what's my pickleball rating?

Premier Pickleball strives to create competition for all players that is fair and balanced. Players pay to play with players at a similar level for the best pickleball experience possible. During “open play” pickleball times, players are divided into play according to skill levels so that similarly skilled players are playing together. Players with inaccurate ratings causes uncomfortable game situations where a player is playing above their actual level creating an unbalanced game with their partner and opponents. Players who are playing below their skill level also creates an unbalanced game. This often creates disappointing games for all involved.

Pickleball ratings at Premier as with other venues are classified as “Beginner 2.5" "Novice 3.0” “Low Intermediate 3.25" "Intermediate 3.5" "High Intermediate 3.75" and “Advanced 4.0 and above”
 

All too often players who played a similar sport like tennis, paddle or squash tend to overrate themselves because they played a racket or paddle sport. Pickleball, while does have some similarities to other sports, in and of itself is a completely different game. Pickleball, at the higher levels, is played mostly at the kitchen line with high paced dinking versus the hard banging of other sports. It is the mistakes that are made at the kitchen line that creates the hard, banging, game in pickleball.

Generally speaking players tend to overrate themselves because they play amongst the same people on a regular basis. This creates a false sense of rating success because they learn their opponents shots and  are prepared to react in response to those shots. Players tend to believe they are improving their play when in reality they just learned their opponent. It is best to review the below criteria and be honest with yourself then to be moved down by your evaluator based on opponents recommendations and an evaluators assessment. Those who observe and evaluate players are excited to move players up to the next level. It creates better play for all involved and provides a sense of accomplishment by the player who worked hard to move up! It is common for a player to take several years to move from 3.5 to 4.0, it takes drilling, clinics, and commitment but it is very rewarding when it finally happens! 

If you have never played in a pickleball tournament you need a “benchmark” or self-rating so Premier can place and guide you to the best competition level for both you and your opponents. When adding or adjusting your self rating the following guideline provided by the USAPA will assist you in determining what level you belong at.

1. Knows the basic rules including two bounce rule, scoring and player position relative to scoring
2. Demonstrates basic pendulum swing on the forehand & backhand side
3. Demonstrates dinks down the line forehand & backhand
4. Demonstrates dinks cross court forehand & backhand
5. Demonstrates proper ready position
6. Demonstrates punch volley
7. Demonstrates proper sideways turn, arm positioning and backward movement for overhead
8. Demonstrates an overhead
9. Knows where to stand as the serve team and the return team
10. Demonstrates proper sidestep movement while being balanced
11. Has good mobility and can move forward in a safe and balanced manner
12. Developing eye-hand coordination
13. Demonstrates a forehand groundstroke swing low to high and striking the ball off front foot
14. Demonstrates a backhand groundstroke swing low to high and striking the ball off front foot
15. Demonstrates a serve
16. Demonstrates return of serve 

Should possess all 2.5 skills AND

1. Working on consistency while dinking down the line forehand & backhand
2. Working on consistency while dinking cross court forehand & backhand
3. Demonstrates proper sidestep movement while staying balanced at NVZ line
4. Demonstrates a punch volley
5. Is developing 3rd shot drop by long dinking from the transition area
6. Attempting to hit 3rd shot drop during match play on the short court
7. Moving forward to approach NVZ for dinks & volleys
8. Demonstrates an overhead with the proper sideways turn, arm positioning and backward movement
9. Has good mobility and can move forward in a safe and balanced manner
10. Has good eye-hand coordination
11. Beginning to demonstrate control on forehand groundstrokes (direction, depth, height)
12. Uses a backhand ground stroke
13. Keeps ball in play during short rallies

