If you want to become a pro pickleball player, you'll have a lot of competition. You can increase your odds by getting rated, joining a pickleball club, attending a coaching clinic, participating in a tournament, getting a coach, and practicing regularly.
How do you qualify for pro pickleball?
To become a professional pickleball player, you must demonstrate exceptional skill, strategic understanding, and competitive experience by participating in sanctioned tournaments and achieving a high player rating.
The specific path to turning pro can vary depending on the organization or circuit, but generally, players should aim for a rating of 5.0 or higher, as this indicates a high level of proficiency in the sport.
Achieving this rating involves consistently performing well in pro tournaments, often against other highly-rated players, to showcase the ability to compete at the professional level.
What is the best way to become a pro pickleball player?
Let’s look at some specific steps to become a pro player.
1. Get rated
To participate in Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) events and other professional tournaments and championships, obtaining a player rating is essential.
How the Rating Process Works:
- Players undergo an assessment to gauge their skill level, which is measured on a scale from 1.0 to 5.5+.
- Elite pickleball players typically boast a rating of 5.0 or higher.
The UTPR, also known as the USA Pickleball Tournament Rating, is the official rating for players. The UTPR rating is solely determined by a player’s performance in a tournament. If you wish to receive a UTPR rating, you have to participate in an event and play against some of your area’s best players.
Check the list of USA Pickleball (USAPA)-sanctioned tournaments here.
If you’re interested in reading about other popular pickleball rating systems, check our list:
- DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating)
- WPR (World Pickleball Ranking)
- UTR-P (UTR Pickleball Rating)
- IPTPA (International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association)
- GOPR (Global Official Pickleball Rating)
2. Join a Pickleball Club
Joining a pickleball club gives you the opportunity to play with other experienced players and learn from them. The club will provide you with the necessary skills to become a professional by helping you achieve the following:
- Integration into the Pickleball Community: Surround yourself with a supportive network of pickleball enthusiasts who share your passion for the game.
- Opportunities for Learning: Benefit from the experiences and strategies of other players, enhancing your understanding and approach to the game.
- Consistent Play with Regular Partners: Establish a circle of pickleball partners for frequent games, aiding in the development of teamwork and strategy.
- Participation in Club Ladders: Engage in club ladder matches, which are structured to pair you with players at your skill level, fostering competitive play and improvement.
- Access to Coaching and Training Sessions: Many clubs offer coaching services and organized training sessions that can significantly improve your technique, strategy, and overall game performance.
- Exposure to Competitive Play: Participate in club-organized tournaments and leagues that serve as a stepping stone to larger, competitive events, providing a taste of what to expect at higher levels of play.
3. Attend a Pickleball Camp or Clinic
As pickleball popularity increases, more camps and clinics are opening, particularly in North America. Here’s how attending a coaching clinic helps you on your path to becoming a pro pickleball player:
- You can improve your game under the guidance of an expert pickleball coach during long sessions at pickleball camps.
- The level of your game will improve dramatically after a few courses with a coach who has the necessary skills and knowledge to assist you.
- The purpose of pickleball clinics is to provide you with the opportunity to interact with and learn from professional pickleball players. Generally, pickleball clinics are less costly than pickleball camps.
- There are some pickleball camps you can travel to for expert guidance. Directed by the legendary player and instructor Sarah Ansboury, the Nike Pickleball Camp is an excellent choice.
4. Participate In a Tournament
In order to become a professional pickleball player, you have to compete in competitions. Don’t wait until you feel like your skills are at an advanced level before joining tournaments. There are pickleball tournaments available for players of all skill levels.
The best thing to do is to participate in a sanctioned tournament, as you will receive an official rating and have the opportunity to play against better players.
Check the list of sanctioned tournaments here.
The best way to get started is to work your way up the tournament ladder, starting with small-stakes local tournaments and working your way up to bigger tournaments.
5. Watch What the Pros Do
If you want to go pro, you need to fall in love with the way the pros play. Watch them at tournaments and on TV. Study how professionals play, and start to emulate them in your own matches.
Learning from the Pros:
- Observe Their Strategy: Pay attention to the tactical aspects of the game, such as the use of pickleball stacking, where players align themselves strategically to optimize their strengths and cover the court effectively.
- Understand Shot Selection: Watching professional matches allows you to see the variety of shots used in different situations, from power drives to soft dinks. Notice how pros decide which shots to use based on their position, their opponent’s position, and the current state of play.
- Analyze Playing Styles: Professional players often have distinct playing styles that cater to their strengths and strategies. Some may excel in aggressive play, while others might use precision and finesse to outmaneuver their opponents. Observing these styles can help you identify which approach resonates with you.
- Focus on Control and Placement: Recognize that successful pickleball play is not solely about power. Control, precision, and strategic ball placement often trump sheer strength. Pros excel in placing the ball in difficult positions for their opponents, forcing errors or opening the court for winning shots.
- Study Their Mental Game: Notice how pros handle high-stress points, adapt to their opponent’s game, and stay mentally engaged throughout the match.
6. Participate in Pickleball Ladder Leagues
In pickleball ladder leagues, you can determine your proficiency level compared to other players and rate yourself.
Here’s how ladder leagues work:
- Players with similar skill levels or ratings compete against one another.
- You move up the ladder as you continue to win.
- If your league has multiple ladders, you’ll eventually be promoted to the next ladder and get a chance to compete with players at higher levels of skill.
Playing in ladder leagues lets you see how far your skills have progressed as well as where you stand in comparison to others.
7. Get a Coach
Once you’ve learned the basics and been to clinics, it’s time to get yourself a coach. Pick someone who can help you accomplish your goal of going pro.
If you aspire to become a pickleball pro like Anna Leigh, Ben Johns or Tyson McGuffin, then you really have to commit. A coach can help you identify your weaknesses and work rigorously to improve every aspect of your game.
The PPR Pickleball website is a valuable resource for finding certified pickleball instructors across the United States. They often list coaches who have completed specific training programs and are certified to teach pickleball.
8. Practice (Playing Recreationally Isn’t Enough)
Many people started playing pickleball for fun. However, if you intend to make a career out of pickleball, playing for fun isn’t enough. Casual play reinforces existing habits, rather than allowing you to laser-target weak elements of your game and improve them.
That’s what practice sessions are for. You’ve got to spend more time on the court intentionally doing drills to improve your game. Drills like pickleball wall drills, serve repeats, and cross-court dink drills can help you improve your muscle memory and perform better during games and tournaments.
Is it hard to go pro in pickleball?
Transitioning to professional pickleball is challenging due to the high level of skill, dedication, and competition involved.
The journey requires significant time, financial investment, and mental toughness, as well as the resilience to improve continuously. Despite these challenges, with the right dedication and approach, reaching professional status in pickleball is achievable for those who are committed to excelling in the sport.
How long does it take to become a pickleball pro?
For someone starting from a beginner level without prior racket sports experience, it could take anywhere from 5 to 10 years or more of dedicated practice, coaching, and competitive play to reach the pro level.
This timeline can be shortened for those with a strong background in similar sports like tennis or badminton, as skills from these sports often transfer well to pickleball.
How much does a professional pickleball player make?
CBS News states victories and sponsorship agreements can yield annual earnings exceeding $1 million. However, this is more of an exception than a rule. In 2022, the average PPA pro earned $96,000 in payouts.
The majority of top players find themselves on the lower end of the earnings spectrum, with many emerging talents balancing full-time employment with weekend competitions to pursue prize money.
