Frequently Asked Questions
Your Questions, Answered.
Pickleball 101 FAQ’s
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What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in North America. It is played on a court half the size of a tennis court and is most popularly played as a doubles game (2v2), but can be played in singles (1v1). The rules combine elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong.
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How does scoring work?
Scoring System: Pickleball uses rally scoring, allowing points to be scored by either team. Games are played to 11, 15, or 21 points, with a 2-point win margin.
Scoring Increments: Only the serving team can score points during their turn. The serve continues until a foul or loss occurs.
Winning the Game: A team must reach the target points and lead by 2. If tied at 10-10, play continues until one team leads by 2.
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How does serving work?
Serving: The server must serve from behind the baseline diagonally into the opponent's court and clear the no-volley zone (kitchen). If the serving team wins a rally, they score a point and continue to serve, switching courts after each point.
Side Out: If the receiving team wins the rally, they gain serve, and the original serving team must yield—this is called a "side out."
Two Serves: In doubles, each player gets one serve, except the first sequence where one player serves. In singles, players serve until they lose a rally. -
What is the two bounce rule?
The 2-bounce rule in pickleball requires both teams to let the ball bounce once after the serve before volleying. The serving team must allow the ball to bounce on their side, and the receiving team must do the same after returning it. Once both teams have done this, players can then volley the ball. This rule promotes longer rallies and encourages strategic exchanges, enhancing the game's flow.
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When is a ball considered 'out'?
A ball is 'out' in pickleball if it lands outside court boundaries. Hitting beyond the lines gives a point to the opponent. A ball hitting a line is 'in,' as lines are part of the area. Knowing these boundaries helps with quick decisions and improving your game. Happy playing, and keep those dinks sharp!
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Why is it the fastest growing sport?
Pickleball is rapidly gaining popularity for several reasons. It's easy to learn, with simple rules that make it accessible to all ages and skill levels. Whether you're a pro or a beginner, you can quickly enjoy the game.
The social aspect is key, fostering a community vibe that leads to lasting friendships. It offers a great workout with less risk of injury due to the smaller court size, making it ideal for staying fit.
Our Policies & Commonly Asked Questions
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For court reservations: There is a 24 hour cancellation / reschedule policy. If cancelled with at least 24 hour notice, you will receive a refund or credit to your account.
No credits will be given if cancelled or rescheduled with less than 24 hour notice.
We recognize that emergencies can arise unexpectedly. In situations involving extenuating circumstances, we may consider late cancellations for a refund or rescheduling on a case-by-case basis. Please reach out to us directly to discuss your situation
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You can bring small snacks or drinks. Only water is allowed on the courts.
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Drop-in and open-play are used interchangeably at YYC Pickleball.
Players can "drop into" these sessions with or without advanced reservations. Advanced booking is recommended if you want to secure a spot, though.
Process for drop-in:
Courts are designated by skill level and will be noted in the schedule.
Players sign up at their skill level courts. The sign up is used to manage who is up next.
All players come off of the court after a game and place names back on the sign up, unless no one is waiting to play.
Players may play up or down a skill level.
There are no restrictions as to who is on the court or bench. However, a fair rotation of players in line is expected.
No “organized” (no monopolization of courts by a group of players) will be allowed during Drop-In. If you find this is occurring, please let a staff member know.
If a court is empty, “any skill level” may play on that court. However, if those skill-level players come at a later time, they are allowed to have the court after the current game is completed.
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Yes! You can practice with a ball machine that we rent out by the hour.
Only members can rent ball machines.
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At YYC Pickleball, each court booking allows for a maximum of 6 players. Whether you’re coming with friends, family, or fellow pickleball enthusiasts, you’ll find the perfect setup to enjoy some spirited matches and friendly competition!
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To maintain the quality and cleanliness of our courts, YYC Pickleball requires all players to wear indoor-only shoes while on the courts.
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We require private lessons to be paid for in advance to ensure a smooth and respectful experience for both our clients and coaches.
Our coaches dedicate their time and effort to prepare personalized lessons. Paying in advance ensures their time is respected and valued, as it helps prevent last-minute cancellations or no-shows.
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All court reservations made in person or over the phone must be paid for in advance to ensure a smooth check-in process.
If the reservation owner fails to show up without providing prior notice and the court has not been paid for, penalties will be recorded on their account.
After accumulating three penalties, they will no longer be permitted to book at our facility.
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Please be mindful of your court reservation start and end time. All patrons should completely exit the court by reservation end time.
If additional time is required, please let the staff know.
