Our Group Levels
Our Club has groups of players, which have different skill levels and experience:
- Group 2 - Beginner
- Group 2.5 - Intermediate
- Group 3, 3.25 and 3.5 - Advanced
- Group 4+ - Skilled
See the list of definitions below.
Silveridge Pickleball Club Skill Level Definitions
Guideline for Changing Group Levels
If a player experiences meaningful improvement or decline in their skills, they can and should move to a level corresponding to their present abilities. When a player requests to change levels, the Round Robin Captains (RRCs) are best positioned to determine if a move is appropriate. Although no system is perfect for assessing a member’s skill level, the club has developed a system that provides some objective criteria beyond simply relying on the opinion of the player or others in his/her circle.
A player needs to complete the Tracking Form in the group they wish to move to. The player will tally all points earned in the 24 games regardless of a win or loss. This will reward a player for high-scoring losses and highlight every point counts.
MOVING UP:
Group 2.0
When a member of Group 2.0 believes he/she is ready to move up to Group 2.5, the player will need to communicate the desire to move up to his/her Round Robin Captain (RRC). The 2.0 RRC will inform the 2.5 RRCs and must also email silveridgepickleball@gmail.com indicating a change in the player’s group level is appropriate. The SignUpGenius (SUG) administrator will make the change as expeditiously as possible and notify the player via email once completed.
Group 2.5 and Above
When a player believes he/she is capable (better short game, greater consistency, more strategic play) of playing at a higher level, he/she needs to communicate his/her wishes to the current RRCs. The current RRCs need to inform the RRCs of the group the player will be moving to. They must also email silveridgepickleball@gmail.com indicating a change in the player’s group level is appropriate. The SignUpGenius (SUG) administrator will make the change as expeditiously as possible and notify the player via email once completed.
Once the player has moved up, he/she will have two sessions of round-robin play to acclimate to the new level of play. The player will then be tasked with tracking the results of the next 24 games. This step provides the RRCs at the new level with objective criteria to help assess the player’s degree of skill and competitiveness at the higher level.
If partners for a game during the 24-game tracking period are both working on moving up and are playing against established players in that group, the game should not be recorded. Example: Two players from the 3.25 group are playing in the 3.5 group and are matched as partners against two established 3.5 players.
If the player has scored approximately 70% of the total possible points in these matches, his/her request to change levels will be approved. In 24 games the approximate number of points possible is 264. Therefore, a player will have to have scored a minimum of 185 points to be considered eligible for moving up a level.
If the minimum number of points is not scored, the player should rejoin their original group and continue honing the skills required to be competitive at the next level. The higher level RRCs need to take the steps required to reverse the change, i.e. notify the player’s original RRCs and send an email to silveridgepickleball@gmail.com. The SUG administrator will make the change as expeditiously as possible and notify the player via email once completed.
Note: RRCs at all levels have the discretion to approve a move without first having a player track their scores. Here are two example scenarios:
- A player moved down due to injury, unfitness, or inactivity, but has regained their prior abilities;
- An individual new to the sport quickly exhibits the athleticism and strategic play that merits a transfer to a higher level.
Use of such discretion without tracking scores shall, however, be limited to obvious cases.
MOVING DOWN:
Eventually, every player experiences a temporary or permanent loss of agility or consistency due to age, injury, or inactivity. If a player recognizes a change is in everyone’s best interests and requests a move, the process is straightforward. When the player is moving down, the current RRCs need to inform the RRCs of the group the player will be moving to and must also email silveridgepickleball@gmail.com indicating a change in the player’s group level is appropriate. The SUG administrator will make the change as expeditiously as possible and notify the player via email once completed.
In the event a player is struggling to remain competitive, but he/she does not appear to recognize that fact, the situation is a bit more delicate. It is recommended for all the RRCs to meet with the player to discuss the situation. The 2nd VP can assist by attending the meeting as well. If the player believes his/her skills still match the level of the other players at his/her level, then it is recommended the player tracks his/her next 24 games. Afterward, the RRCs and player should again meet to review the results and discuss whether no change is called for, additional instruction and practice would be beneficial, or a move down a level would be best for the player and the other competitors in the player’s present group.
Guideline for Changing Group Levels (pdf version)
Tracking Form for Changing Group Levels
Silveridge Pickleball Club Skill Level Definitions
The following skill level sets are a guide for evaluating your own level and determining which lessons you should sign up for. They were developed utilizing existing guidelines listed by the USAPA (usapa.org). This is a work in progress and we expect to continue to modify these descriptions with your input at least once a year.
The club will use this information to develop training clinics and for seeding fun tournament players.
The purpose of rated events is to insure a consistent and competitive level of play for all players within that event as much as possible. Please do not sign up for a lessons, clinics or round robins at a level that differs from your skill level.
