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What is Pickleball?

Pickleball, a sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, has seen a remarkable rise in popularity in recent years. layed on a court with a low net, players hit a perforated plastic ball over the net with a paddle. The game can be played as singles or doubles, making it a versatile and engaging sport suitable for all ages and skill levels.

The Role of DUPR

One of the key factors contributing to the popularity of pickleball is DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) presented by Delaware Life system. DUPR’s unique pickleball rating system helps players assess their skill level and find suitable opponents to compete against. By analyzing player performance and game results, DUPR provides an accurate rating that allows players to improve and compete at their appropriate level.

Pickleball's Celebrity Appeal

Despite its rise in popularity, pickleball retains its reputation as a fun and social sport. Notable athletes and celebrities such as former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal, tennis legend Martina Navratilova, and former President Barack Obama, have taken up pickleball as a recreational activity. Their involvement highlights pickleball’s lure as a way to stay active, connect with others, and engage in a new form of competition. 

Accessibility and Community

Pickleball’s straightforward rules, accessible equipment, and welcoming community, make it easy to learn and enjoy. Whether players are seeking a casual game with friends or competitive matches against experienced opponents – pickleball caters to a wide range of preferences. The sport’s popularity has led to an increase in tournaments, leagues, and organized play opportunities for individuals of all skill levels. 

Find out more about DUPR events to start your pickleball journey today!

Global Expansion 

Pickleball’s success isn’t limited to the U.S.. It’s been  gaining traction around the world – from Canada, to Europe, to Australia, to Asia, China, in particular, has been promoting pickleball with the help of The International Pickleball Federation (IFP). The Sports and Fitness Industry Association trade group reports that pickleball's player base surged from 3.5 million in 2019 to 8.9 million by 2022, with UBS analysts projecting a further increase to 22 million players in 2023.

A Sport for Everyone 

Pickleball is a dynamic and thrilling sport that is capturing the interest of individuals worldwide. With the help of the DUPR rating system and the participation of renowned athletes, pickleball is emerging as a favored pastime for people of diverse backgrounds and abilities. Whether players are seasoned athletes seeking a new challenge or beginners looking for social and enjoyable activity, pickleball offers an inclusive and engaging experience that is definitely worth a try. 

Meet DUPR

DUPR is the #1 trusted pickleball rating system in the industry, trusted by the world's leading clubs, tournaments, leagues, and players. DUPR's dynamic rating system unifies pickleball across age, gender, and location by analyzing match results to accurately evaluate all players across a 2.000 - 8.000 scale. 

Visit www.dupr.com to sign up and learn more. 

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Pickleball, the sport that has captured the hearts of millions, is growing exponentially across the United States. Among its most enthusiastic players are the young athletes who represent the future of this dynamic sport. The National Junior Pickleball (NJP) organization is at the forefront of this youth movement, providing an unparalleled platform for junior players to compete, learn, and grow. With events like those held across the nation, NJP is transforming the landscape of youth pickleball and creating unforgettable experiences for young athletes and their families.

The NJP Experience

The excitement and friendship of NJP tournaments are palpable from the moment the kids step onto the courts. Maverick, a 12-year-old player, encapsulates the spirit of these events perfectly:

“NJP is the absolute BEST tournament for Juniors. In both Arizona and Missouri, there was nonstop pickle play, great kids, and fun times on and off the court.”

He reflects on the vibrant and inclusive atmosphere that NJP strives to foster, where every match is an opportunity not just for competition, but for making lasting memories and friendships.

Ariana A, aged 13, also shared her enthusiasm about her NJP experience:

“My first NJP experience was simply amazing! Everyone involved in the organization of this event was kind, welcoming, and extremely supportive. They did a fantastic job of running a fair and smooth tournament. I got to compete and become friends with exceptionally talented kids from around the country. Overall, it was a fun and pleasant experience and I can’t wait to participate in the next National Junior Pickleball event!!”

From ensuring fair play to creating a supportive environment, NJP's commitment to excellence is evident in every aspect of their events.

DUPR’s Role at NJP

Courtney Loughridge, founder of  NJP, agrees that the common story among parents of players is that there is a lack of recreational games for kids.

“Parents say that their kid only plays rec with adults, don’t have any kids to play with and they don’t want to play against adults in tournaments. We don’t know where they fit in or what their true skill level is.” Courtney says.

