BC is primarily as social pickleball club. There needs to be a mixture of skill play. It's much more fun (and easier) to learn the game from an introduction by knowledgeable players. While playing, generally playing with people near your level provides the most fun and advancement. So let's talk about definitions for a minute. Link also at the bottom, but for the impatient on ratings see Bend Pickleball Club's rating system

Open or Social play is as the name implies is social or open. It's friendly play. There may be mild competition among friends or families, but that's not the main focus. Some people may not even keep score. It can be for fun, exercise, and being social.

Most of the players in social/open play are beginners to intermediate players(sometimes advanced intermediate).

Unlike social/open play, some people have a background in sports or are just competitive by nature. These people are interested in the following:

1. Playing more seriously
2. Improving
3. Committing to improving as a player
4. Playing to win

If you are a social player, really you likely need to go no further. You may be interested in the levels for understanding, but your goal is to have fun and enjoy pickleball.

The USA Pickleball Assocation has tournaments etc. There are pro-level tournaments and it is growing fast and exciting (and humbling) to watch the top-level players. Don't let the 15 year old pro young lady fool you. Ben Johns/Anna Leigh Waters Red Rock

There are plenty of local (BC Games, Chapel Hill, Durham) tournaments too in addition to regional and national level play. Competitive play needs to have categories to make for reasonable games. These are a numbered rating system like tennis. The numbers go from about 2.5 to 4.0+

Most everyone in BC is 2.5 to 3.75. I'd guess 90% of the players are 3.5 and under. There may be some 4.0 or 4.0+ players, but it's really more like 1 or 2 in a hundred players at BC (or they don't play with us). There are many players working to move to the 4.0 level. This is where the rating systems comes in to play.

Before we get to the rating system. You'll see that it's all about having a well-rounded game and being consistent at many different skills. It's a work-in-progress for all. This is where the richness and layers of pickleball come into focus.

Pickleball is easy to play, but complicated enough to spend years advancing.

Below is a rating system that I thought was very good from see below Bend Pickleball Club's rating system

SKILL EXPECTATIONS FOR EACH LEVEL OF PLAY

Note: Above the 2.0 level, all levels should be able to demonstrate most of the skills for their level plus most of the skills from preceding levels. Thus a 2.5 level player, for example, demonstrates most skills in the 2.5 level list as well as most skills in the 2.0 level list, and so on.

2.0 Skill Level

Has taken the beginners lesson (or demonstrates equivalent knowledge) Moves around court in balanced, safe manner Gets some serves “in”, perhaps not regularly Realizes aspects of score-keeping, rules and where to stand on court during serve, receipt of serve, and general play Has some basic stroke skills

2.5 Skill Level

Able to serve “in” more regularly Knows two-bounce rule and demonstrates it most times Knows where to stand on the court during serve, receipt of serve and general play Is mastering keeping score. Attempts to dink but not always effective at it Working on their form for ground strokes, accuracy is variable Can keep the ball in play longer Sometimes lobs with forehand with varying degrees of success.

3.0 Skill level

Knows the fundamental rules and can keep score Regularly gets serves “in” to mid-court or deeper Dinks mostly in opp. kitchen and is dinking lower over the net Able to sustain dinking in the game Using both forehand and backhand on returns and forehands on overhead returns Working at keeping the serve deep and return of serve deep Moves quickly towards the non-volley zone when opportunity is there Trying to make flatter returns (where appropriate) Aware of partner’s position on the court & moving as a team Developing more power and/or softness in their shots Somewhat a uni-dimensional player working at broadening their playing repertoire.

3.5 Skill level

Demonstrates a broad knowledge of the rules of the game Gets a high majority of serves in deep & returns serve deep Often hits to the weak side of opponent Demonstrates strategies of playing during games Actively works with partners in communicating, covering court, moving to net With varying consistency executes: lobs, forehand/backhand ground strokes, overheads, net volleys, and sustained dinking Some use of drop shots to get to the net Specifically places shots rather than just hitting shots anywhere Selective mixing up soft shots with power shots to create an advantage Hits fewer balls out of bounds or in the net Has a moderate # of unforced errors per game Demonstrates ability to intentionally play in offensive mode Self-correcting after play is over Demonstrates extended periods of multi-dimensional play

4.0 Skill Level

Primarily plays in an offensive mode rather than reactively Controls and places serves and return of serves to best advantage Puts advanced playing strategy into the game, particularly in dinking Consistently varies shots for competitive advantage, uses power shots selectively Communicates and moves well with partner — easily “switches” court positions Very comfortable playing at the non-volley zone. Works with partner to control the line, keeping opponents back and driving them off the line. Can block hard volleys directed at them Has good footwork and moves laterally, backward and forward with ease. Hits overhead shots consistently, often as putways Ability to change a hard shot to a soft shot Consistently executes effective drop shots that are not easily returned for advantage Can effectively poach Hits a low # of unforced errors per game Regularly demonstrates “anticipation of play” Self-correcting during play Consistently is a mult-dimensional player and/or is exceptionally dominate in a limited playing repertoire.

4.5 – 5.0 Skill Level

Can regularly convert a hard shot to a soft shot Exhibits patience in play at a superior level Shows noticeably increased skills, a higher level of strategy, quickness of hands and movement, judicious use of power, superior placement of shots, superb anticipation of play, sustained volleying skills, superior put-aways —all with consistency Makes very few unforced errors Differences between 4.5 and 5.0 are subjective – but, generally, each of the four points above is even more pronounced at the 5.0 level.