There’s a moment in every pickleball player’s life when someone says:
“You should play in a tournament.”
And your brain immediately responds:
Absolutely not.
What if I freeze?
What if I lose every game?
What if someone calls me on a foot fault I didn’t even know existed?
What if I discover my DUPR is not, in fact, an indication of how I play in real competition?
In this week’s episode of Pickleball Obsession, Tracie talks with Veronica Alteri — coach, tournament player reaching for the pros, and very calm 20-year-old person who somehow enjoys pressure — about what actually happens when you enter your first tournament.
The good news: you do not have to be (unrealistically) fearless.
You just have to be curious enough to try.
A small local tournament, especially one that supports a good cause, can be a great way to find out whether you enjoy competition, how your game holds up when the score actually matters, and whether your “very solid rec game” survives contact with strangers, wind, referees, and your own nervous system.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why your first tournament should probably be small, local, and low-drama
How to think about entering at the right level
Why 3.0 may be a smart starting point for many first-timers — but not if you’re already crushing everyone at rec play
What DUPR does and does not tell you
Why tournaments are often more about handling pressure than hitting perfect shots
What changes when every point suddenly feels important
How foot faults, kitchen lines, and referees can become a whole new little world of stress
Why good manners still belong on the court, even when you’re trying to win
The big takeaway:
A tournament is not a referendum on your worth as a pickleball player.
It is just a different environment.
The score matters more.
The nerves show up faster.
The mistakes feel bigger.
And yes, you may briefly wonder why you paid money to feel this uncomfortable.
But then something funny happens.
You learn where your game really is. You learn what pressure does to you. You learn how to reset after a bad point. And sometimes, you get so bitten by the tournament bug and suddenly find yourself wondering if you’ve lost your mind as you collect frequent flyer miles and Hampton Inn points in pursuit of tinny medals on a ribbon.
Start small. Be realistic. Don’t sandbag. Don’t panic. And don’t worry: even if you fall on your a** you will live to play another day!
Listen to this episode before you sign up for your first tournament — or before you try to talk your favorite rec partner into doing one with you.
Share this with a friend who keeps saying, “Maybe I’ll do a tournament someday,” which is pickleball code for “I am terrified, but intrigued” and tell them to SUBSCRIBE.
Short, practical insights for recreational players who want answers.
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