Skills & Development

Skill Level Ratings

Our club has members ranging from those who just want a spontaneous fun session to those who want to get to the top of the most competitive play possible. We try to accommodate all these interests.

Our Group Levels

Our Club has groups of players, which have different skill levels and experience:

Group 2.0 - Beginner
Group 2.5 & 3.0 - Intermediate
Group 3.25 & 3.5 - Advanced
Group 3.75 & 4.0+ - Skilled

Our Pickleball Skill Levels

Pickleball “levels” are supposed to make games fair, safe and fun. These skills and abilities should represent your typical play day, not your strongest one. While everyone has days when they are really great or not so great, this should reflect your consistent performance. Your skill level is based solely on knowledge and proficiencies that highlight your ability to consistently execute various shots and apply game strategy, enabling you to develop skills, play with confidence, and make the most of every match. The number of years playing does not determine your skill level. Everyone progresses at a different rate, and friends and spouses may differ in skills and/or mobility.

The Silveridge Pickleball Club may review all members and make changes if needed to ensure competitive and fun play for each level.

New to Pickleball (Beginner) & 2.0 Skills Development Group

The Court: Learning court positioning and the layout of the court.
Paddle & Ball: Getting familiar with the paddle and ball.
Forehand/Backhand: Basic strokes are developing but inconsistent.
Serve/Serve Return: Some success (40-50% of the time); learning.
3rd Shot/Volley: Trying and learning the purpose and feel of these shots.
Strategy: Learning rules and scoring and beginning simple positioning and movement.
Mobility: Limited or showing adequate mobility (safe and balance).
Lots of trial and error and that’s perfectly okay!

Group Level 2.5 (Bell Curve: 2.25 to 2.75)

The Court: Knows where to stand on court. Demonstrates ready position at no-volley zone (NVZ)
Forehand: Prefers. Basic directional groundstrokes; consistency still developing.
Backhand: Limited success; building confidence and control.
Serve/Return: Very basic serve. 50% of serves and returns are usually in bounds.
Dink: Basics developing; can sustain short rallies with players of similar ability.
3rd Shot: Making minimal attempts at the drop shot.
Volley: Able to hold a brief rally. Developing a simple punch volley.
Strategy: Limited experience and consistency; knows basic rules and how to keep score.
Mobility: Shows good mobility. Moves in a safe manner. Hand-eye coordination.

Group Level 3.0 (Bell Curve: 2.75 to 3.25)

Requirements: Meets all 2.5 rating level requirements.
Forehand/Backhand: Ability to hit a medium paced shot at the NVZ with direction and control regarding height & depth.
Serve/Return: 75% of serves and returns are in. Able to hit a medium paced shot. Moves to NVZ after the return of serve and not retreat during play.
Dink: Occasionally engage in with limited control with speed and positioning.
3rd Shot: Starting to use 3rd drop shot inconsistently and not in control.
Volley: Able to hit a medium paced shot. Maintains at least a 5+ shot rally.
Strategy: Understands basic rules and being aware of where to position self on each point.
Mobility: Has moderate quickness.

Group Level 3.25 (Bell Curve: 3.0 to 3.5)

Requirements: Must meet all the 3.0 rating level requirements.
Serve/Return: Serves and returns are consistently in.
Dink: Attempts and executes dink rally 50% of the time.
3rd Shot: Attempts and executes 3rd drop shot drops 50% of the time.
Strategy: Aware of unforced errors and is working and drilling to minimize.

