Northern Beaches Pickleball

What is grading?

Northern Beaches Pickleball runs an assessment program that categorises players into different grades based on their ability. This helps to ensure that our members can play competitively or socially against players of similar skill.

As a new player, you will be given the initial grade of New Player, before moving to a Standard grade. From there you can progress to becoming an Intermediate, Challenger and Advanced player.

You will only be able to register and play in sessions that are appropriate to your grade through the OpenSports app.

What is grading?

Northern Beaches Pickleball runs an assessment program that categorises players into different grades based on their ability. This helps to ensure that our members can play competitively or socially against players of similar skill.

As a new player, you will be given the initial grade of New Player, before moving to a Standard grade. From there you can progress to becoming an Intermediate, Challenger and Advanced player.

You will only be able to register and play in sessions that are appropriate to your grade through the OpenSports app.

What is grading?

Northern Beaches Pickleball runs an assessment program that categorises players into different grades based on their ability. This helps to ensure that our members can play competitively or socially against players of similar skill.

As a new player, you will be given the initial grade of New Player, before moving to a Standard grade. From there you can progress to becoming an Intermediate, Challenger and Advanced player.

You will only be able to register and play in sessions that are appropriate to your grade through the OpenSports app.

What is my current grade?

If you're a NBP member, you can look up your grade on the OpenSports app.

Open the app, ensuring you are on the Northern Beaches Pickleball page, click on the information button in the top right corner of the screen, then on the 3 dots that appear in the same position on the next page.

From there you can select "Member Details" and your grade will be displayed.

It can take 3-7 days after a successful grading before the app is updated.

What is my current grade?

If you're a NBP member, you can look up your grade on the OpenSports app.

Open the app, ensuring you are on the Northern Beaches Pickleball page, click on the information button in the top right corner of the screen, then on the 3 dots that appear in the same position on the next page.

From there you can select "Member Details" and your grade will be displayed.

It can take 3-7 days after a successful grading before the app is updated.

What is my current grade?

If you're a NBP member, you can look up your grade on the OpenSports app.

Open the app, ensuring you are on the Northern Beaches Pickleball page, click on the information button in the top right corner of the screen, then on the 3 dots that appear in the same position on the next page.

From there you can select "Member Details" and your grade will be displayed.

It can take 3-7 days after a successful grading before the app is updated.

How do I move up to the next grade?

If you've not played pickleball before, you will be given a grade of New Player when you join NBP. After completing a couple of the "Come and Try" introductory sessions you will automatically be assigned a Standard grade.

As a Standard player you can request to be graded to Intermediate by one of our many grading coaches that run some of the Standard/Intermediate sessions. You can filter for these grading session in the OpenSports app, sign up, and contact the grading host at least 3 days before you want to be assessed. Complete the Standard to Intermediate grading form to notify the host that you want to be graded.

Standard to

Intermediate

Grading Form

Once you're ready to move up to Challenger and Advanced grades, you will need to attend special Grading Sessions where you will compete in a round-robin format. These Grading Sessions will be listed on OpenSports and advertised in our Pickle Press newsletter.

How do I move up to the next grade?

If you've not played pickleball before, you will be given a grade of New Player when you join NBP. After completing a couple of the "Come and Try" introductory sessions you will automatically be assigned a Standard grade.

As a Standard player you can request to be graded to Intermediate by one of our many grading coaches that run some of the Standard/Intermediate sessions. You can filter for these grading session in the OpenSports app, sign up, and contact the grading host at least 3 days before you want to be assessed. Complete the Standard to Intermediate grading form to notify the host that you want to be graded.

Standard to

Intermediate

Grading Form

Once you're ready to move up to Challenger and Advanced grades, you will need to attend special Grading Sessions where you will compete in a round-robin format. These Grading Sessions will be listed on OpenSports and advertised in our Pickle Press newsletter.

How do I move up to the next grade?

If you've not played pickleball before, you will be given a grade of New Player when you join NBP. After completing a couple of the "Come and Try" introductory sessions you will automatically be assigned a Standard grade.

