Frequently asked questions about Pickleball
What is Pickleball?
A fun sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. Played both indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court and a slightly modified tennis net. Played with a paddle and a plastic ball with holes. Played as doubles or singles. Click here to watch "What is pickleball" video
To view a summary of Pickleball's basic rules for those new to the game: Click here
What are the official rules?
We encourage players to visit Pickleball Canada for the most current version. A summary of the rule changes for 2023 can be found here.
What are ratings?
Pickleball players are rated based on their skill level. The numerical reflection of a pickleball player’s skill level is called a pickleball rating. Pickleball ratings may also be referred to as pickleball skill levels. Pickleball ratings vary from 1 to 5.
At the Red Deer Pickleball Club you will hear talk about:
- Self Ratings
- Club Ratings
- Pickleball Brackets/Tournament Ratings
- Canadian Tournament Player Rating (CTPR)
- USAPA Tournament Rating
USAPA is very common among our snowbird members and those that occasionally or frequently compete in the US.
Why do we have ratings?
Ratings provide a means to compare the skill levels of competitors. They may be used to determine a player’s skill level for tournament entry, specific club play (leagues, ladders, skill level brackets) where, for example, there are separate courts for different skill levels.
You will see clinics that are specifically geared or targeted to certain skill levels, such as 2.0/2.5 or 3.0/3.5 etc. These are typically communicated as “this clinic is for 3.0 level players” or “prerequisite 3.5 for registration”.
So What’s My Rating? Watch this basic skills video here to help you understand more about ratings. You should also review this link from Pickleball Canada to get a more detailed understanding then download our RDPC-Skills Assessment form to give you a starting point. There will be several rating clinics offered during the summer to help you to identify your rating.
What Equipment Do I Need?
Court Shoes, and a Pickleball Paddle. Wearing proper footwear is a must.
No Bare Feet!
We highly recommend that you purchase a pair of outdoor tennis or outdoor court shoes. If you're lucky you will find "Pickleball Shoes".
For indoor play, volleyball, or badminton shoes work great if Pickleball Shoes are not on the shelf.
If you don't own a Paddle the club has a few paddles available for you to give it a try.
Do you offer learn to play lessons?
YES! RDPC is pleased to offer a variety of player development options during our outdoor playing season.
New members are provided with a free lesson called "Let's Play Pickleball". This 2 hour clinic will give an overview of the basics of pickleball and is intended for members new to pickleball. It is a FREE lesson for members of the Red Deer Pickleball club. Pre registration is required.
We have options for all levels of members . Please visit our lessons and clinics page for more information.
Another option is check out the City of Red Deer's recreation programs at the Collicutt center-they offer "learn to play pickleball" lessons.
How do I become a Member?
We're pleased to offer online membership registration. We share a membership platform with Pickleball Canada. Click here to visit our become a member page.