No, Everyone is not Sandbagging...

Sandbagging: (verb) to downplay one's ability (towards others) in a game in order to deceive, as in gambling

Over the past year, this might have been the most used word in the pickleball community. Now more than ever, players are being accused of playing below their level in tournaments and leagues, just to have a better shot at getting that precious medal. 

It is being said that "everyone sandbags in tournaments" and "you have to play half a point down in tournaments if you want to be able to compete."

But if everyone is sandbagging, at what point is that just the true level? It isn't that the "3.5 bracket is all 4.0s playing down," it's that pickleball has gotten more competitive. The level that it took to win a 3.5 tournament a couple years ago is nowhere near the level it takes to win one in 2023.  

Drops, resets, and consistent dinking: those are skills that 3.5 players are now exhibiting. Those are also skills that take hours upon hours of practice and experience to perfect. That was unheard of at 3.5 two years ago!

Besides, tournaments are where your level is truly tested. Everyone inflates their rating for rec play, and the truth is, most rec players have no idea what their true level is.

If you consider yourself to be a 3.5 based on your rec play, but you play a 3.5 tournament and go 0-2, it's probably not because "they were all 4.0s," it's more likely that you simply may not be a 3.5.

As pickleball gets more competitive, all levels become harder to reach, and harder to win at.

Pickleball is now a legitimate sport, and just like any other sport, you need training to play competitively. In fact, some are predicting that by 2025, you will need either formal training or a high level tennis background to reach a true 3.5+ level. Standalone rec play just isn't enough anymore.

Thankfully, finding a qualified coach isn't as hard as it used to be. Just be wary of certified coaches who may not be as certified as they claim (more on that here). Make sure that you're learning from a reputable academy, like Montclair Pickleball, that prides itself on high level programs and coaches. Though of course, the main goal of pickleball is to have fun, so that should always be your number one priority.