Pickleball Skill Level Definitions
The following skill level descriptions are a guide for evaluating your own level and determining which tournament divisions you should play in. They were developed utilizing both existing guidelines listed by the USAPA (usapa.org) and from other pickleball clubs. Note: Except for a few rated events which require a USAPA- or club-approved rating, you self-rate for all other non-rated events (Round-robins are also self-rated.) RATED events are clearly identified on sign-up sheets. Generally, you should NOT enter an event higher or lower than your rated skill level. Use the guide below to rate yourself and see what you need to learn.
2.0 Beginner Skills-Level
2.0 Skill-Level Players have taken a 1st teaching lesson or recently started playing. They are not moving around the court in a safe or balanced manner, are familiar with how to serve but may not be able to do it, are not comfortable with the two-bounce rule or the kitchen no-volley zone. They are learning where to stand on the court during serves, returns and point play but are often not in the right positions, may not have basic ground strokes, don’t yet demonstrate the basics of how to keep score, have no idea what a dink is, and, at best, can keep a ball in play for a couple of shots.
2.5 Skills-Level
2.5 Skill-Level Players possess the skills of the 2.0-level players, and in addition, have taken additional beginner lessons or have played with other pickleball players who taught them the basic rules of how to play the game. They should be learning to move around the court in a balanced and safe manner instead of running too fast and out of control. They are learning to get their serve in regularly, they·usually let the ball bounce before returning the serve or hitting the return of serve (2 bounce rule), but not always. They are learning where to stand on the court during serves, returns and point play, but are still out of position frequently. They know the basics of how to keep score and rotate servers, but may still struggle to do so, and they have not learned how to dink effectively or when to do it. They don't place enough emphasis on keeping the ball in play and hit too many easy high floating balls or hard shots instead of placements. They may try forehand lobs, although probably not high or deep enough. They often hit balls that would otherwise go out of bounds.
3.0 Skills-Level
3.0 Skill -Level Players possess the skills of the 2.5 level players, plus they know the rules and how to re-figure the score after losing track. They are getting about 3/4 of their serves in and are striving to return more than half of their backhands and overheads. They should be working towards serving to both sides of their opponents and trying to place their serves and returns deep in the opposing court. They will usually move to the no-volley zone line quickly after the return of serve, rarely commit foot-faults/kitchen violations, and can sustain a short volley exchange, but do not move their feet well and cannot place their volleys They are still trying to develop consistent forehand and backhand strokes and are not consistently hitting flatter ground strokes or dinks. They are becoming more aware of their partner’s position on the court relative to themselves, and how to move in concert with a partner. They are not consistent hitting the overhead smash, but are beginning to use the forehand lob with some success. They are developing more power in some shots, and the ability to return a ball hit lower and harder. They are working on sustaining a “dink” exchange at the net and are not yet thinking about putting varying pace on sequential shots or looking for the 'open space' They do not handle differing pace or spin effectively.
3.5 Skills-Level
3.5 Skill-Level Players possess the skills of the 3.0-skill-level player, and know the main rules of pickleball. They are generally be able to get their serve in play and return most serves. They regularly serve deep and return serve deep. They understand most basic match strategy and the tactics that apply to skills that they either possess or are trying to learn, but their employment of strategy and tactics is inconsistent. They exhibit improved ability to play with partners effectively, including proper communication and movement on the court. They can move to the net quickly after returning serve, but sometimes lag back too long. They are developing the ability to place shots with some accuracy, and to hit shots to weaker opponents or opponent's weaknesses. They can hit all the shots: forehand and backhand ground strokes, forehand lobs, smashes, volleys, and sustained dinks, with a fair level of consistency.They are comfortable putting pace on balls but have trouble returning fast balls softly. Their lobs are sometimes too short and other strokes are too high and slow. They should be starting to practice hitting drop shots from ¾ court and using them with some success to get to net They are improving the ability to know when to make specific shots and when to use soft shots or spin versus power shots to their advantage. They are gaining the reflexes and judgment to avoid returned shots which may be going out of bounds.
