We’re ramping up to start Team Registration for our 2026 Winter season on September 29th for returning teams and October 13th for new teams. Mark your calendars and get ready for an exciting season! In preparation, we have improved all of our processes to ensure you play at the right skill level and help you get on a team. As a reminder, if you have played in APPL in the last 3 years you have an APPL Index rating which you can find on your profile page in your regional website (click Profile at the very top of the webpage, and then Profile again in the banner).
The Rating Appeals process is now open for players who believe their APPL Index does not reflect the skill they should play. The form is under Player Resources on the APPL website and is completed by the player.
If you don’t have an APPL Index, we have a new player Self-Rating Assessment explained below. There are no longer Captain Ratings. Players will assess themselves using this process.
And finally, we have streamlined our Player Seeking a Team process to make it even easier for Captains to find additional players. If you are looking for a team to play on, you need to re-register every year and have either an APPL Index or Player Self-Rating Assessment Form completed.
Rating Appeal Requests
This form requests a change in a player’s APPL Roster Rating for the next APPL season and is located under RESOURCES/PLAYER RESOURCES on the APPL website. The form is to be completed by the player to explain why the APPL Roster Rating change is justified. Please allow approximately two (2) weeks for the Central Appeal Committee to respond via email regarding an Appeal.
Note:
- A player whose Appeal is approved may ONLY play at this new roster rating during the current season for any teams they are on.
- A player whose Appeal is approved may not play as an Exception on any other team during this season. This is new for the 2026 season.
- For example, a player with a 3.34 APPL Index who requests and is granted an appeal to 3.5 will only be allowed to play on a 3.5 team. Playing on a 4.0 team as an exception, or a 3.0 team is not allowed and registration for those level teams will be blocked. The Roster Rating will show as 3.5 “A”.
- An approved Appeal does not affect your 3-digit APPL Index, which is computed from your historical APPL match data. Appeals are valid for one season.
Definitions:
*APPL Index: a 3-digit rating provided to each player at the end of each APPL season.
*Roster Rating: the 2-digit skill level a player is allowed to play based on their APPL Index, an Appeal, or a Player Self-Rating Assessment.
Fast Track Appeals
Fast Track Appeals are still available provided you meet the following criteria:
- Your APPL Index is within 0.15 of the higher desired skill level
AND
- You played at that desired skill level last season
All Notes above for Rating Appeals apply to Fast Track appeals as well.
Players without an APPL Index
APPL is moving away from Captain-assigned ratings and adopting a player self-assessment process. If you do not have an APPL Index, please download the Player Self-Rating Assessment Form located under GET STARTED on the APPL homepage. Take the form to the courts with a friend to feed you balls and follow the instructions to assess your skill level. If you have played in tournaments or round robins, you likely have a good sense of your rating—use the form to confirm where you belong. Once completed, sign and date the form and give it to your Captain, who will keep it on file. When you register for a team, you will select Self-Rating as your rating source and an “S” will appear next to your rating on the roster. You will only be allowed to play at that skill level on any teams you join this season. In other words, you will not be allowed to play on a higher-level team as an Exception.
Players Seeking a Team
If you’re looking to join a team, register for our Player Seeking a Team (PSaT) program to become a “Free Agent.” This makes your name and information available to team Captains who are looking for additional players in your region and skill level. The PSaT database is refreshed each season, so you’ll need to submit your information again each year. To participate, you’ll need to know your skill level. If you don’t already have an APPL Index, please complete the Player Self-Rating Assessment Form, which you can find along with the PSaT registration under the GET STARTED section on the APPL homepage.
Or better yet—start your own team! Just let us know you’re open to being a Captain, and we’ll send you everything you need to get started, including helpful guides and tools to make the process simple and rewarding. Starting a team is a great way to play with friends and help grow your local pickleball community.
Looking forward to another fun season!
Your APPL Team
