Skill Levels in Pickleball
Skill Levels
Players are rated based on their abilities in Pickleball. So what is your rating?
2.0 Skill level
- Moves in a balanced and safe manner.
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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 – possesses all 2.0 skills plus:
- Knows the basic rules including two bounce rule, scoring and player position relative to scoring.
- Demonstrates basic pendulum swing on the forehand & backhand side.
- Working on consistency while dinking down the line forehand & backhand.
- Working on consistency while dinking cross court forehand & backhand.
- Demonstrates proper side step movement while staying balanced at NVZ line.
- Demonstrates a punch volley.
- Is developing 3rd shot drop by dinking from the transition area.
- Attempting to hit 3rd shot drop from baseline during match play.
- Moving forward to approach NVZ for dinks & volleys.
- Demonstrates an overhead with the proper sideways turn, arm positioning and backward movement.
- Has good mobility and can move forward in a safe and balanced manner.
Has good eye-hand coordination. - Beginning to demonstrate control on forehand groundstrokes (direction, depth, height).
- Uses a backhand ground stroke.
- Keeps ball in play during short rallies.
3.0 Skill level – possesses all 2.5 skills plus:
- Attempting to consistently dink while changing directions from cross court to down the line forehand & backhand.
- Punches volley to the back 1?2 of opponent court.
- Sustains a short volley exchange at the net.
- Can perform 3rd shot drop by dinking from the transition area.
- Attempting to hit 3rd shot drop from baseline during match play.
- Moving forward as a team to approach NVZ for dinks & volleys.
- Can perform an overhead with better control while maintaining proper position.
- Has good mobility & quickness.
- Demonstrates improved control on forehand groundstrokes (direction, depth, height). Better control on backhand groundstrokes.
- Keeps ball in play during short rallies.
- Attempts offensive lobs during play.
- Demonstrates placement & depth on serves.
- Demonstrates placement & depth on return of serves.
- Attempting to adjust to different ball speeds (serves, groundstrokes, volleys).
3.5 Skill level – possesses all 3.0 skills plus:
- Can consistently dink while changing directions from cross court to down the line forehand & backhand.
- Punches volley to the back 1?2 of opponent court, to keep opponents at the baseline.
- Sustains a controlled volley exchange at the net.
- Can perform 3rd shot drop from the baseline.
- Attempting to hit 3rd shot drop from baseline during match play with greater success.
- Moving forward as a team to approach NVZ for dinks & volleys.
- Developing directional control while performing an overhead.
- Demonstrates control on forehand groundstrokes (direction, speed, depth, height).
- Demonstrates control on backhand groundstrokes (direction, depth, height).
- Keeps ball in play during rallies and is aware of minimizing errors.
- Able to communicate effectively with partner & utilize different strategies to expose opponent weaknesses.
- Using deeper and higher returns to approach the net quicker.
- Uses offensive lobs effectively.
- Demonstrates better placement and depth on serves.
- Demonstrates better placement and depth on return of serves.
- Improved control when adjusting to different ball speeds (serves, groundstrokes, volleys).
4.0 Skill level – possesses all 3.5 skills plus:
- Sustains a volley exchange at the net and beginning to use directional control.
- Can demonstrate a block volley.
- Able to hit winning volley when a ball is popped up.
- Better consistency when performing 3rd shot drop from the baseline.
- Can hit 3rd shot drop from baseline during match play with greater success.
- Moves effectively with partner, easily switching sides, and communicates when required.
- Controls play at the NVZ line, by keeping their opponent back if they’re at the baseline.
- Initiates & maintains a dink exchange to elicit a put away shot.
- Can demonstrate an effective poach, and understands when it’s appropriate.
- Able to change a fast paced strategy to a slow one and vice versa.
- Can consistently perform an overhead and beginning to place the shot for winners.
- Demonstrates control on forehand groundstrokes (direction, depth, height, spin).
- Demonstrates control on backhand groundstrokes (direction, depth, height).
- Keeps ball in play during rallies, minimizing errors.
- Able to adjust to differing ball speeds consistently.
- Uses offensive lobs effectively.
- Beginning to use spin effectively on a variety of shots.
- Maintains greater patience in dinks & rallies.
- Beginning to anticipate shots more frequently (watching opponents paddle face).