The complete guide for staff and players
Version 1.0
PickleQ is a free, easy-to-use web app that helps you manage pickleball open play sessions. Whether you're running a busy recreation center or organizing a casual weekend game, PickleQ handles all the logistics so everyone can focus on playing.
Paste player lists directly! NEW
Players watch queue in real-time NEW
First in, first out queue system
Balanced teams for better games
Wins, losses, and rankings
Keep couples together
Calls out matches audibly
Beautiful cards for social media
No internet? No problem
Track all-time rankings
| User Type | What They Do |
|---|---|
| Staff / Coordinators | Set up sessions, add players, manage courts, record winners, and share stats |
| Players | Check in, play games, view stats, and share achievements |
| Venue Managers | Set up cloud sync, configure venue settings, access all-time leaderboards |
Getting started takes less than a minute. No account required!
Go to pickleq.app on your tablet, phone, or computer. For best results, use a tablet at the front desk where players can see it.
On the landing page, tap the green "Get Started" button. You'll go straight to the setup screen.
Type where you're playing (e.g., "Courts A-D" or "Recreation Center"). This will be saved for next time!
Use the + and - buttons to set how many courts you have available (1-10).
Select Doubles (4 players per court, default) or Singles (2 players per court).
In the "Add player" box, type the player's name. If they've played before, their name will auto-complete.
Tap the stars to set their skill level. This helps create balanced teams. See the Skill Levels section for details.
The player appears in the "Not Here Yet" section. They're saved to your roster for future sessions.
When a player arrives at the court:
Look for the player in the "Not Here Yet" section, or use the search box.
The player moves to the "Checked In" section and joins the queue. The earlier they check in, the sooner they'll play!
You need at least 4 checked-in players for doubles (or 2 for singles).
The green "Start Session" button becomes active when you have enough players. Tap it!
PickleQ automatically assigns balanced teams to all available courts. Remaining players go to the queue.
The play screen shows three main areas:
When a game ends on any court:
Locate the court card showing the completed match.
Tap the Team 1 (left/top) or Team 2 (right/bottom) button for the winners.
All 4 players return to the back of the queue. Stats are updated. New players get assigned to the court.
The queue shows who's playing next:
Tap the player's name and select "Check Out." They'll be removed from the queue but can check back in later.
Tap the player on the court and select "Pull from Court." PickleQ will find a substitute from the queue.
Just add and check in the new player. They'll join the back of the queue.
When you're done for the day, tap the "End Session" button in the header.
The session leaderboard appears, showing all players ranked by wins. Top 3 get medals!
Tap any player's name to generate a shareable stats card. Players can download it or share to social media!
Tap "New Session" to begin another session. All players and settings are preserved.
If you organize events through Reclub, you can now import your participant list directly into PickleQ with a simple copy-paste!
Open your Reclub event and select/copy the participant list. It looks something like:
Participants (26) 1. Player One 2. Player Two 3. Player Three ...
On the Setup screen, tap "Import from Reclub" next to "Add Players". Or go to the Players screen and tap the "Import" button.
Paste the copied text into the text area and tap "Parse Players". PickleQ will extract all the player names automatically.
You'll see a list of all players found. Uncheck anyone you don't want to import. Players already in your session or database will be marked as "already added".
Tap the green "Import X Players" button. Done! All selected players are added instantly.
| Location | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Setup Screen | Players are added to the current session (they'll appear in "Not Here Yet") |
| Players Screen | Players are saved to your roster for future sessions |
Players can now watch the live session on their own phones! They can see the queue, current matches, and their wait time in real-time.
During an active session, staff can share a live session link. Players scan a QR code or receive the URL directly.
Players open the link in their phone's browser. No app download needed!
The page updates automatically. Players can see:
Skill levels help PickleQ create balanced teams. When possible, it pairs a stronger player with a newer player on each team, so games are competitive and fun for everyone.
| Level | Stars | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | ★ | New to pickleball, still learning basic rules and strokes |
| Intermediate | ★★ | Knows the game well, consistent play, developing strategy |
| Advanced | ★★★ | Highly skilled, strong strategy, competitive player |
| Unrated | ☆☆☆ | No skill level set (treated as average) |
The "Lock Partners" feature keeps two players on the same team for every game. Perfect for couples, parent-child pairs, or friends who want to stick together.
