What is a Ladder: A ladder is a form of organized play where players are dynamically ranked based on their performance, their position changing each week based on match results.  Unlike a round-robin, a ladder is conducted as a series of individual game days within a league.  In Court Reserve, a ladder is found in leagues, not events.

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Key Features of Ladder Play

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Play consistency.  Players are typically grouped with others of a similar skill, the goal being to ensure competitive and enjoyable peer play.

Dynamic ranking.  Unlike a round robin, a player’s position, or ranking, will change over time based on their results.

Performance-based results.  Winning matches will move a player up the ladder (higher rank), losing matches will move a player down the ladder (lower rank).

Rotation and court movement.  Players typically stay on the same court during a match, rotating within their group.

Inactive Players: Inactive players will only go down in rank.  This deliberately encourages participation and penalizes inactivity, (see moving up and down in rank, below).

Club rating and DUPR: Ladder performance will have no effect on either your club rating or DUPR.

 

Players should note that ladder rankings will be updated after each game day, so it's important to consistently participate if you wish to maintain or improve your standing. The system ensures fair matchups and encourages healthy competition, making each week a new opportunity to move up the ladder.

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Opt-in:  Unlike round robins, after you register on Court Reserve for the entire ladder season, once a week you need to “opt-in” for that week’s games.  You don’t have to play every week.  Each week you want to play, opt-in … if you don’t opt-in, you won’t be able to play.  The Opt-in window opens 7 days prior to the game day.  For women the window opens Friday at 6:30pm and for men at 7:00pm.  If after opting in, you will not be able to play, you can opt-out up to 24 hours prior to the scheduled start of games.  Within 24 hours, email Ladders.pcPickleballClub@gmail.com.  If opt-ins are full, send an email to Ladders.pcPickleballClub@gmail.com.  Currently Court Reserve does not provide automated handling of an opt-in waitlist.  The waitlist will be cleared by Thursday afternoon. (See appendix A on how to Opt-in)

 

Game Day

 

Bring your phone to game day with the Court Reserve app downloaded prior to arriving.  Court assignment, partner paring and serving order will be available on your phones after all players have checked in.  One player in each group will enter the score of each game on their phone.

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All players must check in 15-30 minutes before the start of play with the on-site coordinator.

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The on-site coordinator(s) will check in players and start the game day, then the system will create the groups and matches.  If you have not checked in15 minutes prior to your start time, you will not play.

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Who Plays Whom:  Participating players are placed into Groups according to ranking.  The top four players who opted-in are in Group 1, the next four are in Group 2, and so on.  The system determines groups of 4 or 5 depending on the number of players and available courts.

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Match Format: Each groups of 4 plays 2 rotations to 11 points, win by 1 point.  You play two game with each of the other players as your partner. Groups of five will play one rotation to 15 points, win by 1 point.

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Match Outcomes: Match outcomes are determined by each player's percentage of points won (points scored in all games/available points). 

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Switching Sides: Teams switch sides EVERY GAME after one team reaches eight points (or 6 points if playing to 11).

Bad Weather: Due to the possibility of injury, ladder play will be cancelled when the courts are wet.  Wind will generally not result in cancellation of play.  An email will be sent to all players as early as possible.

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No Shows: If you have opted-in, SHOW UP!  If you do not show up and have not opted-out or sent an email to Ladders.pcPickleballClub@gmail.com ahead of time, you may be removed from the ladder for the remainder of the season.

 

Ladders Rules

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Inactivity: Means that a player is not playing that week. If a player has not played in in the first three weeks and is not on the frozen list, that player will be removed from the current session of ladders.

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Injuries or Out of Town: If a player will miss 3 or more consecutive weeks, the player may be frozen by sending an email to Ladders.pcPickleballClub@gmail.com.  When they return will assume a spot as close as possible to their previous ranking.

 

Rank: Each player has a "rank" which is his or her relative position to all other players participating in the Ladder. If a player has a rank of #5, it means four players are ranked higher and all the rest are ranked lower.

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Start of Session: If you played in the Fall session, your ending rank will be your starting rank for Spring 2026, adjusted for new players.  If you are new to ladders, you will be randomly placed near the bottom of the cluster of players with the same club rating.  Until the 1st game day, the initial standings will be constantly changing as adjustments are made for new players.

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Moving Up & Down in Rank: Players are re-ranked each week according to match outcomes using these rules:   

Rule 1: In your group, if you outscore a higher ranked player, you move ahead of that player in rank.

Rule 2: If you finish first in your Group, you move ahead of the player finishing last in the Group just above your Group.

Rule 3: If you finish last in your group, you move down one group.

Rule 4: The 1 ranked player must play or be bumped to #2. 

Rule 5: No inactive player can move above an active player.

Explanation of Rule 5: When active players lose and go down in rank, inactive players below them get pushed down as well.  This rule deliberately encourages participation and penalizes inactivity.  ACTIVE players are assured that no INACTIVE player can move from below them to above them in rank regardless of what the active player does.  At the same time, INACTIVE players must realize there is nowhere to go but down.   Notice how the three inactive players in the example below all fall between one and four spots in rank.

 

Example of Ranking Procedures:

Rank     Player          Result         New Rank                          Explanation 

Group 1

1          Jim               Inactive              2                      #1 Ranked player must play or be dropped to #2

2          Bob                2nd                   3                         Falls below Rod and stays below Jim

3          Rod                1st                   1                          Group 1 winner moves to #1

4          Dan                4th                   6                           Falls below Tom and also Group 2 winner Lee

5           Pat                Inactive            7                          Must drop two spots to stay below Dan

6           Tom               3rd                   4                          Moves above 4th place finisher Dan      

 

Group 2

7           Jon                4th                11                          Drops below Group 3 winner

8           Cal              Inactive           12                          Must drop four spots to stay below Jon            

9           Sam              3rd                 9                     Two players move ahead of Sam, but two fall below

10         Lee                1st                 5                       Moves ahead of 4th place finisher Dan in Group 1

11         Wes              2nd                 8                          Moves ahead of 3rd place finisher Sam

 

Group 3

12        Dixie                1st                10                Group 3 winner moves ahead of 4th place in Group 2

 

Ladders Committee

 

Bob Brewin

John Pihl

Deenie Clinton

Tammy Dana-Bashin

Bob Rasins

Bill Saunders

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Appendix A – How to opt-in

 

In leagues (ladders) you registered for the “season” (fall 2025 is October through January).   When you register for the season, you are NOT signing up for any specific game day (this is the “opt-in” step).

  

Opt-ins are opened on Friday at 6:30pm for women and 7:00pm for men, and close at noon on Thursday.  In this window, you will have a chance to “opt-in” for the next matches (by default, you are “out”, not playing).  After you have opted-in, if you are unable to play, you can “opt-out” prior to 24 hours before game time.

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