Group Level 3.5 (Bell Curve: 3.25 to 3.75)

Requirements: Able to meet all the 3.25 rating level requirements.
Serve/Return: Deep and reliable serves and returns.
3rd/5th Shot: Successfully drops from baseline to get to the NVZ at least 60% of the time.
Dink: Initiates dinking and can maintain a controlled dink rally.
Volley: Successfully puts balls away using overheads and volleys. Has less than 8 unforced errors in one game. Accumulating a range of shots, both quick and slow, in your arsenal.
Strategy: Possesses a broader understanding of the regulations than just the fundamentals (including net rules, net post problems, NVZ, etc.). Growing more accurate with shots and beginning to apply this in your strategies. Starting to plan and collaborate with your partner to build the point

Group Level 3.75 (Bell Curve: 3.5 to 4.0)

Requirements: Able to meet all the 3.5 rating level requirements.
3rd/5th/7th Shot: Must be successful in dropping and driving from the baseline.
Dink: Recognizes the balls in a dink rally that can be attached and those that cannot.
Volley: Unforced errors less than 6 in one game.
Transition Zone: Attempts and executes resetting from the transition zone with 50% accuracy.
Strategy: Demonstrates understanding of which balls are attackable and which are not. Understanding proper court positioning and working with a partner.

Group Level 4.0+ (Bell Curve: 3.75 and up)

Requirements: Able to meet all the 3.75 rating level requirements.
Serves/Returns: Significant number of serves and returns are placed with variable depth, speed precision and variety of spins.
Transition Zone: Reset from the transition zone and when forced back to baseline.
3rd Drop/Drive Shot: Apply both 3rd drops and drives as the conditions dictate (90% success rate). Working on consistently carrying out 3rd shot strategies, both drive and drop, that are not easily returned for advantage.
Volley: Low unforced errors, 5 or less during a single game. Developing the reliable reset and block to return fast, hard volleys.
Lobbing: Only from the NVZ and not using lob as a reset or panic.
Dinks: Able to maintain long dink rallies at different shot heights and depths, with variety and precision with an offensive intent.
Pace: Able to switch between soft and power shots to gain the upper hand. Able to place shots with consistent changing paces and touch anywhere on the court.
Strategy: Totally understand the importance of court positioning in collaboration with a partner. Able to recognize an opponent’s flaws and devise a plan to exploit them. Able to stack and how/when to use it.

Click here to access a printable PDF version of the Pickleball Skill Levels at a Glance document..

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. Players wishing to move up to a higher-level playing group should reference the current Level Up - Player Movement Steps form (available on SilveridgePickleball.com or as posted on the bulletin Board). A “paper copy” will be made available by request from your Round Robin Captain (RRC).

Although no system is perfect for assessing a member’s skill level, the club has developed a process that we feel provides some objective criteria beyond simply relying on the opinion of the player or others in his/her circle.

A PLAYER MOVEMENT COMMITTEE, chaired by the1st Vice President, and including the President, and 2nd Vice President has been established to monitor all player movement within the club.

Moving Up

New to Pickleball & 2.0 Skills Development Group

Players who are NEW TO PICKLEBALL are required to attend 1 - 2 Orientation to Pickleball Sessions before moving into the 2.0 Skills Development Group.

Players within the 2.0 Skills Development Group are required to attend several clinics that cover a specific curriculum focusing on skill development, pickleball knowledge and rules before active play on the court begins. Playing/Practice sessions will be scheduled within the club’s weekly schedule and will include mentors from higher playing groups who will help players further develop their skills and knowledge. These sessions will include drills and practice time and may include active game play.

Players wishing to move up to Group 2.5 must approach the mentors and coaches who will either approve the move or suggest that further development is required before upward movement can be approved.

If the players request to move to Group 2.5 is approved the mentors or coaches will notify the Player Movement Committee who will inform the Group 2.5 RRC that the player has qualified and ask the SUG administrator to initiate the move within SUG.

