How to become a professional pickleball player

If you are interested in Selkirk LABS, chances are you are already pretty good at pickleball. You practice and play as much as possible, you want the best equipment, and you are always looking to make it to the next level. But what does it take to become a professional pickleball player? We have some tips:

Track your ratings

The first step to knowing how good you are at pickleball is to track your ratings. USA Pickleball has a rating system where you can guess on your own rating.

Although not completely problem-free, DUPR has a rating system that rates you based on tournaments and games you have played in. Many courts and tournaments use the DUPR system, which will help you get a better idea of your pickleball rating.

DUPR rating systems range from 2.0 to 8.0, and a pro player will be a 5.0 or above. Top professional pickleball sponsor programs like the Selkirk Emerging Pros Team require a high DUPR rating as part of their application process.

As you play more, you’ll see your DUPR rating change — and hopefully grow. Use the 5.0 mark as your goal if you want to become a pro pickleball player.

Work with a pickleball coach

No matter how many videos you watch or how much you are out drilling and practicing (and you should be drilling 2-3x more than you are playing, at this stage), nothing can replace the benefits of hiring a professional pickleball coach.

Pickleball coaches, especially those certified through organizations like Pickleball Coaching International (PCI), can help you work on skills, drills, and situations you may not know you needed. They will also have an objective eye to spot your strengths and weaknesses, and where you need to improve.

Record yourself and analyze your play

To get better as a pickleball player, you must be able to spot your deficits and work on fixing the areas of your game that your opponents can exploit. You can review the videos on your own, but the best practice if to go over it with a coach in-person or remotely, or with your similar-level playing friends.

Try spot the patterns you fall into under pressure, look for how predictable you are, see how often you for for a flashy shot versus hitting the high-percentage shot you should take. There are even AI-Assisted tools now available to help you read your play, like SwingVision.

Collaborate with like-minded and similar-level players

You will need consistent hitting / drilling partners, but this goes beyond that. You should seek out people on the same journey to become a pro pickleball player that you are on and discuss strategy, fitness, equipment, and mindset. Help and be helped.

Join as many clinics as you can

If you want to add to your classes with a coach, signing up for pickleball clinics is also a great way to learn new skills and gain an objective view of your pickleball play.

Plus, there are a lot of destination clinics, which is a fun way to get out of your comfort zone and work on your pickleball skills.

Watch other professional players

There are some major differences between recreational pickleball plays and the pros, and if you want to transition from one to the other you should be watching the professionals. Not only are the rules slightly different, but the type of play is very different also.

When watching pickleball players who have made it to the professional levels, pay attention to what works and what doesn’t, how well they adapt to their opponent, and plays they make that you don’t.

Be open to learning

The best pickleball players are always willing to learn and grow. No matter how good you get, you should always have the drive to get better and learn new things. The game of pickleball is constantly changing and evolving, and you will need to grow and evolve with it.

There are top-10 pros, like James Ignatowich, who post some very specific tips for higher-level players that run counter to the common knowledge teachings (like “shoulder high, let it fly”) you’ll hear even from local pro coaches.

Play against players better than you

Although it’s always a good idea to play with other pickleball players who are your same or similar skill level, playing with/against picklers who are better than you will help you progress much more quickly. Although it can be frustrating to be the worst one on the court, it will force you to improve your skills.

Play & drill as much as you can

Whether you are practicing, playing, or drilling, continually working on your skills will almost always make you a better player. While you are out there, practice the things you want to work on, your weaknesses, and skills you learned from pro pickleball play.

While it’s always a good idea to play as much as you can, do not neglect practicing and drilling. Repetition of one particular skill can help you create muscle memory (and instinct) for that skill.

Sign up for as many local rec tournaments as you can

Playing and drilling should be your primary goals to get to pro level in pickleball, but you should also be signing up for pickleball tournaments. There are quite a few benefits of signing up for numerous pickleball tournaments:

• You will get a better idea of your rating level (on a regular basis).
• You will have a chance to play with players of all skill levels.
• You will have a chance to play against players of all skill levels.
• You can work on the using the drills into a real-life situation.

Sign up for pro tournaments with amateur divisions

Once you feel like you are ready to potentially make your way to a pro circuit, a great way to be seen is to sign up for amateur divisions run by the professional leagues, including:

• The Association of Pickleball Players (APP).
• The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA).
• Major League Pickleball (MLP).

Keep in mind that all these tournaments come with entry fees, plus travel. Only the top players win prize money, so you may be paying out of pocket with no guarantee for a piece of the purse.

If you want to become a professional pickleball player, you should go into it with a goal for getting as far as you can — but understanding that it may end up costing you money in the long run. If you have a passion for pickleball and want to see how far you can go, using the tips here can help you achieve your goals.