Are you ready to register for your first pickleball tournament on your path to become a pickle BALLER? If you answered yes, congratulations. Entertaining a competitive tournament is a huge step along your pickleball journey.
The experience you will gain from participating in a tournament will be completely invaluable, and once you’ve got your first one out of the way, you will be hooked!
I have been playing pickleball (inconsistently) since 2020, but only starting playing regularly in 2023. My first pickleball tournament was the Thai Open in February 2024. I had always wanted to visit Thailand, and when I heard about this tournament it seemed like the perfect “excuse” to visit this beautiful country.
So I registered for the competition just one month prior, and everything else came after. To be honest, I didn’t have a clue what to expect and I didn’t do much research about the town (which I had never heard of!) and I didn’t have a clue who I was going to be partnered with!
During the period from registration to actually flying to Thailand a week before the event, the nerves and doubts were minimal. Once I stepped foot in Bangkok, the apprehension started to set in. I was doubting myself and my ability. Should I be here? Is this a step too soon? Omg, what have I done?
In the end, my experience at the Thai Pickleball open was truly amazing. I met some fantastic people, played some great (and extremely challenging) matches, and got to experience a brand new place and culture.
In this article, I will provide a few key tips I wish had read before attending my first pickleball tournament. I hope you find this guide useful!
My top tips for joining your first tournament:
TIP #1: KNOW YOUR RATING
First and foremost, you need to find a tournament and submit your registration. You will need to know (or guess) your playing level. Tournaments are typically split up by a gradning system. If you are not sure how the pickleball grading system works, check out this article by Paddletek.
Pickleball Rating System
If you are unsure of your grade, there are a few choices; you could ask a more experienced player at your local club/court to estimate your grade, or you could do a “self-assessment”, where you basically estimate yourself which level you are. Pickleball player skill ratings can be found here on the official USA Pickleball website.
How to Know Your Pickleball Rating (Self Rating)
If you are not sure of your DUPR rating after following above steps, I suggest that you take a rough guess of your rating, and you can always submit yourself 0.5 rating down. For example; if you think you might be a 3.5, but you are not sure, you can put yourself down as a 3.0. If you’re successful at the tournament in this division, then you know for next time that you can step up to 3.5.
Tournaments usually offer gender doubles, mixed doubles, and singles divisions. I suggest that you don’t register for singles if you have never played it before, the strategy can be quite different and the intensity of singles play can take more practise and physical conditioning.
When it comes to the registration process itself, I highly recommend registering as early as possible to secure your spot in the tournament. Popular events can fill up really quickly so get in there early to make sure you don’t miss out!
Also, a lot of tournament organizers will allow you to play in multiple ratings within the same discipline. For example, you could register for mixed doubles 3.0, AND mixed doubles 3.5, if the tournament organizers allow this. This can be a good thing to do if you are unsure of your exact rating, and you will also get the chance to play twice as many games! Of course, you will have to pay the registration fee for the additional event.
Now that the registration process is sorted, you’ll need to figure out who you’re going to be playing with!
TIP #2: FIND A PARTNER
The next step is to establish who your playing partner will be (for doubles events). Do you already have a partner lined up? If so, you can inform the organizer of this using their online registration system, or by contacting them directly (this process should be made clear on the event registration page). Don’t forget that your partner will also need to register themselves too!
If you don’t have a partner, but you’re willing to play with anybody; most tournaments will offer you the chance to play with a randomly assigned partner. This will be someone else in your position and at the same level as you. This is a great opportunity to play with someone new a potentially find your partner for future events! Hopefully, you and your new partner click and make a great partnership on the court. But do be prepared for a situation where your randomly assigned partner may not be the perfect match. Don’t let this ruin your tournament experience, focus on the positives and see if there’s anything you can learn from your teammate and discuss small things during games that might make the partnership work better.
I highly recommend that once you are assigned a random partner, you reach out to them (the event organizer will be willing to give you their contact details). You can get to know them, and find out if they are a leftie/righty, and discuss playing styles. If they are local, it would be a fantastic idea to get some quality court time in with them!
TIP #3: Understand the Tournament Format
My favorite quote is ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’, and this philosophy can be used for all aspects of life. There are many factors of a pickleball tournament which might catch you off guard, which is why it’s a good idea to do your research and prepare the best you can to ensure you are ready for these surprises. Do you understand how the Pickleball round robin format works?
A few examples of these unexpected situations would be as follows:
Tournament Pickleball Balls
This should be specified by the organizer in the tournament details. The type of ball used might play differently to what you’re used to playing with at your local courts. If the type of ball is the same as what you’re used to, then you’re in luck! If not, it might be wise to purchase the same ball that will be used at the tournament and have a knock with it during some rec-play. This is one thing which truly caught me off guard at the Thailand tournament! I was used to playing with a softer ball, and the ball used at the tournament was much harder, it played much faster and the bounce was very different. Luckily, I arrived at the venue a few days prior to the event beginning, giving myself a chance to familiarize myself with the different type of ball, and other conditions.
Is the tournament being held indoor or outdoor?
This can be a significant factor during gameplay. For example, if you’re used to playing indoors, and the tournament is outdoors, the wind can play a big part of the gameplay and will take some getting used to!
What surface will the tournament be played on?
The surface can also play a huge role during gameplay. Different surfaces play differently, some being skiddy, some being bouncy, and some being inconsistent. Is there tournament being played on modified badminton courts? Is it being played on taped lines on tennis courts? Make sure you know what to expect from the facilities before you arrive!
Is your pickleball paddle fit for use?
