Dear APPL participants,

Thank you to the 1,438 players who responded to the recent APPL survey. The APPL board is listening to you! We want to share our plans for improving the level of play in APPL for 2025.  APPL, in partnership with our software provider PickleballScores, has access to the data from all the games played in APPL for the last 3 years. That data has been processed to create one individual APPL player “Index” based solely on APPL match play from both your mixed and gender games. The general APPL community will not be able to view your index – it will only be visible to you. This APPL Index has not and will not be shared with any other rating system, and it will remain under APPL’s exclusive control.

Today, all APPL players who played games in any of the last 3 years are receiving this email. The instructions on how to find your new APPL Index are included in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) below. These FAQs will also be found in the Player Resources page of the APPL Website.

Your APPL Team


APPL Index Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

As the Arizona Pickleball Players League (APPL) introduces the APPL Index for 2025, it is expected that there will be many questions about how the Index is created and used. This document is intended to answer those questions, and tell you how to find your APPL Index. If you do not see the answer to your question, please reach out to your League Coordinator.

Has APPL rated players in the past?

No. APPL has used league management software provided by PickleballScores for the last three seasons. PickleballScores has retained all of the match data for every player who has played in the league during those years. To date, this information about a player’s match performance has only been used as a part of the appeals process during the 2024 season.
Going forward, APPL will be using a rating system provided by PickleballScores to create the APPL Index. They have provided rating services for other sports for more than 20 years.

What is the APPL Index

The APPL Index is a 3-digit number that represents your skill level based only on APPL match play. The Index is based on both gender and mixed APPL play. The flight level you may play in is the APPL Index rounded down to the next 0.5 value. For example, if your APPL index is 3.72, you would play at the 3.5 level. This rounded down figure is what will show up on the team roster.  Only you can see the 3-digit Index.

Why is APPL introducing this APPL Index?

A key goal for APPL is to promote good sportsmanship and fair competition. The APPL Index provides a measure of how you perform against others of similar skill. The goal is to make matches more evenly competitive, as well as to recognize those players whose skills have improved significantly over a season. Players’ National ratings are frequently stale and often vary considerably, making a rating based on JUST APPL match play more accurate.

APPL just announced that each player will receive an APPL Index. When will  I get mine?

It is expected that all APPL players who have previously played in APPL will receive an email notification of how to find their APPL Index by June 15, 2024.

How can I find my APPL Index?

Your APPL Index can be found in your APPL Player Profile on the APPL website. To find your player profile, go to the region in which you played and “Log In”. Choose the “Profile” tab which can be found to the left of the login. Then click again on the “Profile” tab below the name of the APPL Region. The APPL Index will be shown above your name. Your APPL Index will only be visible to you, not other APPL players. Your APPL Index is unique for each region in which you played.

How does my APPL match play affect my APPL Index?

Every full game you played in APPL league play counts toward your APPL Index calculation. Forfeited games/matches are not part of this calculation.

I have played in more than one region. How does that affect my APPL Index?

Your APPL Index is determined by the games played in a specific region. If you have played in more than one region, you will have a separate APPL index for each region in which you played.  Log in to your player profile in each region to see it.

In prior seasons, if a player had a national rating like UTPR, WPR or DUPR, they had to use the highest of them when registering. What about next season?

Only the APPL Index will be used in Season 2025 and beyond.  A player’s National rating will not be considered by APPL going forward.  For players who are NEW to APPL, a team captain may consider a player’s National rating when deciding on a Captain’s rating.

Will APPL provide its rating or match results to any National rating system?

No. The APPL Index provided by APPL will only be used by APPL, and it will not be provided to any other rating system.

What about players who are new to APPL?

Players who are new to APPL will receive a Captain’s Rating for their first year in APPL.

I did not play in the 2024 season. Will I still receive an APPL Index?

If you played in APPL in the 2022 or 2023 season, you will receive an APPL Index.

The 2024 was my first season playing in APPL. How valid will my APPL Index be?

An APPL Index is considered valid after 24 games (4 full APPL matches). If you played less than 24 games in 2024, and you feel your APPL Index is not accurate, you and your captain may appeal it using the APPL appeals process once it opens for the 2025 season.*

How often is my APPL Index updated in my profile?

Your APPL Index will be updated annually, following the completion of the State Championship Tournament at the end of April. 

I disagree with my APPL Index. What should I do?

If you disagree with your APPL Index, you and your captain should follow the APPL appeals process. The Appeal form can be found on the APPL website under APPL Captain Resources.

My APPL Index is different from the skill level I played in during the 2024 season. What should I do?

Example 1:  Your skill rating has dropped MORE than 0.5 below the skill level previously played:

Hypothetical 2.90 player who was on a 3.5 team in season 2024 could opt to:

  1. Play on a 2.5 flight.
  2. Appeal up to 3.0, provided adequate justification can be provided to justify the appeal.*

If approved –

  • Play on a 3.0 flight, as that will now be the player’s new team roster rating.
  • Play on a 3.5 flight, as the player’s APPL recognized skill level is now within 0.5 of the 3.5 skill level rating. You would count as one of the team’s 3 exception spots.

If not approved –

  • Play on a 2.5 flight.
  • Play on a 3.0 flight, as the player’s APPL Index is now within 0.5 of the 3.0 skill level rating. You would count as one of the team’s 3 exception spots.

Example 2:  Your skill rating has dropped NO MORE than 0.5 below the skill level previously played:

Hypothetical 3.34 player who was on a 3.5 team in season 2024 could opt to:

  1. Play on a 3.0 flight.
  2. Play on a 3.5 flight as an automatic variance for the 2025 season only. You will NOT count as one of the team’s 3 exception spots in 2025.
  3. Appeal up to 3.5, provided adequate justification can be provided to justify the appeal.*

If approved –

  • Play on a 3.5 flight, as that will now be the player’s new team roster rating.

If not approved –

  • Play on a 3.0 flight.
  • Play on a 3.5 flight as an automatic variance for the 2025 season only. You will NOT count as one of the team’s 3 exception spots in 2025.

Example 3:  Your skill rating has gone up:

Hypothetical 4.10 player who was on a 3.5 team in season 2024 could opt to:

  1. Play on a 4.0 flight.
  2. Appeal down to 3.5, provided adequate justification can be provided to justify the appeal.*

If approved –

  • Play on a 3.5 flight, as that will now be the player’s new team roster rating.

If not approved –

  • Play on a 4.0 flight.

Example 4:  You played on a team as an exception in 2024:

Hypothetical 3.34 player who was on a 3.5 team as an exception in season 2024 could opt to:

  1. Play on a 3.0 flight.
  2. Play as an exception again with the Captain’s approval.
  3. Appeal up to 3.5, provided adequate justification can be provided to justify the appeal.*

If approved –

  • Play on a 3.5 flight, as that will now be the player’s new team roster rating.

If not approved –

  • Play on a 3.0 flight.

*NOTE: The appeals form for the 2025 season will not be available until July 31.

Will it be mandatory for me to use my APPL Index when registering for the 2026 season and beyond?

Yes. Beginning with the 2026 season, your APPL Index will be the default level for which you must register. However, a team captain can allow up to 3 players to play on his/her team if they have an APPL Index no more than one-half point (0.5) lower than the team’s skill level. You and the captain can also file an appeal.