Group 2.5 and Above

When a player believes he/she has developed their skills above others in their current playing group (better short game, greater consistency, more strategic play) and wishes to move up to a different group level, follow these steps:

The player is encouraged to have discussions with other players in their current group, their current RRC, clinic/drilling coaches and mentors to solicit their feedback on the players’ readiness to advance to a higher group level.
The player must satisfy the mandatory attendance of clinics and drilling sessions and with mostly positive feedback from those mentioned above, the player will then inform their current RRC that they wish to be considered for potential movement up to a different level.
The RRC will provide the player with a paper copy of The Level Up Player Movement Steps, which can also be found on the club’s website.
The player will complete the front and back of The Level Up Player Movement Steps. The player must record all the required information (including names of partners and opponents) for the next 24-consecutive games regardless of a win or loss. Someone will tally up the overall game results/data for the player.
Once completed, the player will hand in their form to their current RRC.
The completed and signed The Level Up Player Movement Steps will be given to the Player Movement Committee chairperson who will check the accuracy of the calculations.

In 24-consecutive games the approximate number of points possible is 264. Therefore, a player will have to have scored a minimum of 185 points (70% benchmark) to be considered eligible for moving up a level. As all games may not finish at 11 due to time running out, the total points may not equal 264, however the math remains the same, total points scored divided by total points available.

If the player has achieved the 70% benchmark and met the qualifications, they will be notified along with the RRCs in both groups that the player has qualified to move up to a different level.

Once the move is approved by the Player Movement Committee and the player is placed in the higher group they will be considered as a permanent player in that group. The player will not be subject to a probationary period.

The SignUpGenius (SUG) administrator will initiate the move within SUG and notify all those involved.
If the player does not meet the required qualifications, the Player Movement Committee chairperson will meet with the player to discuss the results.

If the minimum number of points is not scored, the player will remain in their original group and continue honing the skills required to be competitive at the next level.

The Player Movement Committee reserves the right to approve a move without first having a player track their scores for 24-consecutive games. Here are a few example scenarios:
A player previously 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.
A player new to Silveridge Pickleball Club who has self-rated themselves will be placed in the level noted on their membership form. If the player clearly outperforms the other players in the group or if the players’ skills or abilities are not reflective of the majority of the other players in the group, the Player Movement Committee may ask that the player be placed in a higher or lower group.

Use of such discretion without tracking scores shall, however, be limited to obvious cases.

Moving Down

Eventually, every player could experience 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.

The player will ask their current RRC to have them moved down to a lower-level group.
The current RRC will inform the Player Movement Committee chairperson that the player wishes to be moved to the lower-level group.
The Player Movement Committee chairperson will advise the SignUpGenius (SUG) administrator who will initiate the move within SUG and notify all those involved.

If a member feels they are not in the correct group they can ask the advice of another member.

The decision to move down to a lower group is a personal decision that is only to be made by the player himself or herself.

In an exceptional case, if a member has a legitimate concern that a fellow member is playing at a level where their skills and or physical abilities clearly don’t match their current group, the concerned member must submit a written request to the EC who will investigate the concern. The EC investigation may include contact with members expressing their concern and or the individual player identified. Only if the EC determines that there is a legitimate concern the player will be asked to consider making a change to a lower level.

Appeals

A player who has completed all the required documentation and requested a move up to a higher level but was not approved may make a written appeal (including all pertinent facts and information) by sending the appeal to silveridgepickleball@gmail.com.

All members of the Player Movement Committee will review the original Level Up Player Movement Steps form as well as the player’s appeal. The committee will strive to make a decision and inform the player in writing within one week of notification of the appeal. The decision of the Player Movement Committee WILL BE FINAL.

Our Guidelines for Changing Group Levels was updated on July 7, 2026. Click here to access a PDF copy of the document.

Click here to access the Level Up Player Movement Steps document.

Player Development

Our Workshops

The Club offers free workshops and mentorship to our members.

Additional training costs are based on the cost to bring in a qualified trainer and will be paid for by the participating member.

Members will visit SignUpGenius to sign-up for the workshops.

Our instructors are highly skilled Silveridge Pickleball Club players who volunteer their time for the betterment of the members.

The Pickleball Ball Machine

The Club has a ball machine, which can be booked and used for members to practice and develop their skills.

A ball machine coordinator will be there to set up and operate the ball machine for members.

Click here to book and use the Pickleball Ball Machine