Open play is often the backbone of club programming. It’s easy to run, easy to understand, and it brings players to the courts. But for your most engaged improving players, it should be a starting point, not the final destination.
This is where you can add real value by incorporating skill-based play into your programming. Instead of only scaling open play up or down, create dedicated opportunities for better play. That can be as simple as reserving one or two courts or setting a weekly time block for structured, level-based sessions.
With tools like Pickleball Den, you can easily set up sign-up sheets for these formats and offer them alongside traditional open play without adding complexity.
When players have a clear place to go for the right level of challenge, they improve faster and stay engaged longer.