NJP has continuously supported the growth of pickleball by utilizing the DUPR platform at the start of every junior's pickleball journey.

“On the first evening of the event, NJP evaluators watch during skills clinic and king of the court style open play to ensure players are in the correct general skill bucket of beginner, intermediate, and advanced, as well as age groups of 12U, 14U, and 18U”, Courtney states.

DUPR has been a way for the Juniors to play competitive games within their age and skill in singles, doubles, and team events with players from all around the country.

She adds “all of these matches are reported to DUPR, so they have an accurate skill rating by the end of the event”. 

The use of DUPR at NJP tournaments has led Juniors to easily find level-based clinics, leagues, and tournaments regardless of age in tournaments outside of the league as well.

“Once Juniors have a DUPR, they can more easily know where they should register and can use their DUPR to track their pickleball journey as they grow and develop”, Courtney says. 

The NJP Championships in October will be seeded accordingly using DUPR ratings, to help ensure that brackets are fair and balanced throughout the field. 

A Community of Support

One of the standout features of NJP is the strong sense of community it builds among participants and their families. Tina L, mother of 10-year-old Madison, expresses her gratitude for the organization’s family-friendly approach:

“As a parent, I’m thrilled that NJP is geared to benefit the kids!! They have so much fun and play so many games! Kids and parents building new friendships! It reminded us of our travel soccer club days!”

The round-robin play format ensures a fair and competitive experience, as brackets are organized by similar skill levels and age groups, allowing participants to compete against peers of comparable ability. Beyond the excitement on the courts, players can enjoy a variety of perks, including free swag. The top three winners in each age and skill division will be honored with medals and a podium ceremony, celebrating their achievements in style. Additionally, the event provides opportunities to connect off the courts, fostering lasting memories and networking with potential partners and sponsors, enhancing the overall experience for all attendees. NJP events are also designed to allow players to meet and get to know each other before committing to a team. Players can sign up for the tournament with or without a doubles partner or team.

Empowering the Next Generation

The mission of NJP goes beyond organizing tournaments; it is about empowering young athletes and helping them reach their full potential. By providing a structured yet enjoyable environment, NJP helps players develop their skills, gain confidence, and learn important life lessons through sport. The organization’s dedication to youth development is evident in every aspect of its operations, from the high-quality facilities to the professional and supportive staff.

Looking Ahead

As NJP continues to grow and expand, the future looks incredibly bright for young pickleball players across the country! With each tournament, NJP not only showcases the talent of junior athletes but also strengthens the pickleball community, one match at a time.

For more information about upcoming events and how to get involved, visit the National Junior Pickleball website. Whether you’re a young player eager to compete, a parent looking to support your child’s passion, or a pickleball enthusiast wanting to witness the future of the sport, NJP offers something truly special. Join the NJP community and be part of the exciting journey as we nurture the next generation of pickleball stars!

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Pickleball’s Most Important and Sought After Tournament Selects Leading Pickleball Rating System To Enhance Competition, Evaluate and Seed Players

Pickleball’s most important tournament, The Minto US Open Pickleball Championships powered by Margaritaville, today announced it is selecting DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating), as the Open’s official and exclusive ratings partner.

DUPR is pickleball’s most accurate global rating system. It evaluates players based on match results to provide a real-time, reliable assessment of their skill level. The US Open will use DUPR to provide transparency and help seed players, effective immediately in preparation for the 2025 tournament.

“There is only one US Open in Pickleball, and we’re proud to be a part of it,” said Tito Machado, DUPR CEO. “We are also excited to integrate with Pickleball Den to provide ratings for clubs, tournaments, and leagues who choose to create DUPR-enabled events within the seamless pickleball platform.”

“We are pleased to partner with DUPR and adopt it as the official and exclusive ratings partner for the Minto US Open Pickleball Championships. This reflects our efforts to continue offering a fair, open and transparent competition for players at the most prestigious tournament in the sport and The Biggest Pickleball Party in the World®,” said Ben Weinberger, Pickle4 President.

