Am I Good Enough to Play in This Pickleball Group?!

Am I Good Enough to Play in This Pickleball Group?!

Over the years I have been asked so many questions about the appropriate behavior on a pickleball court. Questions from lower level players always wanting to play with high level players. Or complaints from higher level players saying "why can’t he or she play with his or her kind"?

Why do high level players feel so entitled to play only with their kind and ignore the rest as chop liver?

I belong to this group and I don’t understand why you think you are better than me ( that’s assuming he or she is actually that good to be part of a skilled play group).

I have written so many articles about etiquette over the years and since it is coming up again, here are some suggestions.

The skill level of players has skyrocketed from early years to present. It used to be a high-level player in a region was not forcefully a high-level player in a different region. The rise of professional pickleball circuits has sort of streamlined the level of players. At least at the professional and tournament player level. But this segment is barely 1% or 2% of the overall pickleball playing community. So where does it stand with other players who are not in tournaments or leagues which represents 90% of players.

Here is a suggestion of how you find what level you are. This is a baseline, it is not the ultimate guide but a very good foundation from where you can at least base where you stand in a community of players.

More and more facilities have skill-based time slots or courts allocated to particular skill levels.

As for playing up or down check out this article.

My suggestion is to be compassionate and understanding of each other’s needs. As the article above says, please communicate with clear requests, not a demand. If the answer is no, don’t be disappointed, it’s only a request.

As for players who consider themselves better than they actually are, I would only suggest to have an honest and straight forward conversation with that person why you prefer playing with other players rather than telling them they do not belong there. Honest communication is always good.

Hope these tips help and go have fun at the courts!

And remember, its only pickleball.