Pickleball

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Photo of adults playing pickleball

Get into the game

Pickleball is a paddle-racquet sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis. Played on a small court, singles and doubles use strategy and positioning to score up to 11 points. Forgiving enough for beginners, and yet fast-paced and competitive enough for advanced players this sport is taking the world by storm.

Play Opportunities

The City offers both registered and drop-in recreational play and registered lessons and skill development experiences for a variety of skill levels across the city.

Drop-In Pay As You Play A great option for those who want flexibility in dates, times and locations.
Register to reserve your spot on the court for an entire session at a designated time and location
Register for lessons and skill development opportunities.

Drop-In Pay As You Play

The Drop-In Pay As You Play option offers flexibility and variety of times and locations to play. First come-first serve. No commitment required. If you would like a guaranteed space to play at a dedicated time and location, refer to Register to reserve your spot to play.

Learn more about drop-in fees, passes and membership options.

Reserve Your Spot to Play

If you would like to guarantee your spot on the court for an entire session at a specific time and location, then this option is for you.

Each location has a limited number of ‘reserve your spot’ opportunities available. Those who are interested must register for a specific day, time, location and session.

Choose from the following Pickleball courses:

Pickleball 55+ Level 1.0-2.0
Pickleball 55+ Level 2.5-3.5
Pickleball 19+ Level 1.0-2.0
Pickleball 19+ Level 2.5-3.5
Pickleball 19+ Level 3.5-5.0+

Explore and Register: Sport - Pickleball

If you would like more flexibility in times and location on where to play, see Drop-In Pay as You Play below.

Pickleball Lessons and Skills Development

Do you want to learn how to play or practice your skills? All registered lessons follow a progression according to skill level. Identify the level that suit your abilities best. Instructors and staff are happy to assist. The following registered lesson and skill development options are available.

Introduction to the Sport
Learn to Play
Prepare to Play
Ready to Rally
Skills and Drills
Strategy Workshop

Explore and Register: Sport – Pickleball

Know Your Skill Level

Understanding your level is important to join lessons or recreational play with others of similar skills.

Know Your Skill Level to Get in the Game

Pickleball programming is organized by player skill level. To help determine your level of play, we have developed a rating chart starting with beginners at a 1.0 to advanced players at a 5.0. Please determine your skill level to fit into a program that is best suited for you.

Explore and Register: Sport – Pickleball

Drop-In Pay as You Play - Pickleball Schedule

Pickleball Locations and Capacity Limitations

Due to size of location and types of facilities available there are capacity limitations in effect to ensure everyone can play.

Locations

Pickleball is offered around the city at six different locations.

Locations include the following community centres:

Pickleball Player Etiquette

Please familiarize yourself with the following expectations that will help all players enjoy a respectful game with clear guidelines. These guidelines are intended to orient players to procedures in place, sportsman-like conduct expected, and to help ensure clarity on controversial calls.

City of Burlington pickleball programs and Recreational Play opportunities are designed to create welcoming and inclusive play environments where interactions are respectful, social, and encourage success.

Pickleball Player Etiquette

Please note that it is not the role of staff members to police appropriate court behavior. It is the expectation that all players agree to the following guidelines and self-regulate to ensure compliance. Staff will monitor issues, and ask players not adhering to guidelines to remove themselves from the program if they contravene etiquette rules of play. Repeated incidents will result in enforcement of the City of Burlington Zero Tolerance Policy.

Recreational Play programs allow for a range of skills to join in, enabling players to be challenged and to develop. Remember to welcome all skill levels to the court and to be patient and supportive with players of differing abilities. Attending the appropriate level of play creates a fun, challenging and safe play environment. If a player is attending a program that matches their skill level, more advanced players are asked to continue to play respectfully to their opponent’s level. This provides both the opponent and the more skilled player appropriate challenge by focusing on changing shots, practicing ball placement and returns.
Players who have overestimated their skills and attend the wrong level of Recreational Play, will have no recourse when they are quickly outplayed. Players who are more advanced than the program they are attending will be required to play to the advertised skill level.
Staff can refer players who are not demonstrating required skills for the program they are attending, to the What Level am I self-assessment sheet and direct them to more suitable Recreational Play times if necessary. We ask all players to respect advertised skill level program times, and to ask for staff to assist them with determining their correct level if necessary.
Use appropriate language and be courteous to other players, spectators and staff at all times. Players or spectators whose actions fall into the realm of diva behavior, engage in heated discussions, and/or use inappropriate gestures will be asked to remove themselves from the court immediately. Repeated disruptions of this nature will result in further intervention.
Players can decide to adhere to or modify game rules as they see fit. However, all players in the match will need to quickly discuss and agree upon these modifications PRIOR to the start of game play. When rules of play are in question, avoid disagreements cutting into play time. Simply re-serve the point, ask a fellow player or staff for an impartial decision, or request the official IFP Rule Book for reference.
Drop-in players arriving at a City of Burlington facility are asked to check-in at the Customer Service Desk. Numbers of drop-in spots available will be indicated on a Sign-in Sheet. If space is available, drop-in players must provide Customer Service staff with a Drop-In ticket or payment, and receive an entry stamp. Drop-in players are asked to stroke a line through their name upon exiting if they leave prior to the end of the program. Players with reserved court-time can proceed to sign in with court-side staff. (Unstaffed Recreational Play: all participants will pay and sign in at Customer Service kiosks.)
At the court, whiteboards are available to determine order of play. Place your name on the whiteboard upon arrival. When a court becomes available, call out the names in your group, place a line through your group on the whiteboard and proceed to the court. DO NOT erase the whiteboard, a player’s name, or move a player to another group without permission. Fair partnering and inclusive play will be enforced.
Always introduce yourself before every match and shake hands or ‘Paddle Bump” at the conclusion of each match.
To prevent any uncertainty in scoring, always call out the score before serving. Ensure scoring calls are loud enough to be heard by all players on your court.
Be supportive of your partner. Positive feedback is appreciated.
Do your best to make fair line-calls during game-play. Ball calls are decided by the partners on the side that the ball drops. Balls will remain in play and will not be disputed following allocation of the point.
To prevent injury to others, call Ball! or Let! when you miss-hit a ball onto a neighboring court.
Do not catch the ball with your hand or paddle anywhere on the court, even if outside court lines. The ball must be given the opportunity to prove it will be out regardless of how obvious.
Do not linger on a court before or after you play. Remember others are eager to get as much playing time as possible and will appreciate you freeing the court quickly.
In the event of an emergency, Program, Customer Service and Operations staff are all trained in incident response. Participants are able to contact any or all staff members to assist. Staff may be courtside, at Customer Service kiosks, or available by emergency call boxes depending on the program and location. Emergency response signage will be posted in all program spaces adjacent to entrances.