To further support players and tournament and club organizers, DUPR will seamlessly integrate into Pickleball Den (www.pickleballden.com), the US Open’s official tournament management software. Later this summer, clubs, tournaments and leagues  can enable DUPR for their events directly from the platform. This integration will streamline player ratings and profiles, allowing for easy and transparent creation of level-based competitions. Scores from DUPR-enabled events will automatically update player ratings, helping players understand their skill level, track progress, and find more playing opportunities.

Players registering for the 2025 Open will be required to have a DUPR account. Players who do not currently have a rating can go to www.dupr.com or download the app to create a free profile and begin logging their match results to establish their rating. 

About the Minto US Open Pickleball Championships Powered by Margaritaville

The Minto US Open Pickleball Championships Powered by Margaritaville, owned by Spirit Promotions and founded in 2016, is the most important event in pickleball and welcomed over 3,200 athletes including 460 professionals from all 50 states and 31 countries who competed in more than 5,000 matches attracting approximately 50,000 spectators to Naples, FL in 2024. The 2025 US Open will be held April 26 - May 3, 2025 at East Naples Community Park in Naples, Florida. Pickle4 is the parent company of Spirit Promotions. For more information, visit www.usopenpickleball.com.

About Pickleball Den

Pickleball Den, official tournament software of the Minto US Open Pickleball Championships, is the technology powering the sport and provides a seamless pickleball tournament, club and league software experience while empowering directors, coaches and athletes. The software is trusted monthly delivering hundreds of tournaments, thousands of club events and millions of hours of on-time games. Club managers, tournament directors and league organizers can learn more at www.pickleballden.com.

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• Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing activities across national volunteer-led movement for older adults.
• u3a pickleball groups are significant drivers of participation for the over-50s in UK.
• With 3,000 players out of an overall membership of 400,000, there is huge scope for growth.

The average age of the pickleball-playing population in the UK is gradually reducing — but, for now, over-50s remain the bedrock of the sport's participation base. A significant percentage of these older players are discovering pickleball through u3a. 

The u3a is a huge volunteer-led movement that keeps retired people active and learning. It is made up of around 1000 u3as  across the UK who organize activities that keep older adults mentally, physically and socially active. These range from sport to learning a language, history, photography, walking, wine tasting and much more.

Three years ago, there were 15 pickleball groups across the u3a movement. Now (May 2024), there are 139. It is one of the fastest growing sports within u3a and now boasts over 3,000 players. For context, Pickleball England has 5,000 registered members over 50 years of age and there are an estimated 15,000 players of all ages (including non-members of the governing body) in the country.

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David Pechey has been the u3a's National Subject Advisor for pickleball since 2021. Having started his own club in Bramhall, Manchester in 2018, he felt pickleball strongly aligned with u3a's objective of encouraging older adults to become and/or stay active.  

David, 73, has published guidance and a package of resources on the u3a website for anyone wanting to set up their own group. He has also undertaken a Pickleball Leaders Certification to teach people the basic techniques and tactics. Some are happy with a regular hit and chat; others have progressed to competing and registering with DUPR. 

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"You get great satisfaction from helping people learn to play and seeing them grow in confidence on court," said David. "But some u3a groups have started without any help from me. I am just a sounding board if people need one, but pickleball is increasingly creating its own momentum."

David also adds,

"Pickleball is so accessible for people of my age. They don't want hours of training with a coach. As long as there is someone to teach you the rules and basic tactics, you can start playing pickleball to a reasonable level pretty quickly. That's why it has struck a chord. People have been able to get a bit of physical activity and social interaction while feeling they are having a good, competitive game." 

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As pickleball groups have popped up and grown throughout the u3a movement, the organization has organically become a key participation driver for the sport in the UK – all led by the enthusiasm and passion of volunteers. 

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David stated,

"A huge debt of gratitude is owed to the local champions in every active u3a group: the group conveners, coordinators and leaders. These are local heroes with enthusiasm, initiative, perseverance and patience. A debt to them is owed by me and by every u3a player that enjoys exercise, fun, gentle competition and social interaction as a result of their efforts.”

With just under 100 u3a pickleball groups across the UK, there is obvious potential for it to spread much further.

"We haven't reached 10% yet, so I want to continue to help grow it throughout all the u3as  in the UK," states David. 

With players’ ages ranging from 50 to early 90s, thousands of people in the autumn of their years are being given a new lease of life through u3a and pickleball.

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.