Should also possess all 3.0 skills AND

1. Attempting to consistently dink while changing directions from cross court to down the line forehand & backhand
2. Does not back up unnecessarily from NVZ
3. Punches volley to the back ½ of opponent court
4. Sustains a short volley exchange at the net
5. Can perform 3rd shot drop by long dinking from the transition area
6. Using 3rd shot drop during match play on the short court
7. Moving forward as a team to approach NVZ for dinks & volleys
8. Can perform an overhead with better control while maintaining proper position
9. Has good mobility & quickness
10. Demonstrates improved control on forehand groundstrokes (direction, depth, height)
11. Better control on backhand groundstrokes
12. Keeps ball in play during short rallies
13. Attempts offensive lobs during play
14. Demonstrates placement & depth on serves
15. Demonstrates placement & depth on return of serves
16. Attempting to adjust to different ball speeds (serves, groundstrokes, volleys)

Should also possess all 3.25 skills AND

1. Can consistently dink while changing directions from cross court to down the line forehand & backhand
2. Punches volley to the back ½ of opponent court, to keep opponents at the baseline
3. Sustains a controlled volley exchange at the net
4. Performs 3rd shot drop from the baseline
5. Is beginning to dink with a purpose
6. Moving forward as a team to approach NVZ for dinks & volleys
7. Developing directional control while performing an overhead
8. Demonstrates control on forehand groundstrokes (direction, speed, depth, height)
9. Demonstrates control on backhand groundstrokes (direction, depth, height
10. Keeps ball in play during rallies and is aware of minimizing errors
11. Able to communicate effectively with partner & utilize different strategies to expose opponent weaknesses
12. Using deeper and higher returns to approach the net quicker
13. Uses offensive lobs effectively
14. Demonstrates better placement and depth on serves
15. Demonstrates better placement and depth on return of serves
16. Improved control when adjusting to different ball speeds (serves, groundstrokes, volleys)

Should also possess all 3.5 skills AND

1. Sustains a volley exchange at the net and beginning to use directional control
2. Can demonstrate a block volley
3. Able to hit winning volley when a ball is popped up
4. Better consistency when performing 3rd shot drop from the baseline
5. Can hit 3rd shot drop from baseline during match play with greater success
6. Moves effectively with partner, easily switching sides, and communicates when required
7. Controls play at the NVZ line, by keeping their opponent back if they’re at the baseline
8. Dink with a purpose to elicit a put away shot
9. Can demonstrate an effective poach, and understands when it’s appropriate
10. Able to change a fast-paced strategy to a slow one and vice versa
11. Can consistently perform an overhead and beginning to place the shot for winners
12. Demonstrates control on forehand groundstrokes (direction, depth, height, spin)
13. Demonstrates control on backhand groundstrokes (direction, depth, height)
14. Understands proper shot selection to minimize errors
15. Able to adjust to differing ball speeds consistently
16. Uses offensive lobs effectively
17. Beginning to use spin effectively on a variety of shots
18. Maintains greater patience in dinks & rallies
19. Beginning to anticipate shots more frequently (watching opponents paddle face)

Should also possess all 3.75 skills AND

1. Consistently punches volley to the appropriate spot on the court
2. Consistently demonstrates a block volley
3. Can demonstrate a swing volley
4. Sustains a controlled volley exchange at the net, with directional control, creating unforced errors
5. Able to consistently hit winning volley when a ball is popped up
6. Can consistently hit 3rd shot drop from baseline during match play
7. Can drive a third shot for power as an option
8. Initiates & maintains an extended dink exchange to elicit a put-away shot
9. Can demonstrate an effective poach, and understands when it’s appropriate
10. Able to change a fast paced strategy to a slow one and vice versa
11. Can stack with partner on the serve and the return
12. Demonstrates control on forehand groundstrokes (direction, depth, height, top spin and under spin/slice)
13. Demonstrates control on backhand groundstrokes (direction, depth, height, top spin and under spin/slice)
14. Keeps ball in play during rallies and is aware of minimizing errors
15. Knows the rules including player position, relative to scoring and stacking on the return and serve
16. Uses offensive lobs effectively
17. Demonstrates placement, spin and depth on return of serves
18. Can adjust to different ball speeds and spins (serves, groundstrokes and volleys)
19. Uses spin effectively on a variety of shots