Pickleball Above the Clouds primarily facilitates social pickleball activities, focusing on organized doubles play. We encourage mixed-level participation, welcoming a wide range of skill abilities. However, we recommend that players have a minimum rudimentary skill level of 3.0; consistently hit forehand and backhand including some ability to perform volleys and serves, understand court positioning and can maintain rallies with other players, begin to employ basic strategies, such as shot placement and positioning during play. New players with less than a 3.0 skill level are typically guided to the PAC Beginner Group, where they can develop foundational skills before advancing to PAC open play. Our goal is to ensure that all participants on open play days are provided with approximately equal amounts of play time.
Upon arrival, teams are self-assembled based on court availability. As a general guideline, winning teams usually remain on the court they just played and split, the first 2 waiting players will join them. During peak summer months, all courts can be in use, sometimes resulting in a wait list. In such cases, we recommend the paddle stacking procedures described below or when the number of waiting players exceeds available courts, we often implement a 4-on/4-off rotation to ensure fairness.
After your game concludes and you leave the court, please collect loose balls and return them to the bucket before joining the next game or awaiting your turn.
Paddle Stacking Procedures
(for situations with more than four players waiting)
- It is helpful to label your paddle with your name.
- When returning your paddle after a game, place it at the end of the paddle line. Paddles are stacked from LEFT to RIGHT, with the leftmost paddle placed first.
- Paddles must always be positioned at the end of the line.
- You may place your paddle as a single, as two paddles stacked to indicate a partner game, or as four paddles stacked to indicate a four-player team.
- Paddles may not be stacked with someone else’s paddle without that person’s permission.
- To include players further along the line in your stack, they must bring their paddles to the end of the line for stacking.
- Participants stacking paddles may forgo their immediate playing opportunity to partner with someone or participate in a four-player game.
- If you have a single paddle and prefer not to play with a certain group, you may request the owner of the next single paddle in rotation to exchange positions with you.
To determine your play level, use the following resources below:
USA Pickleball Definitions of Player Skill Ratings
Definitions of Player Skill Ratings – USA Pickleball
The Simple Yes or No Way to figure out your skill level.
Pickleball Above the Clouds 