Both players must be in the "Checked In" section before you can lock them.
Find the first player and tap the chain/lock icon next to their name.
Tap the second player's name. Both players will now show a lock indicator.
Tap the lock icon on either locked player, then tap "Unlock" to separate them.
PickleQ can announce matches out loud using text-to-speech. This is great for busy courts where players might not be watching the screen.
Tap the speaker icon (🔊) in the header to toggle announcements on or off. Your preference is saved for future sessions.
Running 1-on-1 games instead of doubles? PickleQ supports that too!
On the setup screen, tap "Singles" instead of "Doubles".
You need at least 2 players to start a singles session.
Each court gets 2 players. Everything else works the same!
Welcome to PickleQ! Here's what you need to know as a player.
PickleQ uses a fair queue system:
Need to rest or grab water? Ask staff to "check you out." You'll be removed from the queue temporarily. Just check back in when you're ready to play again!
PickleQ tracks your performance across sessions. Here's what's tracked:
| Stat | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Games Played | Total number of games you've participated in |
| Wins | Number of games your team won |
| Losses | Number of games your team lost |
| Win Rate | Percentage of games won (wins divided by total games) |
| Ranking | Your position compared to other players |
Show off your achievements with beautiful stats cards!
After the session ends, you'll see the leaderboard. Or visit the venue's public leaderboard link.
Find yourself on the leaderboard and tap your name.
A beautiful card appears showing your name, skill level, record, and ranking.
Shows rankings for the current session only. Displayed automatically when a session ends.
Shows lifetime rankings across all sessions (requires venue cloud sync).
To appear on the ranked leaderboard, players typically need a minimum number of games (default: 10). This prevents players with just 1 win from topping the charts!
Setting up a venue enables cloud sync, public leaderboards, and multi-device access. This is optional but recommended for recreation centers and clubs.
Tap the gear icon (⚙️) in the header, then "Set Up Venue".
Type your venue name (e.g., "Green Valley Recreation Center"). A URL will be auto-generated.
Choose a password (minimum 4 characters). Staff will use this to access your venue on other devices.
Tap "Create Venue". All your existing players and stats will sync to the cloud.
If your venue is already set up:
PickleQ works completely offline! This is great for outdoor courts with spotty wifi.
If you run a session offline with a venue configured:
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, clear your browser cache or try a different browser. PickleQ works best on Chrome, Safari, and Firefox.
Look for the "Undo" popup that appears for 10 seconds after recording. Tap it to reverse the result. If the popup is gone, you'll need to manually adjust (the stats will be slightly off).
Tap the player's name on the court card and select "Pull from Court". They'll return to the queue.
Check that:
Make sure:
The "Start Session" button requires at least 4 checked-in players (for doubles) or 2 (for singles). Make sure enough players are in the "Checked In" section.
Data is stored in your browser's local storage. If you cleared browser data, switched browsers, or used incognito mode, local data won't be there. Cloud-synced data (venues) is preserved - just rejoin your venue.
Yes! PickleQ is completely free to use. No subscriptions, no hidden fees.
No account is needed for basic use. Creating a venue (optional) enables cloud sync and public leaderboards.
PickleQ works on any device with a modern web browser - phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. No app download required.
It's first-in-first-out (FIFO). Players who check in earlier play sooner. After each game, all players go to the back of the queue.
PickleQ pairs players of different skill levels together. A ★★★ player partners with a ★ player, facing another similar pairing. This creates competitive games for everyone.
Yes! After a session ends, players can view and share their stats. With a venue set up, they can also access the public leaderboard anytime.
PickleQ automatically finds a substitute from the queue. If no substitute is available, the match is paused until someone is available.
Yes! Each browser/device maintains its own session. You can run simultaneous sessions at different courts.
Go to the Players screen (tap the players icon), find the player, and tap "Delete". This removes them from your saved roster but preserves their historical stats.
Yes! Tap the player's name and select "Edit" to change their skill level. The change takes effect for their next game.
PickleQ supports up to 10 courts per session.
First by win percentage, then by total games played, then alphabetically by name.
Open PickleQ and start your first session!
Open PickleQ