As a Standard player you can request to be graded to Intermediate by one of our many grading coaches that run some of the Standard/Intermediate sessions. You can filter for these grading session in the OpenSports app, sign up, and contact the grading host at least 3 days before you want to be assessed. Complete the Standard to Intermediate grading form to notify the host that you want to be graded.

Standard to

Intermediate

Grading Form

Once you're ready to move up to Challenger and Advanced grades, you will need to attend special Grading Sessions where you will compete in a round-robin format. These Grading Sessions will be listed on OpenSports and advertised in our Pickle Press newsletter.

What skills will I need to move up a grade?

Standard

As a Standard player, you should be able to "dink" shots near the net, and demonstrate punch volleys and overhead shots.

Intermediate

To grade at an Intermediate level, you must show improved accuracy and consistency of the skills listed above, and also develop a "3rd shot drop", and demonstrate your ability to transition from the service line to the No Volley Zone (NVZ, or "Kitchen").

Challenger and Advanced

To progress to the higher grades, you must demonstrate increasingly more accurate and consistent match play skills, and show you can compete and win games.

What skills will I need to move up a grade?

Standard

As a Standard player, you should be able to "dink" shots near the net, and demonstrate punch volleys and overhead shots.

Intermediate

To grade at an Intermediate level, you must show improved accuracy and consistency of the skills listed above, and also develop a "3rd shot drop", and demonstrate your ability to transition from the service line to the No Volley Zone (NVZ, or "Kitchen").

Challenger and Advanced

To progress to the higher grades, you must demonstrate increasingly more accurate and consistent match play skills, and show you can compete and win games.

What skills will I need to
move up a grade?

Standard

As a Standard player, you should be able to "dink" shots near the net, and demonstrate punch volleys and overhead shots.

Intermediate

To grade at an Intermediate level, you must show improved accuracy and consistency of the skills listed above, and also develop a "3rd shot drop", and demonstrate your ability to transition from the service line to the No Volley Zone (NVZ, or "Kitchen").

Challenger and Advanced

To progress to the higher grades, you must demonstrate increasingly more accurate and consistent match play skills, and show you can compete and win games.

Is a NBP grade the same as a DUPR rating?

While the Northern Beaches Pickleball grade has some similarities with the DUPR rating, it is an internal club assessment which we use for the sole purpose of ensuring that players in each session will be of a similar standard.

The NBP grading is awarded based on internal club assessments of players’ ability, whereas a DUPR rating is mathematically calculated based on all ranked games that a pickleballer plays and will increase (or decrease) based on their results and the quality of the opposition.

A rough comparison between NBP grades and DUPR ratings is as follows:

NBP Grade

DUPR Rating

New Player

1.5 - 1.99

Standard

2 - 2.49

Intermediate

2.5 - 2.99

Challenger

3 - 3.49

Advanced

3.5 +

Is a NBP grade the same as a DUPR rating?

While the Northern Beaches Pickleball grade has some similarities with the DUPR rating, it is an internal club assessment which we use for the sole purpose of ensuring that players in each session will be of a similar standard.

The NBP grading is awarded based on internal club assessments of players’ ability, whereas a DUPR rating is mathematically calculated based on all ranked games that a pickleballer plays and will increase (or decrease) based on their results and the quality of the opposition.

A rough comparison between NBP grades and DUPR ratings is as follows:

NBP Grade

DUPR Rating

New Player

1.5 - 1.99

Standard

2 - 2.49

Intermediate

2.5 - 2.99

Challenger

3 - 3.49

Advanced

3.5 +

Is a NBP grade the same
as a DUPR rating?

While the Northern Beaches Pickleball grade has some similarities with the DUPR rating, it is an internal club assessment which we use for the sole purpose of ensuring that players in each session will be of a similar standard.

The NBP grading is awarded based on internal club assessments of players’ ability, whereas a DUPR rating is mathematically calculated based on all ranked games that a pickleballer plays and will increase (or decrease) based on their results and the quality of the opposition.

A rough comparison between NBP grades and DUPR ratings is as follows: