Always use the wait list on CourtReserve if you can’t get into something!  This is how we know to add more courts to the event.

When members have a suggestion for adjusting the calendar, they are encouraged to let one of the group play coordinators know, or contact the club.

Checkout the green circle, blue square, black diamond graphic on our Group Play page.

Have you ever driven 30 minutes to play, and, because you were the best player on the court, nobody would hit you the ball?

Have you ever been in a foursome where three of the players are “sharing” the ball around to each player, but the fourth player is constantly hitting almost every ball to the weaker player?

When it comes to how your private foursome handles its etiquette, that’s up to you. However, all of NEPC’s group play will operate with clear etiquette guidelines. These guidelines are comparable to how most successful pickleball clubs and communities around the country operate. NEPC is simply taking a step further to define the guidelines explicitly, so that all four players on your court are on the same page.

Are you a beginner who just learned the rules and are looking to learn the game in the most welcoming, social environment? Are you an intermediate or advanced player who would like to spend some time playing with beginners and experience play with the most casual, social, less-competitive players at the club? That’s “green circle” group play.

Are you looking for the classic recreational play that most pickleballers are used to at their local courts? That’s “blue square” group play. It’s not a tournament, your result isn’t going to affect your skill rating, and, in blue square play it’s bad etiquette to constantly keep the ball away from the stronger player. Blue square play is the midpoint of competitive play at your skill level, social and fun, and a great place to work on areas of your game and strategies that are out of your comfort zone.

Do you and your friend want to compete against another team to see who is the best team? Do you want to exercise strategies trying to exploit your opponents’ weaknesses, and, on the flipside, exercise strategies so your opponents aren’t able to target the weaknesses on your team? Do you want to feel the tournament jitters? Welcome to NEPC’s final category: “black diamond” group play. Members who are used to classic recreational play will find the black diamond play is a whole new world of experience and learning. Any seasoned player around the country will tell you that making some of your play blue square and some of your play black diamond, with a clear distinction between the two, is the only way to get the complete experience of the sport.

A final note on etiquette: etiquette is often not going to be perfect. Many of us have been in situations even with our friends where we feel like we’re not getting hit the ball. This is usually just the rhythm of that particular game and not intentional. Maybe one of your opponents just naturally plays 80-90% of their shots crosscourt, and, if you’re not crosscourt from them, you’re not going to see the ball…

If you’re in blue square play, and, you feel your opponents are not practicing good etiquette, the best approach is usually… step #1: give it a little time to see if it is intentional (it’s usually not), step #2: if the games are going by and it does appear to be intentional, try a “soft” approach of gently suggesting something to your opponents and/or gently pointing them to the club’s green circle, blue square, and black diamond guidelines which are posted on practice court fence, and finally, step #3: if necessary, members are welcome to bring the situation to the attention of their group organizer to manage.

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FAQs around green circle, blue square & black diamond:

Q: Can intermediates or advanced players play in green circle with beginners?

A: Yes!  Feel free to do that for a change of pace and to help onboard new players into the club.

Q: Is “stacking” allowed in blue square play?

A: Absolutely.  Blue square play is a great opportunity for teams to work on blending together, as long as that doesn’t involve heavily isolating one of your opponents. Also, if your team is just struggling or all of the balls seem to be going to one side of the court, this can also be a good reason to “stack”.

Q: Blue square play is supposed to be “friendlier” than black diamond play, but my opponents are just banging everything, is that OK?

A: Yes.  NEPC is an equal opportunity club when it comes to playing the banger vs playing the soft game.  There are many tactics and skills that Four Bases Academy can teach you to deal with the bangers. In fact, ‘back of the ball offense’ is the first base (the bangers) and, much the Four Bases framework after first base is devoted to countering that offense.

NEPC looks at all available information to make the fairest determination possible.  The more competitive results a player has (Give ‘N Take League results, outside tournament results, etc), the easier it is to make a determination.

For players who do not have sufficient competitive data to justify a skill rating, NEPC staff will make a skill rating determination based on where the player fits best with our existing players.  NEPC has members who compete in tournaments at all intermediate and advanced skill levels, so, we have a good barometer to maintain accuracy with other regions around the country.

For further skill rating questions, please ask the front desk, one of our pros, or, one of the event coordinators.