "If you're still unsure or have questions please contact the ARA directly." You can also email a board member such as the President at the address listed above.
4. Confirm expectations. Ask about time commitment, training, and any requirements for the role (for example, coaching or officiating certification) before committing.

Verification: After reaching out, confirm that your volunteer role and schedule are recorded with the association, and ask who your point of contact will be.

Common sticking points

• No posted application form in the available content. The site describes volunteer roles but does not show a sign-up form in the page content reviewed; direct contact is the reliable route.
• Role-specific requirements aren't detailed. The site mentions coach and official development but does not list certification requirements in the available content, so ask directly.
• Casino nights are periodic. They are described as bi-annual, so shifts are not available year-round.

Other ways to connect with the association

Beyond volunteering, the ARA provides a confidential safe sport complaint pathway through the Alberta Safe Sport Complaint Mechanism (ABSSCM), managed by third-party provider ALIAS, reachable via the Complaints Button on the site or at https://app.alias-solution.com/contact/en/AB218. Policy documents and related materials are on the association's Safe Sport in Alberta page. The site also links a Concussion Recognition Tool. These channels are separate from volunteer inquiries; for volunteering, use the direct contact route described above.