Letter From the Commish

Hello Team Pickleball Enthusiasts!

I hope you’ve had an enjoyable summer. For those who have escaped the Arizona heat, rumor has it we may soon see temperatures below 100 degrees, so pack your bags!

It’s been non-stop at Team APPL. After a record-breaking Season 2024 with over 5,500 players participating across Arizona, you might think we’d have some downtime—but that hasn’t been the case. Our team has been busy setting the stage for an even more fun and exciting Season 2025. Here’s a brief update on what to expect:

New Systems in Place:

APPL Index – We’ve spent several months and hundreds of volunteer hours implementing new processes to enhance the player experience. We now use each player’s APPL Index as the rating to determine flight participation. Only new players will use a Captain’s Rating, which doesn’t change from previous years. A Captain’s Rating should be based on factors such as current national ratings, the player’s network of recreational players, and a general assessment of the player’s skill level by both the captain and the player.

Appeals – We have an internal team with regional representation, led by a dedicated volunteer, to address appeals to a player’s APPL Index. The team is already processing appeals in a more consistent, thorough, and expeditious manner.

Automatic Variance – To smooth the transition to using the APPL Index, players whose APPL Index places them in a skill level half a point lower than the level they played at last season may “Declare” to take advantage of the Automatic Variance option. Naturally, some players might prefer to play at the lower level andchoose not to use theAutomatic Variance. The process is already in place and working well.

Players Seeking a Team (PSaT) – For the first time, we have PSaT coordinators in each region, also led by a dedicated volunteer. This program has been a tremendous success, and now programs like Bite of APPL will be supported in every APPL region. Captains looking for players will have easy access to a database of players at their flight skill level, making it easy to reach out to them. If you’re a player looking to join a team, fill out the PSaT form and become what we now call Free Agents.

Roster Ratings – You will soon hear more about “Roster Ratings”. A Roster Rating is the rating that will appear on the team roster. You will be able to see your Roster Rating in your personal profile under your APPL Index later this month. Naturally we do not put your APPL index on the roster. The rounded down number to the nearest .5 point is the number that will be displayed on the roster. That is the Roster Rating. If you submitted an appeal and that appeal was approved, your Roster Rating would reflect the skill level that you are approved to play at and will have the character “A” next to it. If you chose to take advantage of this season’s Automatic Variance, your Roster Rating would reflect that choice and will have the character “V” next to it.

Other Important Changes:

Flight Merging – This year, we will do our best not to merge flights. In cases where a flight has only 2 or 3 teams, your team will likely play the other teams in your flight several times. There are several advantages with this approach. Your League Coordinator will be happy to discuss them with you. In the meantime, we would be happy to have your help spreading the word to get more teams in your flight.

Team Registration – We ask that before registering your team, you have at least 6 players ready to register once your team is entered into the system. Last-minute cancellations last year created chaos and required extensive rescheduling. If you’re having trouble filling out a roster, be sure to ask your League Coordinator to give you access to the appropriate PSaT Free Agent database.

Large Flights – Flights with sub-flights of 8 or more teams will not have a Regional Playoff to determine who advances to the State Championships. Instead, the winner of each sub-flight will advance to the Championships. We believe this is more fair to the flights with outstanding team participation

These are some of the major items our dedicated team of volunteers has been working on. You’ll continue to receive more information through our Newsletter and communication with your League Coordinator.

Good Luck to Our National Team Pickleball League Contestants:
Next week, our first Nationals event will be held by the National Team Pickleball League (NTPL) in Hilton Head, SC. We have 11 teams from Arizona competing. In early October, the second event will be held in Las Vegas, NV, where 10 teams from Arizona will compete. I want to wish everyone good luck. I will be attending both events and will be your biggest cheerleader.
Player Registration Fees Increased:
This season, we’ve decided to increase the player registration fee to $30 per season, largely due to rising costs in key expense areas. We remain the lowest-cost option for an active team-based league that delivers what we do and, of course, remain extremely competitive compared to sanctioned tournament play.
Founding Fathers Retiring:
APPL has grown to become the largest league of its kind in the country. With the start of Season 2025, we will move forward without a couple of “Founding Fathers” who have significantly contributed to APPL’s growth and success and will be missed. Brian Shipman, our APPL Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, Casa Grande Regional Director, and 3-time State Championship Tournament Director, is stepping down. Bob Ham, our APPL Vice President and Strategic Initiatives Director—who has led our PSaT program, COVID management policy, and ratings initiatives—has also stepped down this season. Steve Speight, our White Mountain Regional Director/founder and perennial team-based pickleball supporter dating back to the East Valley Interclub (EVIL) days, is also stepping down. These gentlemen have had a tremendous impact on the growth of APPL and the positive experiences it has brought to thousands of pickleball players. If you happen to bump into them, please give them a well-deserved fist bump (or hug) and wish them well.
In Closing:
Over the past several years, most of our “advertising” and “promotion” has been via word of mouth from players who have enjoyed our format of competitive team-based league pickleball. Our APPL Team would like to thank you for sharing your experience with other players in your network and hope you continue to do so. As the competitive landscape evolves, we may invest additional dollars to increase awareness of APPL and what it brings to pickleball. However, there’s still nothing like a recommendation from a friend. We certainlyappreciate it, and it motivates us to continue improving your APPL experience.