The following lists each skill level from 1 to 4+. It also adds specific detail about skills required to be at a given level.
2 Skill Level
Players will also possess most/all of the skills of the 1 skill-level skills plus the following:
- Moves in a balanced and safe manner
- Getting at least 50% of serves in the service court and returning 50% of serves
- Are learning where to stand on court during serves, returns and point play but are still not comfortable with some positions
- Knows the 2 bounce rule and applies it during games. Can keep score comfortably
- Will have basic ground strokes with a very limited use of backhand, overhead, and volley
- Capable of keeping ball in play for a couple of shots
2.5 Skill Level
Players will also possess most/all of the skills of the 2 skill-level skills plus the following:
- Knows the basic rules including the “two bounce rule”, scoring
- Attempting to control forehand ground-stroke (direction, depth, height over net)
- Attempting backhand ground-stroke
- Getting 60% of serves in the service court and returning 60% of serve returns
- Knows where to stand as the server, server’s partner, and receiver
- Consistently Approaches the non-volley line for volleys
- Can keep the ball in play for longer lasting rallies
- Sometimes lobs with forehand
- Attempting to “dink” the ball at the net, can do so for short duration's
- Moves in a safe and balanced manner
- Developing good hand-eye coordination
3 Skills Level
Players will also possess most/all of the skills of the 2.5 level skills plus the following:
- Knows basic rules including how to keep score
- Developing control on forehand ground-stroke (placement, direction, depth)
- Developing control on backhand ground-stroke (placement, direction, depth)
- Getting 70% of serves and return of serves “in”
- Striving to place serves deep into the court
- Beginning to develop placement of serves
- Uses deeper and higher returns of serve to allow time to approach the net
- Approaches the non-volley line quickly rather than staying back
- Sustains a short volley session at the net
- Exhibits correct court positioning for doubles and how to “move as a team”
- Beginning to use the forehand lob with some success
- Developing a sustained “dink” exchange at the net
- Attempting to hit a soft ”drop shot” to approach the net (3rd, 5th, etc. shot)
- Attempting to adjust to differing ball speeds (hitting & returning)
- Has good mobility
- Developing good hand-eye coordination
3.5 Skills Level
Players will also possess most/all of the skills of the 3 skill-level skills plus the following:
- Knows all the main rules including how to re-figure the score and correct server
- Demonstrates control on forehand ground-stroke (direction, depth and pace)
- Demonstrates some control on backhand ground-stroke (direction, depth and pace)
- Getting 80% of serves and return of serves “in”
- Regularly placing serves deep into the court
- Regularly uses deeper & higher returns of serve to allow time to approach net
- Approaches the non-volley line quickly (when appropriate) rather than staying back
- Able to play with partners effectively. Beginning to use court strategies such as partner communication and team coverage of court
- Avoids hitting “out” balls
- Hitting the ball lower over the net consistently
- Developing a wide variety of shots with some consistency
- Learning when to use soft shots vs. power shots to their advantage
- Developing consistency on shot placement, including ability to create and hit “gaps”
- Sustains a short volley session at the net with some control and placement
- Initiates and maintains a sustained “dink” exchange at the net
- Able to execute a soft ”drop shot” to approach the net (3rd, 5th, etc. shot)
- Able to adjust to differing ball speeds consistently
- Developing ability to hit overheads with control
- Using a forehand and backhand lob when appropriate
- Developing patience in rallies
- Has good mobility
- Has good quickness
- Has good hand-eye coordination
4+ Skills Level
This is a term used to describe players who are capable of consistently executing at above a 3.5 skill-level. The 4+ player will distinguish themselves from the 3.5 player by possessing increased skills and strategy, or by more speed, power, or consistency.
- Controls and places 90% of both serves and returns of serves
- Consistent and dependable forehand and backhand ground-strokes, including directional control, depth, placement and pace.
- Consistent and dependable volleys, including some directional control, depth, placement and pace
- Consistent and dependable overheads, including some directional control, depth, placement and pace
- Has good accuracy in placing lobs
- Consistently makes successful ”drop shots” from the back court to approach the net (3rd, 5th, etc. shot)
- Regularly initiating and sustaining a “dink” exchange at the net until a “put away” shot is received
- Able to change from a soft shot strategy to a hard shot strategy, and vice versa
- Can block and return hard volleys
- Developing the ability to return overheads hit at their feet
- Can handle speed on shots without over-hitting or hitting out of bounds
- Moves effectively with partner, easily switching courts and communicating when required
- Can control play at the non-volley zone line, keeping their opponents back, driving them off the line and controlling the speed or placement of the ball
- Consistently uses shots to create and hit “gaps”
- Recognizes and exploits the weaknesses in their opponent’s game
- Can poach effectively
- Maintains patience in rallies
- Has good mobility
- Has good quickness
- Has good hand-eye coordination