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Devan Egan, the founder of Club Pickleball USA, brings extensive experience and a deep passion for the sport. Having made all the mistakes himself, he now shares valuable tips to help you avoid them. Read on to learn how he started his club, how he keeps it on track, and how you can get your club moving too!

When Club Pickleball USA first started, The initial assumption about what pickleball players wanted was quite narrow. Most players would interact with the sport the same way. It was shocking how quite the opposite it is.

After years of playing and running an extensive programming experience for thousands of pickleballers, Devan has identified 4 key principles for organized play. Let’s dive into each one:

1. Help Players Find Each Other
2. Create the Right Schedule
3. Treat Open Play Differently 
4. Market Your Club

Help Players Find Each Other

The first thing to understand with organized game play is to realize that most players have nobody to play with. The purpose of organized play is to bring people together by skill level, age, gender, or interests (casual play, competitive play, social experiences, etc.).

Many people are mistaken here—not everyone wants to reserve a court. A lot of people prefer the simplicity of signing up for an event individually, showing up, and having a predictable, quality experience with lots of other players. 

Some events (open play, socials) help players meet each other, but you also need to create a culture of connection. One helpful secret for Devan has been using GroupMe. With GroupMe, he organizes the groups by skill level, and the players become some of the best marketers to help fill events while also creating player connections for private court reservations. 

Pickleball brings people together and sometimes your players just need a little guidance and help to make the quality connections they’re looking for.

Create the Right Schedule

A lot of clubs focus on what they do, but far too many forget about the importance of when to do it. The right timing and schedule can make all the difference in whether or not an event fills up.

The most effective strategy has been to schedule events that align with specific groups we observe visiting at those specific times. If most of your court reservations with a specific group are from 10 am to noon, it’s likely that others in their same group type (for instance, age range) would join an event at that same time. Let the players give those signals out; be observant and responsive to those player habits and pay attention to the audience. Don’t let the players dictate the entire schedule, but there are a lot of opportunities and events that are born out of their suggestions.

One of the key practices that Devan and Club Pickleball USA adheres to is maintaining a balanced schedule of offerings at various times. Create a calendar sheet (separate from your regular court management software) that outlines your event offerings by day and time of the week, specifying the intended audience (such as skill level, age group, etc.). This will help identify the gaps and opportunities within the programming schedule for new or additional events. 

Additionally, it’s ideal to maintain 2 to 4-hour gaps between similar or larger-scale events to provide two reservation windows in the calendar. For instance, a 3-hour gap between a large morning event and a large midday event minimizes the ability to fill the courts only during those events. Most groups like to play for 2 hours – so now an hour of opportunity (in most cases) is thrown away because it failed to gap the experiences sufficiently. A 4-hour gap would have allowed for 2 different groups to make a 2-hour reservation in between the 2 large events.

Lastly, don’t give all of your courts to one experience. Set aside at least 3 or 4 courts for private reservations; otherwise, players will feel excluded or limited from equal access to court time, particularly in peak hours. Within reason, we will wait until we’re within 48 hours before adding people from a waitlist for an event to take most or all of the courts.

Treat Open Play Differently 

If there's one key takeaway from this article, it's this topic. This is where most clubs go wrong with their programming schedules. Let's break down the DOs and DON'Ts:

DO (Be sure to read and use the don’t section in conjunction with the do’s.):

• Offer an extensive and frequent open play schedule (three 3-hour sessions per day). Ideally one in the morning, one midday, and one evening.
• Book the event for 2.5 or 3 hours, 2 hours is not enough time for a rotational experience.
• Utilize challenge courts to give higher-skilled players an outlet.
• Use wristbands at check-in to verify players who registered are actually the ones playing. You may have other members who didn’t register bleed over from their expired court reservation and throw off your numbers. “Wrist band check!” is how to catch the rule abusers.
• Post signs about paddle-up rules and gameplay.
• Depending on the number of players, have an ambassador/employee helping direct traffic and monitor for abuse.

DON’T: 

• Don't assign skill levels to courts or open-play events. This approach can undermine your skill-specific events and force you to choose who to accommodate if all skill levels are waitlisted and you only have one court left to offer.
• Don’t allow players to use more than 1 paddle in the paddle rack.
• Don’t allow more than 8 players per court. We like the 7-7.5 player-to-court ratio.
• Don’t use prime court hours for open play. Instead, use open play as a filler for the second and third-tier court hours.

