Drop-in sessions are as convenient as pickleball gets: Players simply drop in and play with everyone else who dropped in that day, with no planning or reservations required.
What happens, though, when some players are more advanced or competitive than others? The Open Play Committee has that covered, with some rotation system guidelines to facilitate fun and competitive games while ensuring all players are welcome and included.
For open play at Basin Recreation, the system calls for paddle stacking in groups of four. When all courts are full, the waiting players place their paddles in the stack by the first court’s net. When one stack contains four paddles, a new stack is started. As games finish, all current games shift down and the first stack of paddles begins playing on the first court.
At PC MARC, a new rotation system using paddle baskets started Jan. 4.
Competitive/advanced players use the two court farthest from the door, and waiting players place their paddles in baskets near the tennis net divider. When the first basket has four paddles, players start the second basket. When a game finishes, players rotate off and the first basket of paddles rotates on. The paddle stacks then move up.
Social/intermediate players use the first four courts, and waiting players place their paddles in baskets at the tennis net closest to the door. When the first basket has four paddles, players start the second basket. When a game finishes, players rotate off and the first basket of paddles rotates on. The paddle stacks then move up.