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Some of the key unspoken rules of etiquette for pickleball players are:
Respect ball ownership
Retrieve ball safely
Alert others on stray balls
Equal opportunity play
Give the benefit of the doubt
Call for outs
Admit fouls
Share courts
Greet opponents
Apologize and celebrate modestly
Club Skill Rating Guidelines
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2.0
New to Pickleball and you are just starting to understand the rules of pickleball.
Course Recommendation: Introduction to Pickleball
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2.5
Limited experience playing pickleball, you can keep a short rally on the pickleball court, and you have a basic understanding of the rules of pickleball (particularly, if you can keep the score properly).
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3.0
Generally hit forehand drives, serves, and returns with medium pace, as well as dinks, but generally lack consistency and control (for instance, serves and returns are not consistent and lack depth); and (ii) you understand the basic strategy and rules of pickleball, including that you can keep the score properly.
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3.5
You can hit drives, serves, and returns with pace (including developing backhand shots), as well as dinks and drop shots, and are developing some consistency and control (including consistently hitting serves and returns in play); and (ii) you understand the basic strategy and rules of pickleball, you are starting to vary your shots between the hard and soft game, and you are moving quickly to the Non-Volley Zone line when you have the opportunity.
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4.0
You can generally hit both forehand and backhand drives, serves, and returns with pace, as well as dinks, drop shots, and volleys (including block volleys) of different speeds, and have consistency and control; and (ii) you understand the strategy and rules of pickleball (including stacking), you have a moderate number of unforced errors, and you understand how to attack your opponents’ weaknesses on the pickleball court.
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4.5
You can hit both forehand and backhand drives, serves, returns, dinks, drop shots, and volleys with pace, spin, depth, direction, consistency and control; and (ii) you understand the strategy and rules of pickleball (including stacking), you have a limited number of unforced errors, and you change your game play to attack your opponents’ weaknesses on the pickleball court.
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5.0
You have mastered both forehand and backhand drives, serves, and returns with pace, as well as dinks, drop shots, and volleys of different speeds, and have consistency and control; and (ii) you have mastered the strategy and rules of pickleball (including stacking), you rarely make unforced errors, and you attack your opponents’ weaknesses on the pickleball court.
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5.5-6.0+
You have mastered all shots and strategy on the pickleball court; and (ii) you are consistently winning at the highest level, meaning that you are winning against the best professional pickleball players at the tournament level.
Pickleball Ratings
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Pickleball ratings are a standardized system used to measure a player's skill level, providing an objective way to assess and track progress in the game. These ratings are essential in ensuring fair and competitive play in recreational, league, and tournament settings. By assigning a numerical value to a player's abilities, ratings help match players of similar skill levels for more enjoyable and balanced gameplay
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Fair Play and Competitiveness: Ratings ensure that players are matched with others of similar skill levels, promoting more competitive and engaging games. This is particularly valuable in tournament play or organized leagues.
Track Progress: A player’s rating evolves as they improve their skills and performance in matches. Ratings provide an ongoing measure of growth, allowing players to see tangible results from their practice and effort.
Goal Setting: With a clear understanding of your current rating, you can set realistic goals for improvement, whether it’s advancing to the next skill level or refining specific aspects of your game.
Participation in Official Events: Many pickleball tournaments and leagues require players to have a valid rating. For example, players with higher ratings may be eligible for more competitive events, while beginners can start in more casual or entry-level competitions.
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Skill Assessment: A clear measure of a player’s current abilities.
Matchmaking: Ensures fair and competitive games by matching players with similar skill levels.
Player Development: Offers a benchmark for improvement and tracks progress over time.
Event Eligibility: Determines eligibility for certain tournaments or events based on skill level.
Community Standardization: Provides a consistent way to communicate skill levels across the pickleball community.
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Pickleball ratings are typically calculated based on a player’s performance in games and tournaments. A variety of systems exist, with some of the most popular being:
DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating): A global rating system that adjusts a player's rating based on match results. DUPR factors in the strength of the opponent and the margin of victory or loss to generate a precise and dynamic rating.
USAPA (USA Pickleball Association) Rating System: The USAPA uses a system ranging from 1.0 (beginner) to 5.0 (elite). It’s commonly used in sanctioned tournaments and events. Your rating is determined through tournament performance and is often updated after each event.
In or Out?
From the diagram, you can see there is a fine line for determining if a ball is actually ‘in’ or ‘out’. The rule is that if you can see a gap between the ball and the line, the ball is ‘out’. If you do not see a gap and can’t determine if the ball is out, call it ‘in’.
Source: USA Pickleball