4.0 Skills-Level
4.0 Skill-Level players are capable of consistently executing at above a 3.5 skill-level. They distinguish themselves from the 3.5 player by using increased skills and strategy, or by having more speed, power, spin, or consistency. They can control and place both the serve and return of serve. They are consistent in their play, able to devise and execute a strategy, and use a variety of shots as needed.for that strategy. They communicate on court, move effectively with a partner and easily switch courts to cover their partner’s side when required. They play well at the no-volley zone line, work with their partner to control the line, keep their shots low and can drive opponents back off the line, or control the pace or placement of the ball. They can recognize an opponent's weaknesses, consistently hit to their opponents’ weak side and hit to the weaker player in doubles. They can use quick hands to block strong volleys directed at them at the no-volley zone line, can execute 1/2 volleys off the floor, and can place their volleys with a good degree of accuracy. They understand the strategy of dinking, employ it on a regular basis, can sustain a dinking rally until they get a “put away” shot, recognize the “put away” shot, and succeed in ending the rally. They hit overheads consistently “in”, often with pace, and are trying learn to place them more effectively. They try to return overheads hit at them, can handle fast balls and are developing their use of spin on a variety of shots. They have a fair to good ability to change from a soft shot strategy to a hard shot strategy (or vice-versa) during a rally. They use·forehand and backhand lobs and are trying to use lobs from anywhere on the court with good accuracy. They can consistently drop-shot successfully from ¾ court and frequently drop-shot with success from the baseline as their preferred method of getting to and gaining control of the net. They have excellent footwork, can move forward, backward and laterally with ease and quickness, and can poach effectively.. They avoid getting hit by the ball and do not hit balls that are going "out."
4.5 Skills-Level
4.5+ skill-level players have all the skills of a 4.0 level player and have fully developed their use of power, spins, and dinks. They can successfully execute all shots, can control the depth of their shots, and can handle pace. They have great footwork and can get to the no-volley zone or difficult shots as required. They understand strategy and adjust their style of play according to their opponent's strengths and weaknesses and their position on the court.They can hit serves with power and accuracy and can also vary the speed and spin of the serve when they want to. They play instinctively with their partners and are consistently in the right place on the court. They rarely hit the wrong shot, over-hit the ball, make unforced errors or give an opponent an easy put-away shot. They exhibit patience during rallies, but can end a point when the opportunity is presented. Many can play effectively with 5.0 level players.
5.0 Skills-Level
These elite players have developed all the skills of the 4.5 players, but to an even higher degree. They may also simply be quicker and/or stronger than the 4.5 group of players. They may also be professional or collegiate pickleball or tennis coaches and players.
The following skill level descriptions are a guide for evaluating your own level and determining which tournament divisions you should play in. They were developed utilizing both existing guidelines listed by the USAPA (usapa.org) and from other pickleball clubs. Note: Except for a few rated events which require a USAPA- or club-approved rating, you self-rate for all other non-rated events (Round-robins are also self-rated.) RATED events are clearly identified on sign-up sheets. Generally, you should NOT enter an event higher or lower than your rated skill level. Use the guide below to rate yourself and see what you need to learn.
2.0 Beginner Skills-Level
2.0 Skill-Level Players have taken a 1st teaching lesson or recently started playing. They are not moving around the court in a safe or balanced manner, are familiar with how to serve but may not be able to do it, are not comfortable with the two-bounce rule or the kitchen no-volley zone. They are learning where to stand on the court during serves, returns and point play but are often not in the right positions, may not have basic ground strokes, don’t yet demonstrate the basics of how to keep score, have no idea what a dink is, and, at best, can keep a ball in play for a couple of shots.
2.5 Skills-Level
2.5 Skill-Level Players possess the skills of the 2.0-level players, and in addition, have taken additional beginner lessons or have played with other pickleball players who taught them the basic rules of how to play the game. They should be learning to move around the court in a balanced and safe manner instead of running too fast and out of control. They are learning to get their serve in regularly, they·usually let the ball bounce before returning the serve or hitting the return of serve (2 bounce rule), but not always. They are learning where to stand on the court during serves, returns and point play, but are still out of position frequently. They know the basics of how to keep score and rotate servers, but may still struggle to do so, and they have not learned how to dink effectively or when to do it. They don't place enough emphasis on keeping the ball in play and hit too many easy high floating balls or hard shots instead of placements. They may try forehand lobs, although probably not high or deep enough. They often hit balls that would otherwise go out of bounds.
