Three Pacing Errors

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Tournament Prep

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Thinking about playing in a tournament? Here are some things to think about as the tournament draws near.





Gathering Information About the Format and Venue

In order plan your practice, you will want to find out some general information about the tournament format. When you are ready to begin your practice, knowing these specifics will allow you to be better prepared when you arrive to play.

  • Where is the tournament located?
    • How will you get there?
    • Will you need to stay overnight?
    • Will you need transportation?
  • Will the tournament be indoor or outdoor?
    • Depending on the answer to that question and the environment you normally play in, you might need to adjust your game. The transition from indoor to outdoor play typically takes a bit more of an adjustment because dealing with the elements (wind, sun, etc) can make a big difference. However, making the change from an outdoor ball and surface to an indoor ball and surface can change things as well.
  • What ball is being used?
    • Many tournaments post this information either on their fliers or on the listed page on pickleballtournaments.com.
  • Will brackets be set by age, skill, or a combination?
    • Most tournaments will prioritize skill over age so the brackets are more competitive. When they can, most directors will break things further by age so 20 year old 3.0 players are not competing against 60 year old 3.0 players. That isn't always possible and it all depends on how many people register.
    • Senior Olympics is an age only tournament. This means you will compete against people in your age group. The competition in these tournaments may not be equal, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a try. Getting spanked by really good players is a great opportunity to learn. How many opportunities do you have to play against some of the best pickleball players in your state?
    • As a side note, it's good to understand the skill level bell curve. It's a simple fact that the largest brackets in tournaments are the 3.0-4.0 brackets. Most 2.5 players aren't quite confident enough to jump into tournament play. And there aren't that many players who have developed their games to the 4.5-5.0 level. Players at the extremes are likely to get lumped into brackets with other skill groups. There's just no way around that for tournament directors who want to give players more than 1 match. If you are 4.5, you will most likely get tossed into a bracket with 5.0 or sometimes 4.0 players. If you are a 2.5 player, odds are you are going to be playing against 3.0 players. Those are the breaks.
  • Figure out which event(s) you will compete in
    • Singles, gender doubles, mixed doubles. Some tournaments only offer doubles events.
    • What is the order of the events? For 3 day tournaments over a weekend, they typically put singles on a Friday, gender doubles on Saturday, and mixed on Sunday, but not always. Pay attention so you know when your brackets are scheduled. If you are playing doubles, make sure your partners know too.
    • If you are going to play in all three, you need to make sure to prepare physically. Do you normally play three days in a row, possibly for several hours? You may have breaks between matches, but you may not get long.
  • Sanctioned or non-sanctioned?
    • USA Pickleball sanctioning means
      •  You will need to have an active USA Pickleball membership to play
      • You will need a photo ID at check in
      • At minimum, medal matches will have referees, and fully sanctioned tournaments will have refs for every match
      • USA Pickleball approved balls will be used
      • Nets and court space must conform to official measurements
      • Your official USA Pickleball rating will be effected by your performance
      • Cost is often a bit higher than non-sanctioned tournaments
      • More foot faults will be called, so practicing with someone acting as a ref is a good idea
    • Non-sanctioned tournaments
      • No impact on your official rating (as of 2021)
      • May or may not have referees
      • May or may not have USA Pickleball approved balls and court dimensions
      • Tend to cost a bit less than sanctioned events
      • Not required to have USA Pickleball membership
  • Bracket formats
    • You won't likely know far in advance, but try to figure out the play format as early as possible.
      • Round robin, double elimination?
      • 2/3 games to 11 win by 2?
      • 1 game to 15 or 21?
      • something else?
      • time outs?
    • Most rec play goes 1 game to 11, win by 2, but if you can, playing back to back games in a series of 3 games, will help increase your endurance.
    • It's not a bad idea to practice some games to or even 21 if your tournament will have those formats.
  • Free parking?
    • Some tournaments charge for parking. If so, you'll likely need cash.

Scheduling

Check your calendars. Make sure you don't have a wedding for cousin Donald or your spouse's birthday on that weekend. Do you need to ask off work? Will you need to book flights, hotel/motel/AirBnB, vehicle rental? Some people travel with a group and split costs for their accommodations and travel expenses.

Partners

If you can find local partners with whom you can practice, that is an advantage. The more practice you can get playing together with your partner(s), the better. There is no substitute for being on the court together and working through your strengths and weaknesses on the court in real play scenarios. I will give some tips on how to prepare later, but locking in your partners early and coordinating practice will pay off.


Practice prep

Now that you know a bit of information about the tournament, you can work on practicing. Do your best to align your conditions to as close to the tournament conditions as possible. If the tournament is outdoor, play outside if you can. If it is indoor, try to play inside on the same kind of surface. Use the same kind of balls as the tournament ball. If there will be brackets or portions of brackets that will have games to 15, play some games to 15. Play with your partner(s). Play against different teams with different styles of play. Also, if you are playing singles, find some time and competition to play against some singles opponents.

