With over 5 million players, exploding growth and constantly increasing places to play, pickleball has continued to be the number one growing sport in the United States. The dink, soft game, bangers, concentration, exercise, competition, and most of all fun, are all part of the pickleball world. Basically the sport is a blend of badminton, ping pong, and tennis. Pickleball has a relatively short learning curve, thereby giving even a newbie beginner the chance to start having fun right from the start. Played with light-weight paddles and a plastic wiffle ball, games are played on a court the approximate size of a badminton court. The net is set slightly lower than a standard tennis net. Play format includes both singles (two players) or doubles teams (four players, two per team). Bottom line is the sport is addictive and a blast to play!

Pickleball players represent one of the most diverse groups in sports, encompassing a wide range of ages and skill levels. Many tournaments attract a significant number of participants in the 50+ age bracket; however, pickleball is not limited to seniors. Top players of all ages are well-conditioned athletes, as the competition demands exceptional skills, training, and fitness.

If you’re interested in professional-level matches, you can find exciting videos on YouTube and Pickleball TV. Currently, the top players include Ben Johns on the men's side and seventeen-year-old phenom Anna Leigh Waters on the women's side. Both are considered the Greatest of All Time in their respective categories. Other notable male players include Ben's brother, Collin Johns, JW Johnson, Hall of Fame member Kyle Yates, Dekel Bar, Tyson McGuffin, and Federico Staksrud. Among the talented female pros are Brooke Buckner, Parris Todd, Anna Bright, Kate Fahey, and Catherine Parenteau. In 2024, we have also seen a surge of younger players rising to the top of the sport. Players like 18-year-old Quang Duong and nineteen-year-olds Hayden Patriquin and Gab Tardio have become sensations, winning gold medals at various professional tournaments. Unsurprisingly, pickleball has even caught the attention of several professional tennis players, including tennis champion Jack Sock, who has joined the pro ranks.

In both competitive and recreational play, players of all ages participate. For many, pickleball offers a fun, challenging, and competitive way to engage in effective exercise while socializing. As players' skills and fitness levels improve, a competitive spirit often emerges, motivating them to strive for higher rankings and earn tournament medals. Achieving these accomplishments, especially for older age groups, is a unique experience not commonly found in other sports. The satisfaction of these achievements is an incredible feeling, regardless of age. If pickleball journey includes tournament play, you'll have a blast.

The organizing body for pickleball is USA Pickleball (USAP), which has established official rules for the sport. These rules are regularly revised and updated each year. The USAP Rules Committee is responsible for considering the adaptation of new rules. You can review a copy of the 2024 Official Pickleball Rule Book using this link:  2024 Official Pickleball Rule Book.

As new players improve, become more serious about the sport, and consider entering tournaments, the next step is determining their skill rating. These ratings reflect a player's abilities and aim to make the game more enjoyable and competitive for everyone. Rating systems help ensure that players of similar skill levels are matched against each other in tournaments and other competitions.

The skill ratings range from 1.0 to 8.0, providing a more accurate assessment of a player's skill level for better matchups. While no rating system is perfect, the experience players gain from them enhances the game for all.

Until 2021, the main rating system used was the United Tournament Players Rating (UTPR), which is based on tournament results. This rating includes a four-digit numerical skill level, though levels are often referenced in two-digit terms, such as 3.5 or 4.0. The UTPR system is being actively replaced by a more accurate and efficient system known as DUPR (Dynamic Universal Player Rating).

The DUPR system has gained popularity as the preferred choice for accurate skill rating among most of the world’s top players and increasingly among serious amateurs. DUPR is marketed as "the most accurate global rating system" and uses algorithms based on match results to generate both amateur and pro ratings. For more information about the DUPR system, check out the DUPR Info page: DUPR Info .