Market Your Club

This is what sets Club Pickleball USA apart from its competitors: a deep understanding of marketing and sales principles. This includes knowing how to create effective funnels, both online and in-person, for both prospects and existing players. It's essential to allocate a marketing budget to attract new players to the club.

Their marketing efforts are always focused on 3 primary initiatives:

1. Growth! Always be adding players to your database; this creates opportunities for new members and keeps your club busy.
2. Repeat Business. The most probable customer is someone who has already engaged with the club. Utilize retargeting ads to remind your audience of the club's offerings, including the training academy, events, tournaments, memberships, and more.
3. Increase Revenue. Invest marketing dollars in experiences that yield a return. Avoid "branding campaigns" until the club has been established for several years with a loyal audience. Instead, focus marketing efforts on achieving a positive return on ad spend (ROAS) that can be meticulously tracked. Monitor every penny spent and measure the resulting revenue. Allocate funds to experiences that offer a higher margin per court hour, such as tournaments and corporate events.

As the club evolves, strategies and implementations can become more refined and targeted. In the early stages, prioritize enhancing the player experience and ensure its delivery. When a 5-star experience is consistently provided, most other challenges tend to resolve themselves. Achieving this top-tier experience involves connecting players, offering flexible scheduling options, being strategic yet generous with open-play opportunities, and leveraging social media marketing to enhance efforts.

By integrating these best practices from Club Pickleball USA’s Devan Egan, clubs can cultivate a winning culture among players and see positive impacts on both player satisfaction and financial success! To learn more about their way of running a Club, check out the 100+ Mastermind Network they’ve built.

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We're pleased to share an important step forward in our efforts towards global accessibility. DUPR, already available in English and Vietnamese, is now accessible in more languages on both our web platform and mobile app. Users can now navigate DUPR more easily and comfortably in the following languages:

• Simplified and Traditional Chinese
• Spanish

Did you know that DUPR is the world's only global rating system? With over 3,500 clubs in more than 158 countries, DUPR provides accurate pickleball ratings to everyone, regardless of age or gender.

By expanding our language options, it's easier than ever for users worldwide to engage with DUPR. It’s important to us to create more opportunities for everyone to benefit from the platform. It's all about bringing people together to play the game we all love: pickleball. 

We're not stopping here! Our team is already focused on adding additional languages to enhance our global presence. Stay tuned for future updates!

How to Use the Feature

Switching languages on DUPR is easy! Whether you're using our website or mobile app, simply click on your profile to find the settings menu in the upper right corner of the page. Then, locate the language option, and select your desired language. Make sure your app is updated to see the available languages. 

To learn more about our recent updates, visit our blog on reliability score!

Mary Brascia, a professional pickleball player on the PPA tour, currently ranked number 4 on the PPA leaderboards for women's singles with an impressive DUPR rating of 5.666 in doubles and 5.871 in singles, is among the top-ranked female players in the sport. Hailing from Southern California, Mary finds the greatest joy in playing pickleball with her family, and especially enjoys being coached by her father Vinnie Brascia.

“Our whole family is a pickleball family. We all play all the time and our family is super close. We enjoy spending time together so it’s really nice that we found a sport that we can all play together as a family”, Mary says.

Mary’s dad, Vinnie still coaches her and her sister to this day. Mary says,

"He knows me better than anyone, and he helps my sister and I play our best on the court because he knows the game really well.” Mary mentions she plays her best with her dad as her coach because it keeps her in a “positive headspace”.

Vinnie has always taken pride in both Mary’s and her sister Maggie’s passion for pickleball. He remains focused on their goals and maintaining a good relationship to the sport.

“My goal is for them to have fun and to achieve their potential as best as they can”, Vinnie says. As any good father would, he remains dad first, “I’m dad first and foremost, and always, and no matter what happens in a match I’m just going to give Mary a big hug and just say how proud I am for trying their best out there, cause this sport is hard.”
As we celebrate Father's Day this year, let's not forget the role that fathers play in shaping our lives and helping us reach our full potential. Mary Brascia's story is a reminder of the impact that a father's love, guidance, and support can have on their child's journey to success.