Here are some things to work out with your partners.
  • Who will take balls in the middle?
  • Are you okay with poaching?
  • Is your partner left-hand/right-handed?
  • Will you stack? If so full stack, half stack, or 3/4 stacking?
    • Will you use signals to communicate stacking?
  • How reliable are each of your thirds?
  • Quick hands at the net?
  • How do you feel about lobs?
  • What is your plan if you get lobbed?
  • When do you want to use time outs?
Also, it's a good idea to record some of your practice games and review them to look for patterns. Did opponents find a weakness in your game? Can you employ a strategy to mitigate that weakness? Having a plan will help you. Identify your strengths and weaknesses, build communication, and generally get comfortable with each other's play styles.

Rules prep

If this is your first tournament, or if it has been a while since you played a tournament, it might be a good idea to refresh your memory on some of the tournament rules that don't come up in rec play. How much time do you have in a time out? What kinds of things can result in technical warnings? Who calls the lines and when can those faults be called?

USAPickleball.org has rules quizzes you can take for free (link below). Take the player quiz first if you have never take any of them. See how you do. If you did well, consider trying the ref quiz. Knowing the rules will help you at a tournament. Taking these quizzes is also a great thing to do on your off days when you are unable to be on the court practicing due to weather or other circumstances.



Packing for the tournament

Much of what you will need will depend on whether the tournament is indoor or outdoor, but there is some overlap. You might want to develop a checklist for yourself.

Items for any tournament

  • Paddle(s)
    • I always try to bring a second in case something happens to my first paddle
  • Clothes and spare clothing
    • Some people like to bring extra shirts and/or other items. Gnothi seauton as the saying goes.
  • Shoes and backup pair
    • I always try to have a second pair of shoes with me at a tournament so if there is a problem with my main pair, I can switch. Uppers can tear, laces can break, you can develop a spot inside the shoe that starts to rub and irritate a part of your foot. 
  • Water/hydration
    • Some tournaments have bottled water or other drinks, but don't count on it. Bring plenty.
  • Snacks
    • Figure out what works for you to keep up your energy without bogging you down. Fruit is often a good option.
  • Towel(s)
    • Wipe that sweat off.
  • Foldable chair
    • If you have room to bring one in your car, it never hurts to have it along. Indoor tournaments often have seating of some kind, but sometimes it's not enough. 
  • Mask
    • Writing this as of April 2021 and we're still in the middle of a pandemic. Good to have one on hand if it's required, but even if the tournament doesn't require it, some stores and restaurants still require them. Doesn't hurt to have one in case.
  • Video recording equipment (optional...?)
    • tripod
    • batteries
    • memory card(s)
    • cables
    • I have never regretted recording tournament matches. I have regretted not recording them.
  • Charging cable(s)/brick for electronic devices
  • Power bank brick
    • Having a portable backup to plug into has saved my phone from dying on a couple of occasions. It's nice to have, especially if you have traveled a significant distance to get to the tournament.
  • Change of clothes and shower kit for after you play
    • Many venues have shower rooms and allow players to use them. If you have to hop back in your car and drive for a couple of hours, it's nice to not feel completely disgusting. 
    • Towel
    • Deodorant
    • Shampoo
    • Soap
    • Toothbrush and toothpaste?
  • Gloves and/or extra overgrip
    • The grip on the paddle is important and if your hand gets sweaty, having a grippy glove can help. Changing the grip between matches can also help.
    • In cold weather, wearing a glove can also help your hand from going numb.
  • Protective eyewear
    • Always a good item to have. Protect your eyes.
  • Lady needs
    • If you're a lady, don't forget to pack items you may need 

Items specifically for outdoor tournaments

  • Weather forecast
    • Keep up with it as the date of the tournament approaches and prepare accordingly.
    • For temperature fluctuations, you will want to dress in layers.
    • If you dress in layers, don't forget to collect the layers you shed before you leave the court you played on!
  • Sunscreen
  • Hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Gloves
  • Extra water
    • Even if there is some water available at water fountains at the venue, it may be located at quite a distance from where you are playing. bring a water jug that is large enough to last you through multiple matches before it needs to be refilled.
  • Portable shelter/tent
    • Some tournaments have space to pop up a small tent or sun shelter. If there isn't much natural shade and you happen to have one, why not? Just don't fall asleep and miss them paging you to your match!

Take a deep breath and relax

Easier said than done, I know. Nearly everyone gets tournament jitters at some point. For some people they go away as they play. Some people have reduced nerves as they play more tournaments. Sometimes they may return as you step up to a new skill level. In any case, you will play better if you can move beyond those jitters and just get in the moment. For most of us, the outcome of any match or tournament event is not going to make or break our careers. You might win a $4 chunk of metal affixed to some ribbon if you play well. You might not. Don't worry about those things. I find meditation is helpful sometimes. I close my eyes and just focus on my breathing. Figure out what works for you.

Everything comes down to doing the same things you do in your rec games. Make good contact with the ball when you're hitting it. Move well on the court. Do your best. Take a deep breath. Let it out slowly.  It's only a game. 


Good luck!



I would love to hear from you! Do you have a routine or a checklist you go through to prep for a tournament? Is there anything I forgot on my checklists? Something in my list that you will add to your checklist? Let me know in the comments section. 

No Fun David


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