Part of growing your skill and love for the game requires playing with players on a similar level to you. NSPA offers you the opportunity to earn an association color rating to make play fun and competitive. 

WHY DO I NEED A RATING?

Some of our programs depend on having groups of players that are of like-skill and abilities. These programs are designed to challenge players of all levels. Receiving a NSPA color rating ensures you are not only challenged but are also having close and fun games! 

HOW DOES THE NSPA RATING SYSTEM WORK?

NSPA uses a color designation for our members. There are six ratings colors that members can receive: YELLOW, ORANGE, GREEN, BLUE, RED, BLACK. As an association, we organize play based on these colors. At the time of membership, if you have a UPTR (United Player Tournament Rating) from playing in sanctioned USA Pickleball tournaments we will translate that UPTR into our NSPA color rating system.  If you do not have a UPTR at the time of the membership then you will be given an NSPA Yellow rating.  The highest rating you can achieve through us, at our Ratings Clinic is a Blue rating.  Red and Black ratings can only be achieved by playing in sanctioned USA Pickleball tournaments across the country.

We offer 6+ ratings clinics each year in order for members to develop their game, and progress to the next level.

NSPA and Other Rating Systems

At this time NSPA only uses the United Player Tournament Rating (UPTR) system to transfer into our NSPA color ratings.
The NSPA leadership has vigorously discussed including other rating systems, but for a variety of reasons, too numerous to mention here, has decided to use only the UTPR to translate into our ratings.  In the future this may change, we'll continually evaluate all rating systems and their applicability into our programs.