To hear more about Mary and her dad, watch the video here. Follow Mary's journey in climbing the pro pickleball rankings on her Instagram.

To all the fathers out there, Happy Father's Day!

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At DUPR, we aspire to have level-based play options for all ages and genders. Our commitment to this is reinforced through the partnership with National Junior Pickleball (NJP). Jack Loughridge, a junior player from Las Vegas, Nevada, has been playing NJP tournaments all across the U.S.

Learn more about Jack's pickleball journey in this Q&A!

How many times a week do you play pickleball?

I play pickleball about 4 times a week. Usually I will drill 2 days, have a lesson one day and then play games on the days I don’t have soccer practice.

Why did you start playing pickleball?

I saw one of my friends playing it and it looked fun. I like that I got to play a lot with my Dad when I was learning.

What is the best part about playing pickleball?

The best part of playing pickleball is getting to travel to different places and meet lots of new people. 

What is the best part of participating in the Junior Tournaments?

In Junior tournaments I get to play with and against my friends, and it’s a lot of fun. We also get to hang out afterward and do fun stuff or just play more pickleball.

What is your favorite memory of pickleball?

I liked when I first got sponsored by Joola and getting to know all of their team and the pros. I also remember when I was 8 and won Gold in a tournament and we got to hold a big check for $200.

Did the Junior tournaments help you improve your pickleball skills? How?

I would say yes because kids don’t go easy on each other and everyone plays their best, so I have to play my best too. I also want to beat them.

Who is your favorite pickleball player/someone you look up to?

I don’t really have a favorite player because a lot of them are my friends like AJ, Ben, Allyce, Etta, Anna, Chuck, Tyson, Brooke, and Rachel. It’s hard to know who to cheer for when they play each other. 

What is your biggest pickleball dream?

I want to be a pro pickleball player and play all over the world. 

We can't wait to help young players ride the pickeball wave, and help their game progress throughout their pickleball journey!

Don't miss Jack's pickleball journey on his Instagram.

• RacquetX conference in Miami revealed rise of the ‘cross-court consumer’
• Venues are diversifying to meet demand for pickleball, padel and tennis
• Although some are playing multiple racquet sports, others ‘stay in their lane’

It's no secret that pickleball has a somewhat fractious relationship with tennis as the sports battle for real estate in country clubs and public spaces across the US. But could that rivalry turn into companionship as the racquet sports family becomes ever more diverse? That was the main takeaway from the inaugural RacquetX festival at Miami Beach Convention Center in March, which brought pickleball, tennis, padel, POP tennis and other racquet/paddle swinging cousins together to learn from each other, network, and find common ground. '

A rising tide lifts all ships,' as the saying goes. Or, as one speaker at RacquetX cleverly put it, 'It's time to love all!' 

‍Research by RacquetX revealed the emergence of a 'cross-court consumer' with 43% of responders playing more than one racquet sport in the last year or intending to diversify their play. The research also noted tremendous growth potential in public courts and clubs opening up access for all market segments (pickleball, tennis, padel, etc.). Venues are already adapting to this more diverse consumer demand. Life Time Fitness has introduced pickleball at many of its 200+ locations across the US. Life Time Tempe in Phoenix, AZ, has converted three outdoor tennis courts into 12 pickleball courts and an additional three indoors, replacing a basketball court. They host the bi-annual Life Time Tempe Fall Classic, regional tournaments, events for two local universities and a junior program. 

Norma Sedillo, Tennis and Pickleball Coordinator at Life Time Tempe, said,

"Pickleball was not initially embraced by the tennis community here. It was seen as the ugly duckling. But things changed. I'd say 50% of my tennis players are now playing pickleball - but they are not abandoning tennis. They are playing both.” "They still have their strong ties within tennis but those communities are transitioning into pickleball. Once they start moving, they move in waves - the friendships remain but they are spending time together on both types of court." 

Life Time's venue in Westchester, NY, has pickleball, tennis, and squash courts over 2,000 sq ft, whereas Life Time Sky in Manhattan (with two pickleball courts) has to be more selective with its use of space. Sky's Lead Pickleball Pro, Andy Peeke, hasn't witnessed a huge amount of cross-pollination between racquet sports. 

