Open Play
Join the Fun: Open Play at YYC Pickleball!
Welcome to YYC Pickleball
Curated Open Play
The perfect blend of recreational pickleball and community connection. Crafted for challenge and community.
Our open play is designed to give everyone the chance to grow their game as fast as their social networks.
Open Play Sessions
Early Bird
Monday - Friday
9am - 11am
Power Nooner
Monday - Friday
12pm - 2pm
Night Hawk
Friday - Sunday
8pm - 10pm
Weekend
Saturday - Sunday
8am - 10am
Times are subject to change. Please check the calendar for the most up-to-date schedule.
Open Play Protocol
Applies to ALL Open Play, including Senior’s, Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Early Bird, Power Nooner, Night Hawk, etc.
When arriving at facility, sign in at front desk and write your name on the whiteboard in the next available numbered slot
All sessions will run a ROUND ROBIN format – each player plays with a different partner and against a different pair of opponents
Games are played up to 11, win by 2
Depending on the session, the number of courts available for open play, and the total number of players, there may be “byes” — meaning some players will sit out each round. These byes will rotate every round robin to ensure fairness for all participants
All games are timed to 12 minutes – in that time, you can play 1 game, 2 games, 3 games, etc….you play until the timer goes
When timer is up, EVERYONE comes off the courts, looks at the next round robin line to see what number they are playing with, and on what court – and you head off to that court, the timer starts, and the next set of games begin
This round robin process repeats itself throughout the session, to ensure fair play time for everyone. Use the round robin sheets corresponding to the number of players signed up on the whiteboard.
YYC Pickleball Open Play “Playing Up / Playing Down” Policy
Purpose
To ensure open play remains fun, fair, and safe for all participants by managing situations where higher-level players join lower-level games (“playing down”) and lower-level players join higher-level games (“playing up”).
Definitions
Playing Up – A player joins a game where the majority of participants are at a higher skill level.
Playing Down – A player joins a game where the majority of participants are at a lower skill level.
Skill Levels – Based on club-rating of another facility, DUPR rating, or YYC Pickleball club assessment (e.g., 2.0–2.49 Beginner, 2.5-2.99 Novice, 3.0–3.59 Intermediate, 3.6+ Intermediate Plus / Advanced).
General Guidelines
1. Playing Up
Lower-level players may play up when:
They are invited by all players in the higher-level game, and
They can maintain safety and rally pace without disrupting flow.
Playing up should be occasional in open play—use designated skill-level times for
consistent higher-level practice.
A lower-level player should be prepared to rotate out if play becomes unsafe or unbalanced.
2. Playing Down
Higher-level players, such as Intermediate Plus/Advanced, are welcome to play down one level occasionally to support player development and social mixing.
Intermediate players are generally not allowed to play at the Beginner/Novice level
unless:
They are invited by all players in the lower-level game, and
They can play at the beginner level and use the opportunity to maintain fun and equal play.
When playing down, higher-level players are encouraged to:
Focus on placement, consistency, and rally building rather than overpowering shots.
Keep serves, returns, and shots within a range that allows for rallies.
Use the opportunity to mentor if the group is open to it.
Playing down should not be used as a way to dominate games for easy wins.
3. Club Discretion
If at anytime the matchups are unsafe, one-sided or detracting from the experience of others, YYC Pickleball reserves the right to make changes at its sole discretion.
