How to Determine Your Pickleball Ratings
As you begin to play more pickleball, you may start to hear other players tell you what their skill rating is. You may start to wonder: how do you determine what your pickleball rating is? Why is it important and why do I need to know what my pickleball skill rating is?
Well, the short answer to those questions is if you play or are starting to play the game, most pickleball players learn their skill level rating by self-rating themselves. However, there are so many more reasons as to how to determine this and why it should be important to you. A simple way a lot of people discuss their type of play is by saying they are “beginner,” “intermediate,” or “advanced” players.
The ratings that are constantly used in the pickleball world, however, go a little more in depth. The ratings tend to range from 1.0 up to 5.5+ skill level, so let’s get into it!
1.0-2.0 level ratings are for players that are mostly new to the game, and they tend to have little to no experience with the sport, but they know the basic rules.
2.5 level players are the ones that know the rules of the game and can sustain a shorter rally during play.
3.0 level players are the individuals that understand the game and the positions on the court and can keep a medium pace and make certain types of shots.
3.5 level is for the pickleball players that can differentiate between a soft game of pickleball, and a harder game and they can also move quickly into a non-volley zone.
4.0 rating is for the players that know the game well and can typically know the type of players that their opponent is as well. They can move well with their team if they have one and they know where to be on the court as well as where their partner needs to be.
4.5 skill level are typically the players with good footwork on the court and a solid understanding of the sport and strategies. They can easily communicate with their teammates for shot placements and they are able to move well with their partner.
5.0 and beyond is the highest rating a pickleball player can get and it is most of the time used for the players that can adapt their game and they have very efficient footwork. A lot of 5.0 and up players often play in tournaments and are playing the game daily.
Most of our Team ONIX professional pickleball players are 5.0+ players; they are players of the highest caliber. If at any point, you will find yourself playing in a pickleball tournament, you will most of the time be required to self-assess the rating of your skill to determine the division you will play in.
Pickleball players’ ratings are typically determined by how well they execute certain types of shots and their ability to understand the game itself. Every aspect of how an individual plays pickleball is factored in when determining what their rating is going to be. The more often you play, it is more likely that your pickleball skill rating number will go up or fluctuate over time.
To learn more about all things pickleball, visit onixpickleball.com or to evaluate your own skill rating, view the link here.