"There's an incredible demand for pickleball so we have to follow that demand in deciding what to do with the space we have," he says. "If your four tennis courts aren't at capacity and there is demand for pickleball, clubs notice pretty quickly they can fit in 16 pickleball courts and not only quadruple their profits, but quadruple community satisfaction."

 He describes Life Time Sky as "possibly the most DUPR-heavy club in the country:

"Here, your DUPR rating is your passport. If you're a 4.49 you're not entering a 4.5, otherwise we'd end up with a public park type of system. We're getting super competitive, but most of all, people love being part of our community."

On the first weekend in May 2024, Life Time Penn 1 opened its new pickleball courts with exhibitions by Andre Agassi, Kim Clijsters, Tyson McGuffin and Life Time founder, chairman and CEO Bahram Akradi.Across the Atlantic, Imber Court Sports Club in southwest London (built on land formerly owned by King Henry VIII) has two pickleball courts, four padel courts and 15 tennis courts (four of those tennis courts will soon be converted into six padel and four pickleball courts). Clinton Lamprecht, founder of England Sports Group which coordinates all sports activities at the club, says he doesn't recognize the emergence of the so-called cross-court consumer. 

"We haven't seen cross-pollination," he states. "People here tend to find their tribe and stick with it. We've probably only got half a dozen members who will actively play pickleball and padel. I'm curious to see whether we'll see more of that over the years." 

Although Clinton believes tennis will suffer in the short term as pickleball and padel grow, he does believe in the 'rising tide lifts all ships' theory.

"The new sports are going to lower participation levels in tennis, there's no doubt about that. But it's also going to create opportunities for everyone in the racquet sports sector to increase participation overall between those three different racquet sports."

 While demand from individuals to play multiple racquet sports doesn't appear to be universal yet, clubs are recognizing the need to diversify their offering of court types and appeal to all sectors. In time, this may lead to the racquet sports co-existing more happily and appreciating the potential of learning and thriving together.

Meet Rachael James, a professional pickleball player from Detroit, MI! Rachael is known for her dynamic playing style and strategic abilities on the court. Having played tennis for over twenty years, Rachael competed semi-professionally and collegiately for the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill before transitioning to pickleball. Rachael now plays pickleball professionally on a full-time basis, regularly facing off against the best players in the world. She also spends her time teaching the sport to others while balancing her busy tournament schedule. Follow along and get to know Rachael a little bit more in this Q&A!

How did you find pickleball and how has it changed your life?

I wanted to find an activity where I could bond with my mom and make new friends. We had our first pickleball lesson together at the Delray Tennis Center, and I instantly fell in love with the sport. Now, I have an amazing community of friends, a stronger bond with my mom, and a new profession!

What is your favorite memory from your career so far?

I have so many great memories, it’s hard to choose just one! However, one that stands out is beating DJ Young and Cass Hoag 2-3 months ago. That match was a turning point in my career and marked significant growth in my pickleball development. I train hard every day to improve, and it was gratifying to see my efforts pay off. Since then, I've had several big wins, making that match a major milestone in my career.

What motivates you to become a pro pickleball player?

Being a professional pickleball player is what I want to do with my life. As long as I avoid any career-ending injuries, I plan to keep playing until the end—I'll probably die on the court.

What athlete or person inspires you the most?

My parents are my greatest inspiration. Originally from the east side of Detroit, Michigan, my family moved to Florida when I was younger to provide me with the best opportunities in tennis and a better future. They sacrificed a lot and continue to demonstrate incredible strength and perseverance.

What does your current training regimen look like?

Now that my mixed doubles game has improved significantly, I'm focusing on getting my singles game back to its previous level. Starting today, I plan to train 1.5 hours in singles and 1.5 hours in doubles, Monday through Friday. Previously, I trained exclusively in doubles for 3-4 hours each day during the week.

What is your greatest accomplishment in sports?

My latest greatest accomplishment in sports is having the bravery to pursue a new sport full-time besides tennis and fully committing to it. The date I was able to be a full-time pickleball player was August 1st, 2023.

What part of your game are you working on the most right now?

