Grading Explained

The Five Grades

SUNS uses a dual-grading system combining Social Grades (for club sessions) with DUPR ratings (for competitive alignment).

How to Get Your Grade

🚀 Option 1: Have a DUPR Rating? (Fastest!)

For experienced players with existing ratings:

If you have a DUPR rating with 60%+ reliability, simply submit it via our online form and you'll be graded automatically within 5 business days. Done!

Submit Your DUPR Rating →(button/link)

📋 Option 2: Attend a Grading Session

For players who don't have DUPR or prefer in-person assessment:

No DUPR? No worries! Come to one of our monthly grading sessions where you'll play some friendly games while qualified assessors observe your skills.

How it works:

• 2-hour session with round-robin games
• Play in a supportive, friendly environment
• Receive your grade within 3 business days
• Maximum achievable grade: Intermediate (to progress beyond Intermediate, you'll need a DUPR rating)

Grading Progression:

• New Player → Standard: Can be assessed by session hosts at regular sessions
• Standard → Intermediate: Requires monthly grading session attendance

What assessors look for:

• ✅ Scoring knowledge
• ✅ Serve & return accuracy
• ✅ Court positioning & kitchen line awareness
• ✅ Shot variety (drives, volleys, dinks, returns, backhand)
• ✅ Ability to sustain extended rallies
• ✅ Sportsmanship & rules compliance

View Grading Session Schedule →(button/link)

🎾 Option 3: New to Pickleball?

For complete beginners:

Welcome to the SUNS family! If you've never played pickleball before, you'll start as a New Player and we'll guide you through your pickleball journey from there.

Join as a New Member →(button/link)

How to Progress Through Grades

Once you have your initial grade, here's how you level up:

🏆 DUPR Pathway (Primary - All Levels)

The fastest way to progress, especially for Challenger & Advanced:

1. Play in DUPR-rated leagues (SUNS runs these regularly!)
2. Build your DUPR rating through competitive match play
3. Once you reach the threshold for the next grade with 100% reliability, submit an upgrade request
4. Your grade is updated within 5 business days

DUPR Thresholds:

• Standard → Intermediate: 2.5 DUPR
• Intermediate → Challenger: 3.0 DUPR
• Challenger → Advanced: 3.5 DUPR

View DUPR Leagues Schedule →(button/link)

📈 Assessment Pathway (New Player → Intermediate)

For players who prefer grading sessions:

Attend our monthly grading sessions to progress through:

• New Player → Standard → Intermediate

Note: To reach Challenger or Advanced, you'll need to build a DUPR rating through leagues or work with a DUPR-certified coach.

Book Next Grading Session →(button/link)

🎯 Alternative: DUPR Coach Assessment

Work with a DUPR-certified coach to obtain or improve your rating as an alternative to leagues. This is a great option if you prefer one-on-one skill development!

Session Access by Grade

Sessions will be tagged with grade requirements so you can easily find the right games for your level:

OpenSports will automatically check your grade when you book – no more guessing if a session is right for you!