What is my skill level? 
Level 0.5 
- Completed Introduction to Pickleball and currently taking Pickleball 101/102, or participating in the beginner league
- Still learning court positioning at the beginning of a point
- Still learning score keeping
- Serves and service returns in at least 50% of the time
Level 1
- Gets most serves in but lacks depth and placement
- Can sustain short rally (3-5 shots) but makes frequent unforced errors
- Understands the concept of serve and stay & return and move in away from the baseline
- Must know how to keep score and position themself at the beginning of a point
- Knows to move towards the kitchen after the return of serve but often gets caught in the transition zone
- Knows the ready position at the non-volley zone but is uncomfortable with dinking
- Returns majority of serves back inbounds
Level 2
- Must be approved through an evaluation session
- Must meet all requirements of I-SOAR Level 1
- Must have reliable serves and returns with occasional depth control
- Doesn't get caught backing up to hit 3rd shot after service
- After return moves towards the kitchen and does not back away once there
- Utilizing proper mobility and attempts to use backhand strokes
- Aware of dinking and will occasionally engage in it, but lacks control over the height and positioning of their dinks
- Consistently holds rally of 5+ shots
Level 3
- Must be approved through an evaluation session
- Must meet all requirements of I-SOAR Level 2
- Able to serve and return with consistent depth
- Able to hit most forehands and backhands with direction and control regarding height & depth
- Starting to use the third shot drop in game play, consistently with control. More at ease on a third shot drive
- Aware of unforced errors and is working to minimize
- Successfully putting balls away using overheads and volleys
- Doesn't drive every ball, can control pace and direction
- Attempts to initiate dinking rally; speeds up when appropriate
- Proper contact point in front of body, with balance and body spacing
- More awareness regarding positioning with partner
- Able to move cleanly through transition zone more than 50% of the time
Level 4
- Must hold a valid 3.5+ DUPR with a reliability score greater than 50%. Any player with a reliability of less than 50% MAY be subject to an I-SOAR playing evaluation. This will be determined based upon I-SOAR leveling criteria. A .05-point buffer will be in place for any player who drops below 3.5 to participate in this group
- Must meet all requirements of I-SOAR Level 3
- Growing more accurate with shots and beginning to apply this in your strategies
- Intentionally uses 3rd shot drops and resets to move through transition rather than always driving
- Can initiate dinking rally, can dink cross court and can sustain kitchen exchanges with purpose
- Communicates well with partners and covers the middle effectively
- Understands patience at the Kitchen
- Attempts and executes resetting from the transition zone with 50% accuracy
- Demonstrates an understanding of which balls are attackable and which are not
- Competes in tournaments and consistently wins or places in the top half of teams in 3.5 Skill Brackets
- Knows how to keep serving team from moving to the non-Volley Zone
- Uses forehand and Backhand strokes accurately with intentional pace and direction
- Able to control the body movements to transition safely through the transition zone
- Understands what the appropriate shot is to move forward in the transition zone
Level 5
- Must hold a valid 4.0+ DUPR with a reliability score greater than 50%. Any player with a reliability of less than 50% WILL be subject to an I-SOAR playing evaluation. A .05-point buffer will be in place for any player who drops below 4.0 to participate in this group
- Must meet all requirements of I-SOAR Level 4
- Executes drops and resets reliably, even under pressure (90% success rate)
- Can reset hard shots and work through the midcourt effectively
- Able to place shots with consistent changing paces and touch anywhere on the court
- Kitchen strategy, dinks with intent, speeds up selectively, and anticipates counters
- Understands strategy and can modify their play style and game plan to counter the advantages and disadvantages of their opponents
- Controls the pace of play and wins through shot selection, consistency, and tactics rather than just keeping the ball in play
- Competing in tournaments and consistently won or placed in the top half of teams in 4.0 Skill Brackets or higher
- Looks for and has the ability to hit an ATP
- Using stacking strategy effectively and signals poaching to partners when on receiving side as needed
- Uses signals properly and can unwind out of a stack effectively
- Continuously works towards progressing their game to the next level through drilling and coaching
Level 6
- Must hold a valid 4.5+ DUPR with a reliability score greater than 50%. A 0.05-point buffer will be in place for any player who drops below 4.5 to participate in this group. Any player who fails to meet the criteria will be unable to participate in Level 6