For your own sake, make sure that your paddle isn’t on it’s last legs! The worst thing imaginable would be your equipment to fail you mid-event. Also, ensure that your paddle is USAPA approved. I didn’t expect tournament officials to check this, but they were very strictly about it! Most popular paddles are USAPA approved, but if it’s not they will simply not let you play, so be aware of this!
Here’s my favorite beginner pickleball paddles.
TIP #4: PRACTICE
This one goes without saying. After you’ve registered for the event, get down to rec-play as often as you can and try to become the best player you can be. Playing well at the event will be sure to vastly improve your overall tournament experience!
TIP #5: ARRIVE EARLY
This is a big one in my opinion! If the event is in a different country or city, it’s better to arrive a day or two early to familiarize yourself with the new surroundings. Organizers usually allow you to use the facility to practice from a few days before. Make the most of this opportunity to familiarize yourself with the surface, conditions, and ball. It’s also a good idea to have a knock with your partner too if possible to make sure you’re both in the same gear. When the event starts, I suggest you arrive early on the day and watch other players, and get immersed in the competitive environment.
TIP #6: STAY ON TOP OF YOUR SCHEDULE
Pickleball tournament events can be hectic and busy, with a lot of people entering and leaving. It’s important to make sure you’re in the right place at the right time. Tournament officials will not come and look for you if you are not on your court in time. Sometimes, you will have a short turnaround between games and your next court might not be at the other side of the facility, so make sure you’re aware of these instances and don’t be late otherwise you will be automatically forfeited!
TIP #7: STAY FUELED UP
Pickleball tournament event days can be long and strenuous. Make sure you stayed hydrated and eat plenty of carbs throughout the day to maintain your energy levels. Facilities usually have food and water available, but I suggest bringing some of your own emergency snacks!
TIP #8: SOCIALIZE
Check out 200 fun pickleball tournament team names that you can use in your tournament.
Pickleball has an amazing social community, and tournaments can be a great way to meet new players, build connections, and build lifelong friendships. Some tournaments will hold welcome dinners and closing parties. Pickleball is a great and easy way to meet people because everyone has something in common, obviously! Chatting to higher level players is also a great to pick up tips too and improve your game. Talking to people at the event is a good way to settle any first-tournament nerves, as you will soon realise that a lot of other people are in the same boat as you and are also feeling jittery! Also, engaging with other people is a fantastic opportunity to meet players from all over the globe and from all walks of life.
TIP #9: HAVE FUN
Ultimatley, you are there to have fun! It can be a daunting experience, especially if you’re alone and the event is in a different city. But like anything in life, the quicker your familiarize yourself with your new surroundings, the quicker you will feel at ease. Like I mentioned earlier in the article, just imagine you are playing at your regular courts with your friends, relax and play your natural game. Remember, not every shot has to be a winner!
BONUS TIP: How to deal with tournament-jitters?
- Speak to other people, they’ll be in the same position as you are and experiencing the same feelings as you! Chatting with other people who are feeling the same will help put your mind at rest.
- Try to stay relaxed, deep breathing works brilliantly.
- Just try to imagine that it’s rec-play and play your natural game!
- Remember, the primary reason you are there is to have fun! If you don’t perform as well as you would like, you will still learn a huge amount from the experience!
5 Things to Avoid at a Pickleball Tournament
1. Don’t Expect TOO much
One thing that surprised me at my first tournament was how high the standard was across the whole event. I expected to do fairly well in singles at my rating. How wrong I was! I got demolished in 5 out of 6 of my matches which was a very humbling experience for me. You just need to accept that there WILL likely be better players than you in your division. You should take this as an opportunity to learn from these players, just leave your ego at home!
2. Don’t Complain
Organizers have put in a lot of time and effort to ensuring that all participants have a great experience. Unexpected factors and things outside of their control may play a factor, there’s nothing you can do, so focus on the positives and enjoy the experience.
3. Don’t be disrespectful to officials/staff/ and other players
This goes without saying. Most of the officials and staff at the event will just be volunteers, it’s not their profession! Just remember that everyone is human and everyone is prone to making mistakes from time to time. So be respectful and just focus on the factors that you can control! This is a big one especially if you are playing in a different country.
4. Don’t call balls OUT if you are unsure
It’s the unwritten rule of pickleball – only call a ball OUT if you are 100% sure that the ball was actually out. If you are not 100% sure, then the ball must be called ‘IN’. Calling questionable balls ‘OUT’ can leave a bitter taste in your opponents mouth, and could potentially affect your reputation! Just don’t do it.
5. Don’t drink too much the day before your event!
This is the one mistake I made! I was in a country, was in a great mood, and just wanted to socialize and have a great time. I ended up having a few too many drinks before my mixed doubles event, which greatly hindered my performance on the court.
Somehow, I still managed to finish 4th in the event. But without over consuming the evening before, then who knows?! It’s best to save the alcohol until the end of the event, with your new found pickle buddies and hopefully a medal or two around your neck!
SOMETHING TO BE AWARE OF:
You might hear people talking about ‘sandbaggers’ every now and then. A ‘sandbagger’ is a player who purposely registers for events which are at a lower level (plays-down). For example, a player who knows for sure that they are a 4.5, will register at 3.5 or 4.0. This is to give themself an easy opportunity to win some games and collect some medals playing against lower level players. This is a very unethical and unfair strategy, systems such as DUPR are currently being developed to stop this happening in the future. However, some smaller tournaments currently don’t have the resources to check every player who registers.
Hopefully, you won’t experience this at your event, it’s just something to be aware of!
This brings us to the end of this article. I hope you found value in this post from hearing about my experience and reading some of the pointers I wish I knew beforehand. Remember that you’re there to have fun, be compeitiive and try not to get too nervous! If you have an event coming up, we’d love to hear about how it went!
GOOD LUCK!