Key Findings

1. The cancelled tournament had limited interest

• 42 respondents (31%) registered.
• 93 respondents (68%) did not register.

The most common reasons for not registering were:

• Away or scheduling conflicts
• Not interested in tournaments
• Tournament cost was too high
• Uncertainty about skill level/rating
• Tournament felt too competitive
• Registration and promotion happened too late

2. Traditional tournaments still have support

• 81 respondents (60%) said they would register for a traditional tournament.
• 54 respondents (40%) said they would not.

This suggests the issue may not be tournaments themselves, but rather:

• Timing
• Cost
• Format
• Promotion

3. Summer programming participation is solid

• 83 respondents (61%) registered for summer programming.
• 53 respondents (39%) did not.

Reasons for not registering:

• Schedule conflicts
• Away during the summer
• Cost concerns
• Difficulty committing to 8-week blocks
• Programming not matching skill level or schedule
• Registration platform challenges

What Members Want More Of

The most frequently mentioned requests were:

Skill-based Organized Play

Many respondents felt “Intermediate” is too broad and requested:

• More defined levels
• Additional skill groupings
• Organized play with similarly skilled players

Flexible Programming

Members asked for:

• Drop-in options
• Paddle-up sessions
• Shorter commitments
• Weekend programming

Team Events

Repeated suggestions included:

• Team tournaments
• MLP-style events
• Team ladders
• Club challenge events

Clinics and Instruction

Members expressed interest in:

• Guest instructors
• Tactical coaching
• Skills clinics
• Video analysis

Social Events

Many members would like:

• Fun/social tournaments
• Festival-style play
• BBQs and community events
• Activities focused on connection and fun

What Should Be the Primary Focus of the PPA?

This was by far the strongest result in the survey:

81% of respondents want a balanced approach rather than focusing heavily on one area.

Common Concerns

Cost

Many comments referenced:

• Tournament fees
• Programming costs
• Membership value

Communication & Planning

Members would like:

• Earlier promotion of events
• More advance notice
• Better visibility of programs

Community Connection

Several respondents mentioned that the pickleball community feels less connected than in previous years and would like more opportunities to socialize and build relationships.

Overall Conclusions

Members appear to want:

✅ A balance of recreation, competition, social connection, and skill development

✅ More organized play grouped by skill level

✅ Flexible programming rather than only multi-week commitments

✅ More team-based and social events

✅ Better advance communication and promotion

Members appear less interested in:

❌ Expensive tournaments

❌ Events announced close to the start date

❌ Broad skill categories that mix widely different player abilities

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