How to run a pickleball round robin

Everything else follows from the head count. In a round robin, each player partners with others over a set of rounds, so the number of players decides how many rounds you play and how many people sit out.

With 8 players you play 7 rounds on 2 courts and nobody sits out. With 9 players you play 9 rounds on 2 courts, and one person has a bye each round. With 18 players you run two groups of 9 on four courts. Round Robin Pickleball handles 8 to 21 players.

Not sure how many courts you can fill? Try the court calculator before you book.

Ask for a firm yes a few days ahead. A group chat, a club sheet or a sign-up link all work. Then count the yeses and expect one or two no-shows.

Tell players the start time, the courts and the game length. Say it twice. People remember the second time.

You run the event from your phone. A friend can co-host if they sign in to your account. Here is what you do in Round Robin Pickleball.

1. Open Round Robin Pickleball and start a session with Run a Round Robin.
2. Add your players by name. Pick the format that fits your count.
3. Share the join link so players can see the event.
4. Start the event. Round 1 shows each court and who plays on it.

Each round lists the courts and the teams. Players walk to their court and play. Most games go to 11 and must be won by 2, per USA Pickleball. For a round robin, many organizers play shorter games so the night finishes on time. Pick one score and tell everyone.

When a game ends, tap the box next to a team and choose the score. Players can also check in at the court and enter their own scores in the free Court Crowd app on iPhone or Android.

When every court has a score, lock them in and the next round appears. You can fix a score if someone made a mistake.

The standings track wins, losses and point difference, and they update after every round. Tiebreakers are handled for you, so you do not need a whiteboard.

With 9 players, the top players move on to seeded semifinals and a final, and a champion is named at the end. A group of 9 takes about two hours, so start on time and keep the breaks short.

For more on rotations that keep courts full, read round robin without the waiting. For bigger events, see how to run a pickleball tournament.