Pickleheads has launched the most exciting feature in our company history—the new #1 Pickleball round robin tool! Ditch the spreadsheet and organize fun and competitive pickleball games with players at your skill level more easily than ever before.
A lot of players are tired of open plays. The long wait times, court shortages, and players way outside your skill level have taken the joy out of playing.
We want to bring the fun and competitiveness back into the game, so we made sure our round robin tool was much better than anything currently out there. We're confident it's going to blow your mind!
Pickleheads round robin features
We've made sure our round robin tool is flexible enough so you can adapt it to exactly what you want. Here's what you can do:
- Choose from six formats for players of all skill levels.
- Run unlimited rounds with any number of courts or players.
- Add scores in the app and see standings in real time.
- Send scores to DUPR with one click (optional).
You might be wondering: what if I have limited court space? Players showing up late? Awkward number of players? It's no problem—your event is always on.
For a quick preview, check out the round robin we hosted recently in Scottsdale, Arizona to celebrate the launch:
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How the Pickleheads round robin tool works
You can create a round robin using the tool on the Pickleheads website or the Pickleheads app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Note: you can set up a round robin through our website but you'll need our mobile app to run it on the day.
Next, you'll be taken through these steps:
- Pick your format (we'll get into the different types).
- Choose your time, date, and court location.
- Invite players. With one click, you can send an invite to an existing group chat, send individual invites, or add players who you know are coming.
- Once all players are in, click "Create Round 1 Matchups".
- Note: we don't create the whole draw at once as your plans can change at the last minute. Our tool lets you generate each additional round in real time. So, if someone is late or needs a break, you can uncheck them from the current round. They'll be automatically added into the next one.
- Once you've created the round, all players receive a push notification with their matchups and the assigned court.
- After each round, either you or the players input scores directly into the app. We support any scoring format (e.g. rally scoring, low scores, high scores).
- The app does all the work, generating each round of matchups. You can play as many rounds as you like. Then, when you're done, click "End event".
- All players can view the standings and your winner will be crowned.
- If you've enabled DUPR integration, you can now send all the scores to DUPR for auto-validation. This saves you hours of manual work sending in scores as the organizer.
Choosing a round robin format
There are six different round robin formats to choose from, each offering something different. They can be optimized for minimal court switching, maximal competitive games and partner switching, and solving for wide skill level ranges.
Here's a breakdown of the format types:
Popcorn
Popcorn is a fun, social format that allows players to mix in with as many players as possible. In each round, unique matchups are randomly generated. If you don't like the matchups, you can hit "Shuffle" to get a new one. Popcorn works with any number of players or courts.
Up & Down the River
This format is perfect for large groups with a range of skill levels. It's similar to Claim the Throne, except this version minimizes court switching and waiting between games.
Players are ranked by skill level, assigned to a court, and play a game with every partner. After each round, the top two players move up a court, while the bottom two move down.
Gauntlet
Gauntlet is a flexible format that constantly generates the most competitive games. Starting off, the organizer ranks players by skill level and generates round 1 matchups.
Based on the results, winners get more challenging opponents, while losers face easier ones. Play unlimited rounds with any number of players or courts!
Scramble
Scramble is a fun, social format that minimizes court switching and waiting between games. Players are randomly sorted onto courts of 4-5 players and play a game with every partner. You can run unlimited rounds with unique groupings every time.
Cream of the Crop
Cream of the Crop is a competitive format where every player has a chance to win. Players are ranked by skill level, placed into balanced groups, and play with every partner.
Based on the results, the top players move to Court #1, the next best to Court #2, and so on. After round 2, the top two players move up a court, while the bottom two move down.
Claim the Throne
This is a classic round robin format for large groups. If you have a wide range of skill levels, this format ensures everyone gets competitive games.
To start off, the organizer ranks players by skill level and players are sorted onto courts. After each game, winners move up a court and losers move down a court, splitting partners every time.
Why we're so excited about our round robin tool
As pickleball has grown, challenges have emerged. Years ago, open plays worked for everyone because we were all at roughly the same skill level. Now, there's a big divergence in pickleball skill levels. This has led to some nasty behavior on courts, made worse by court shortages and long wait times.
Round robins add a bit of structure so pickleball is more enjoyable for everyone. However, they've always been a pain to set up. Collecting scores, using a calculator, and printing out draws on a spreadsheet. Worst of all, one no-show can ruin the whole event.
So, we worked hard to build a round robin tool into the Pickleheads app that solves all of these issues. Our six formats let you create the perfect competition for your group. It works with any number of players or courts, while accommodating no-shows and people leaving early.
Whether you're an organizer for 1,000+ players or you want to play with a group of friends, we want to give you the ability to create a fun competition anytime, anywhere. Try it and see for yourself!
Try the Pickleheads round robin tool
See why this is the #1 tool for round robins in pickleball