My focus is on singles and playing the left side in gendered doubles. Many women excel on the right side due to mixed doubles experience. By mastering the left side, I can partner with almost anyone. That will give me the best opportunity to make big runs in tournaments.

What do you do outside of pickleball?

"I really love the beach, painting, and walking around expensive neighborhoods, lol. "

How havelevel-basedd tournaments help you improve your pickleball skills?

 "I only played one 5.0 PPA tournament and I won it. After that, I went and played only in the pro division."

Rachael has also started a business called Pickle Pros, where we create personalized webpages for athletes that showcase their accomplishments and allow people to book lessons with them around their travel and tournament schedules. She adds,

"Our platform is designed to support aspiring pro pickleball players by providing them with a way to earn money while at home, while also enabling them to travel and compete in tournaments."

Check out Rachael's pickleball journey and more on her Instagram and website!

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The joy in pickleball is as much about the camaraderie we find in the vibrant communities we uncover as it is about dinks, volleys, and scoring.

For Antonio Whiteley, finding pickleball and his local community of players became a lifeline following the sudden and devastating loss of his partner of 17 years, Mark, to cardiac failure due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

"It was an undiagnosed heart condition, like something you hear about athletes collapsing on the field. It was sudden, silent, swift. One moment he was here, the next he was gone. Just an ordinary Saturday afternoon at my parents' house."

Antonio and Marc’s love story ignited at Gay Pride in San Diego, where they shared an instantaneous connection.

"He stood beside me. I laughed, he laughed. And then I looked at him and said, 'Hi, I’m Antonio.' I had never greeted anyone like that before."

Marc loved hummingbirds, and in the wake of his passing, while sitting in Antonio’s parents' yard, a hummingbird materialized, fluttering its wings for over a minute. For Antonio, it felt like a sign.

"There was recognition. Eye contact. I knew it was Marc."

In the midst of grief, Antonio found solace and unexpected support within the tight-knit West Hollywood pickleball community.

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"People I didn't even know on the court will say, 'There's a hummingbird, Antonio. There's Marc.'"

Strangers transformed into friends, and friends into a chosen family. The courts of West Hollywood became a place where Antonio could find relief from the overwhelming weight of loss.

"Pickleball saved my life,” Antonio reflects, his voice filled with gratitude. “It really did.”

“It started as a way to keep me out of the house for a few hours at night,” he continues. “Little did I know that it would turn into a family. A community of people who have lifted me and given me strength. Now, for 2 hours a day, sometimes 4, I am surrounded by people I love.”

Antonio’s dedication to the sport and the community has taken a competitive turn. He has competed in three local tournaments and holds a DUPR rating of 3.851. 

Reflecting on his experiences, he says, "It's been a lot of fun! I know I'll always have a good time, regardless of the outcome." "There's still a huge void in my life, but pickleball and this community in West Hollywood have helped me more than anybody will ever know.”

Antonio's story is a reminder of how resilient the human spirit can be in the wake of tragedy and that none of us make this journey through life alone. In a city where dreams are pursued and connections are forged, the simple act of playing pickleball has the power to heal, to uplift, and to remind us of the profound beauty of human connection.

In the fall of 2022, Life Time announced the adoption of DUPR as its rating and technology system across all of its pickleball programming. As the official rating partner of Life Time Pickleball, DUPR ensures that Life Time members, and all pickleball players, can find equally matched opponents almost anywhere.

As Life Time grows its presence as the nation’s largest owner and operator of pickleball courts, it’s focused on ensuring its premier locations continue to elevate. To that end, one of those destinations, Life Time Peachtree Corners, located just outside of Atlanta, announced an exciting expansion that will significantly increase its pickleball offerings.

The project will increase the number of pickleball courts to 29, including 12 indoor courts and 17 outdoor courts. Among the outdoor courts will be four stadium courts, which will play host to events like the Vizzy Pickleball Classic, just held there in May. You can see the video rendering here.

“Both DUPR and Life Time are committed to advancing pickleball’s reach and reputation and supporting players at all levels” said Tito Machado, DUPR's CEO. “With this expansion, more people will be able to experience the benefits and excitement of pickleball.”

If you’d like to get on the list for more information, you can visit their website here.

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