Here are ALTA’s answers to your burning pickleball questions
By Jerry Niemeyer, Pickleball League Vice President
Why did ALTA change seasons for the Pickleball League?
Earlier in 2024, we surveyed our pickleball membership regarding various issues. One of the questions was about the preferred season of the year to have a pickleball league. Overwhelmingly, you told us spring and fall, with summer next and winter a distant fourth. We felt 2025 would be a great time to make a change.
Do the results of ALTA matches count toward my DUPR rating?
No, ALTA does not report scores to DUPR, as ALTA rates teams rather than players. ALTA rates teams from AA to C with as many as eight flights within any given level. DUPR uses a rating system that rates players from 1.0 to 7.0, with 5.0 generally considered the highest for recreational play. ALTA matches have no impact on your DUPR rating.
In a match last season, we were going to be short a women’s point player unless we played that line early. Is it okay for captains to agree to play a match early?
As it turned out, the other team could not play early, and we had to default on the women’s doubles point. Am I correct in assuming the default only pertained to the women’s doubles point and did not impact the remainder of the matches that week?
You are correct on both points. Captains can agree to play any match(es) early. They may not agree to play matches late unless there is a postponement due to the weather. For everyone’s protection, the agreement to play a match early should be in writing. (See page 23, number 4, under “Confirm the order of play” in the Pickleball Member Handbook.)
Under the current playing format, the default you took at the women’s doubles line did not impact any other lines played in that match. (See page 3 of the ALTA Pickleball rules under “Mixed Doubles.)
When is ALTA going to expand pickleball into other leagues like women only, men only, and 55+ senior leagues?
This is a complex issue with many moving parts. First, we would have to be sure we attract 100 to 200 teams throughout the large metro area. Without an adequate number of teams, travel would be a serious problem and take away from the overall enjoyment of the new league. Second, we would need an adequate staff of volunteers to run the new league(s). Currently, most of our volunteers are serving in multiple leagues and do not have the capacity to take on additional responsibility. Last, space on the calendar. Any new league could not conflict with any existing league. This would include conflict in the areas of season play dates, rainout makeup dates, playoff dates, and City Finals dates.
