Pickleball frequently asked questions

No - our paid memberships are optional and are a great way to save money if you're planning on being a frequent participant in our events. Everyone that plays in our events does need to activate an account with our club in CourtReserve. We have a free guest option if you want to try our events before committing to a paid membership. Guests just have to pay full price for each event fee, whereas members receive a discount.

No - our club members (and guests) are not allowed to reserve courts for private use at the public park facilities. We are issued a permit from the City of Colorado Springs Parks & Recreation Department that allows our club to reserve courts for our fee-based events including leagues, lessons, and weekly programming (e.g. round robin and ladder).

We accept all skill level players at our events. Most of our events have skill-based recommendations or requirements in order to sign up, and we have different skill categories for our clinics, leagues, and tournaments. Players that have never played pickleball are required to have a basic level of understanding of the rules and scoring before attending one of our events.

We currently have 5 skill level categories for our events (see below). We use DUPR as a tool to help identify and track players' skill ratings. If you don't have a DUPR account yet, we highly recommend creating your account and start playing our DUPR rated events to build a reliable rating for yourself. Our coaches can also give you an evaluation and a provisional DUPR rating - contact us to learn how. Using DUPR helps ensure our events are balanced, fair, and fun. 

   Beginner (2.0 - 2.75)

   Novice (2.75 - 3.24)

   Intermediate (3.25 - 3.74)

   Proficient (3.75 - 4.24)

   Advanced (4.25+)​

At this time we do not offer any free clinics or lessons for brand new players, but there are several free options for "Intro to Pickleball" clinics around town. We do have fee-based clinics available for beginner players which are taught by our professional certified coaches, but we require a basic level of understanding of the rules and scoring in order to participate in these clinics.

Yes, we have clinics available for kids (ages 8-17) starting in May and will continue to build our youth programming as the demand for it increases over time. We also offer private lessons for kids - please fill out this form to get started.

We follow the USA Pickleball rules for our events. If you're new to pickleball, they have lots of great resources on their website to get started with learning the game. 

Players should have their own USAP approved paddle. We will provide game balls for all events. 

SOCO Pickleball United organizes skill-based pickleball leagues, events, series, tournaments, clinics, and social play opportunities in Colorado Springs.

Most SOCO events are designed for players who already have a basic understanding of pickleball rules and scoring and are looking for organized, skill-based play opportunities.

Most events take place at reserved public outdoor pickleball courts throughout Colorado Springs, including Monument Valley Park and John Venezia Park. Indoor events may be offered seasonally.

SOCO focuses on skill-based play so participants can enjoy balanced, competitive, and social games with players at a similar level.

No. Many players join individually to meet new people and enjoy organized pickleball play without coordinating groups themselves.

Many SOCO events are beginner-friendly for players who already understand basic pickleball rules and scoring. Open play and social events are great opportunities for newer players to continue developing their skills in a fun and welcoming environment.

Yes. SOCO offers competitive organized play for advanced pickleball players including The Ascent League, The Peak Premier League, DUPR-rated events, and tournaments.

A Flex Series is a hybrid between league play and flexible drop-in participation. Players can register for the full series schedule or sign up week-by-week based on availability.

Leagues follow a structured multi-week format. Flex Series events offer more flexibility with optional weekly participation. Drop-in events are single-session organized play opportunities.

Players can browse upcoming leagues, series, tournaments, clinics, and organized play opportunities through SOCO's CourtReserve booking system.

SOCO pickleball leagues typically run for 7 weeks and organize players by skill level to create balanced, competitive, and social matchups each week. Some leagues allow players to register with a partner, while all leagues also offer individual registration for solo players.

Many players join SOCO to meet new people and enjoy organized play in a welcoming environment. The focus is recreational, social, and skill-based rather than ultra-competitive.

SOCO sends email and text notifications 1-2 hours before start time for weather-related cancellations or schedule changes.

Clinics are group-based sessions focused on skill development and organized drills, while private lessons offer one-on-one coaching and personalized instruction.

Most SOCO lessons and clinics are designed for intermediate to advanced players looking to improve strategy, consistency, and competitive play.

Yes. Players should plan to bring their own paddle. Balls are provided for organized events and clinics.