OPA-APO League FAQs
Can I register for a higher level?
No. The registration system will NOT allow you to register for a league above your membership level. Please login by selecting “My Account” from the menu at the top of the page. Leagues that you can register for will appear with a colour graphic. Leagues that you cannot register for will appear to be “whited out”.
If we don’t get the opportunity to play with better players, how can we improve?
If you would like to play with players of your own choosing, the OPA-APO is offering Single Court Usage for groups to organize their own play. The City of Ottawa also offers many drop-ins for players of all levels.
The OPA-APO Coloured Leagues are designed to group players of similar abilities, but there is always a range of strengths and weaknesses within the group. Even the strongest players can use this time to fine tune shots, strategies and positioning. Remember each session only lasts for 8-12 weeks. Improving your skills and strategies within one colour could move you up to the next colour in the following session.
Players of a higher level can, and DO, play in lower level groups. If you get some more advanced players in your group, remember that they want to play as well. Be sure to hit the ball to them so that they can challenge you and everyone can enjoy playing together.
Can I play down a level?
YES! As long as there is room in the league.
We encourage players of different levels to play together, while still providing a minimum skill level to keep the leagues competitive.
I’m in a league that is too advanced for me?
If you feel that you’ve selected a league that is too advanced for you, please send an email to LeaguePlay@OttawaPickleballAssociation.com. If there is space in a more appropriate league, you can switch over.
I’m too advanced for the league I’m in?
Our club Head Pro will visit leagues at the start of each session. If the Pro feels you are too advanced for your current colour level, we will do our best to accommodate you in the higher colour as soon as possible.
Can I spare in a more advanced league?
Players may only play in leagues at their level or below. Most of our leagues require spares each week, so to keep the level of play consistent, we require all spares to be players at the same level or higher.
Why don’t we use the rating system?
We did research on ratings and after careful analysis, we decided that the findings were inconsistent. The IFP, IPTPA and USPA rating systems have differing criteria and in some cases, conflicting criteria. We compared IFP ratings of several known players and tried to rate them with the IPTPA system and did not get matching results.
I’m a ranked tournament player, why aren’t my tournament results considered?
Tournament results are not a good measure of overall player ability largely due to the fact that tournaments are broken into age categories. The OPA-APO leagues are for adults 18 years and older. There are also many unknowns about tournament play which affect each player’s success. Factors such as how good your partner is, the number of participants in a tournament and the calibre of players in the tournament.
I would like to play with my spouse or friend who plays at a different level?
There are several options for players in this situation. You can join one of our Socials, you can both play in a league at the level of the less advanced player, you can find your own group and take advantage of the Single Court Usage, or you can try playing in one of the many City of Ottawa drop-ins.
If players of a higher level can play in my Colour League, will they be able to take a spot of a player at level?
Players are encouraged to register to play in leagues at their level or below. If during the early days of registration, a Colour League fills up, players who are above level will be asked to offer their spot to a player at level. In fairness, once the leagues are under way, we will not ask players to leave a league, as they will have already adjusted their schedules. Late registrants may have to wait until the next session if the session has been filled. To date, we have not had any instances where this situation has occurred.
How did you pick the number of leagues and locations?
The OPA-APO is limited by the availability of gyms throughout the city. We have been doing our best to find appropriate venues to rent for our leagues. We search regularly for new places to play and have a small team of volunteers who are building a database of venues in our area.
The types of sessions offered are based on the demand from the previous session, feedback from our members, as well as the make up of our membership. The majority of OPA-APO members have been asking for more training opportunities and for play at level or above. We strive to offer the leagues that our members ask for.
The numer of sessions available in each colour are calculated to correspond with the number of active players we have in each colour category. We aim to have sessions of each colour spread throughout the city and throughout the week.
If I register to play at a lower colour level, will this affect my colour rating?
No, your colour rating has nothing to do with the level that you register to play it.
How do the Assessments work?
Any members who wish to play in our colour level leagues and skill sessions will need to have their colour level assigned. New members can contact LeaguePlay@OttawaPickleballAssociation.com for assistance on setting their initial colour level. This initial level is only a starting point, as the head club pro will have the final say as to what colour level is appropriate.
The basic assessment process will be as follows:
- In the beginning of the each session, the OPA-APO head club pro will visit each location for all colours to observe play to determine if players are at the appropriate level
- Assessments of players will fall into three categories:
- a) members that exceed their current colour requirements (and should move up a colour). The OPA-APO will do our best to accommodate these players in the higher colour
- b) members that are not meeting the requirements of the level (and should potentially move down a colour). These players will be given an assessment report showing the areas that need improvement for the player to remain at that colour level
- c) members that are at their correct colour level
- At the end of the session or at the beginning of the next session, the head club pro will again observe the players in category b) to assess if the areas that needed improvement have been addressed. If so, the player will remain at that colour level. If not, the player will be assigned to a lower colour level.
Players are encouraged to contact us at LeaguePlay@