Enjoy the rest of your summer safely, wherever you are!

Greg

it brings to pickleball. However, there’s still nothing like a recommendation from a friend. We certainly appreciate it, and it motivates us to continue improving your APPL experience.Enjoy the rest of your summer safely, wherever you are!

Other Important Changes:Flight Merging – This year, we will do our best not to merge flights. In cases where a flight has only 2 or 3 teams, your team will likely play the other teams in your flight several times. There are several advantages withthis approach. Your League Coordinator will be happy to discuss them with you. In the meantime, we would behappy to have your help spreading the word to get more teams in your flight.Team Registration – We ask that before registering your team, you have at least 6 players ready to register once your team is entered into the system. Last-minute cancellations last year created chaos and required extensive rescheduling. If you’re having trouble filling out a roster, be sure to ask your League Coordinator to give you access to the appropriate PSaT Free Agent database.Large Flights – Flights with sub-flights of 8 or more teams will not have a Regional Playoff to determine who advances to the State Championships. Instead, the winner of each sub-flight will advance to the Championships. We believe this is more fair to the flights with outstanding team participation.These are some of the major items our dedicated team of volunteers has been working on. You’ll continue to receive more information through our Newsletter and communication with your League Coordinator.Good Luck to Our National Team Pickleball League Contestants:Next week, our first Nationals event will be held by the National Team Pickleball League (NTPL) in Hilton Head, SC. We have 11 teams from Arizona competing. In early October, the second event will be held in Las Vegas, NV, where 10 teams from Arizona will compete. I want to wish everyone good luck. I will be attending both events and will be your biggest cheerleader.Player Registration Fees Increased:This season, we’ve decided to increase the player registration fee to $30 per season, largely due to rising costs in key expense areas. We remain the lowest-cost option for an active team-based league that delivers what we do and, of course, remain extremely competitive compared to sanctioned tournament play.Founding Fathers Retiring:APPL has grown to become the largest league of its kind in the country. With the start of Season 2025, we will move forward without a couple of “Founding Fathers” who have significantly contributed to APPL’s growth and success and will be missed. Brian Shipman, our APPL Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, Casa Grande Regional Director, and 3-time State Championship Tournament Director, is stepping down. Bob Ham, our APPL Vice President and Strategic Initiatives Director—who has led our PSaT program, COVID management policy, and ratings initiatives—has also stepped down this season. Steve Speight, our White Mountain Regional Director/founder and perennial team-based pickleball supporter dating back to the East Valley Interclub (EVIL) days, is also stepping down. These gentlemen have had a tremendous impact on the growth of APPL and the positive experiences it has brought to thousands of pickleball players. If you happen to bump into them, please give them a well-deserved fist bump (or hug) and wish them well.In Closing:Over the past several years, most of our “advertising” and “promotion” has been via word of mouth from players who have enjoyed our format of competitive team-based league pickleball. Our APPL Team would like to thank you for sharing your experience with other players in your network and hope you continue to do so. Asthe competitive landscape evolves, we may invest additional dollars to increase awareness of APPL and what

Greg Mather

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“To Improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”

~ Winston Churchill, Former Prime Minister of the UK

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Championships Results

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NOTE: APPL age brackets for the 2025 season will remain the same as last year.

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APPL Player Index

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“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”

~ Socrates, Greek Philosopher

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White Mountain Region Summer League

Our White Mountain summer league is wrapping up its third season with 36 teams across 3 skill levels enjoying the cool summer conditions in the beautiful pines. This summer league continues to increase in size and enthusiasm. The season will culminate with an awards ceremony and luncheon on August 22. Thank you to all those participating in White Mountain APPL competition this summer!

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New Appeals Process Coming Soon

A revised Appeals Document will be available starting on August 1.  The form is located on the APPL Website > Resources > APPL Captain’s Resources > Online Forms > APPL Rating Appeals. Plan on completing the form in one session because the document cannot be saved.

After the Appeal form is submitted, it will be reviewed by a Central Appeals Committee composed of a representative from each region and a committee chairperson.  Each Appeal will be reviewed and discussed to ensure consistency throughout the State. The Central Appeals Committee will document and communicate the decision to the submitter. 

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“Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by discomforts.”

~ Arnold Bennett, Prolific British Author