3.0 Skills-Level
3.0 Skill -Level Players possess the skills of the 2.5 level players, plus they know the rules and how to re-figure the score after losing track. They are getting about 3/4 of their serves in and are striving to return more than half of their backhands and overheads. They should be working towards serving to both sides of their opponents and trying to place their serves and returns deep in the opposing court. They will usually move to the no-volley zone line quickly after the return of serve, rarely commit foot-faults/kitchen violations, and can sustain a short volley exchange, but do not move their feet well and cannot place their volleys They are still trying to develop consistent forehand and backhand strokes and are not consistently hitting flatter ground strokes or dinks. They are becoming more aware of their partner’s position on the court relative to themselves, and how to move in concert with a partner. They are not consistent hitting the overhead smash, but are beginning to use the forehand lob with some success. They are developing more power in some shots, and the ability to return a ball hit lower and harder. They are working on sustaining a “dink” exchange at the net and are not yet thinking about putting varying pace on sequential shots or looking for the 'open space' They do not handle differing pace or spin effectively.
3.5 Skills-Level
3.5 Skill-Level Players possess the skills of the 3.0-skill-level player, and know the main rules of pickleball. They are generally be able to get their serve in play and return most serves. They regularly serve deep and return serve deep. They understand most basic match strategy and the tactics that apply to skills that they either possess or are trying to learn, but their employment of strategy and tactics is inconsistent. They exhibit improved ability to play with partners effectively, including proper communication and movement on the court. They can move to the net quickly after returning serve, but sometimes lag back too long. They are developing the ability to place shots with some accuracy, and to hit shots to weaker opponents or opponent's weaknesses. They can hit all the shots: forehand and backhand ground strokes, forehand lobs, smashes, volleys, and sustained dinks, with a fair level of consistency.They are comfortable putting pace on balls but have trouble returning fast balls softly. Their lobs are sometimes too short and other strokes are too high and slow. They should be starting to practice hitting drop shots from ¾ court and using them with some success to get to net They are improving the ability to know when to make specific shots and when to use soft shots or spin versus power shots to their advantage. They are gaining the reflexes and judgment to avoid returned shots which may be going out of bounds.
4.0 Skills-Level
4.0 Skill-Level players are capable of consistently executing at above a 3.5 skill-level. They distinguish themselves from the 3.5 player by using increased skills and strategy, or by having more speed, power, spin, or consistency. They can control and place both the serve and return of serve. They are consistent in their play, able to devise and execute a strategy, and use a variety of shots as needed.for that strategy. They communicate on court, move effectively with a partner and easily switch courts to cover their partner’s side when required. They play well at the no-volley zone line, work with their partner to control the line, keep their shots low and can drive opponents back off the line, or control the pace or placement of the ball. They can recognize an opponent's weaknesses, consistently hit to their opponents’ weak side and hit to the weaker player in doubles. They can use quick hands to block strong volleys directed at them at the no-volley zone line, can execute 1/2 volleys off the floor, and can place their volleys with a good degree of accuracy. They understand the strategy of dinking, employ it on a regular basis, can sustain a dinking rally until they get a “put away” shot, recognize the “put away” shot, and succeed in ending the rally. They hit overheads consistently “in”, often with pace, and are trying learn to place them more effectively. They try to return overheads hit at them, can handle fast balls and are developing their use of spin on a variety of shots. They have a fair to good ability to change from a soft shot strategy to a hard shot strategy (or vice-versa) during a rally. They use·forehand and backhand lobs and are trying to use lobs from anywhere on the court with good accuracy. They can consistently drop-shot successfully from ¾ court and frequently drop-shot with success from the baseline as their preferred method of getting to and gaining control of the net. They have excellent footwork, can move forward, backward and laterally with ease and quickness, and can poach effectively.. They avoid getting hit by the ball and do not hit balls that are going "out."
4.5 Skills-Level
4.5+ skill-level players have all the skills of a 4.0 level player and have fully developed their use of power, spins, and dinks. They can successfully execute all shots, can control the depth of their shots, and can handle pace. They have great footwork and can get to the no-volley zone or difficult shots as required. They understand strategy and adjust their style of play according to their opponent's strengths and weaknesses and their position on the court.They can hit serves with power and accuracy and can also vary the speed and spin of the serve when they want to. They play instinctively with their partners and are consistently in the right place on the court. They rarely hit the wrong shot, over-hit the ball, make unforced errors or give an opponent an easy put-away shot. They exhibit patience during rallies, but can end a point when the opportunity is presented. Many can play effectively with 5.0 level players.
5.0 Skills-Level
These elite players have developed all the skills of the 4.5 players, but to an even higher degree. They may also simply be quicker and/or stronger than the 4.5 group of players. They may also be professional or collegiate pickleball or tennis coaches and players.