Thursday Advanced King of the Court Participation Policy
1. Purpose
Central Highlands Pickleball Club Inc (CHP) provides a range of playing opportunities designed to cater for different skill levels, experience and styles of play.
The Thursday Night King of the Court (KoC) session is specifically designated as an advanced playing session.
The purpose of this policy is to:
Maintain an appropriate standard of play at Thursday Night KoC.
Provide advanced players with a reliable session where they can expect to play against players of a broadly comparable standard.
Maintain the competitive nature, speed and quality of the King of the Court format.
Provide clear and objective pathways for developing players to qualify for the advanced session.
Ensure participation decisions are fair, consistent and transparent.
Encourage player development without requiring every CHP session to cater for every skill level.
Thursday Night KoC is therefore a restricted advanced session and is not an open-play or beginner session.
2. Why the Session is Restricted
CHP is committed to providing inclusive opportunities for players to participate and develop.
Inclusivity does not require every Club session to be open to every playing level.
Different sessions may legitimately be designed for:
Beginners.
Developing players.
Social play.
Intermediate players.
Competitive players.
Advanced players.
Juniors.
Coaching and development.
Particular competition formats.
Thursday Night KoC has been established specifically to provide an appropriately challenging environment for advanced players.
A significant difference in playing ability can affect:
The competitiveness of games.
The effectiveness of the King of the Court format.
Player enjoyment.
Rally quality and intensity.
Player safety.
The willingness of advanced players to participate.
CHP will therefore maintain minimum eligibility requirements for this session.
CHP has previously trialled broader access to Thursday Night KoC, including allowing players across a wider range of playing levels to participate.
While the trial was intended to provide greater playing opportunities and encourage development, CHP found that the broader range of playing standards had a detrimental effect on the intended purpose and operation of the session.
In particular, CHP observed that the increased difference in playing ability affected the competitiveness and consistency of games and reduced the attractiveness of the session to some of the advanced players for whom it was originally established.
Following that experience, CHP has determined that Thursday Night KoC should return to operating as a designated advanced session with the eligibility pathways established in this policy.
This decision does not reflect negatively on beginner or developing players. CHP remains committed to providing appropriate opportunities for those players through Sunday KoC and other Club sessions.
Different sessions serve different purposes, and maintaining an advanced session is part of providing a balanced range of playing opportunities across the Club.
3. Eligibility
A player is eligible to participate in Thursday Night KoC where they satisfy at least one of the following qualification pathways:
Pathway 1: DUPR Rating
The player has a current DUPR rating of 3.0 or higher.
Either a doubles or other relevant DUPR rating may be considered by CHP depending upon the format being played.
CHP may consider the reliability and currency of a DUPR rating where appropriate.
Pathway 2: Coach Approval
The player has been assessed and approved for Thursday Night KoC by a CHP authorised coach.
Coach approval allows players whose demonstrated playing ability is appropriate for the session to qualify even where they:
Do not yet have a DUPR rating.
Have insufficient DUPR results for their rating to accurately reflect their ability.
Have developed beyond their current recorded rating.
Otherwise demonstrate the skills and playing standard required for advanced play.
Pathway 3: Sunday King of the Court Qualification
A player who wins CHP Sunday King of the Court on three consecutive occasions in which they participate will qualify for Thursday Night KoC.
This pathway recognises sustained performance within CHP's own playing environment and provides developing players with a clear progression pathway into advanced play.
The three wins must be consecutive Sunday KoC appearances by that player. Missing a Sunday session does not break the sequence; participating without winning does.
Once the three-win requirement has been achieved and confirmed by CHP, the player will be eligible for Thursday Night KoC.
4. CHP Membership
Thursday Night KoC is primarily a CHP member session.
Players must ordinarily hold a current CHP membership and meet one of the qualification pathways in this policy.
CHP may permit an eligible visiting player or guest to participate at the discretion of the Committee, session organiser or authorised coach.
Guest participation does not create an ongoing entitlement to attend future sessions.
5. Coach Approval
Coach approval is based on whether a player is considered capable of participating appropriately and competitively at the level expected of Thursday Night KoC.
When assessing a player, an authorised coach may consider:
Serve and return consistency.
Ability to sustain rallies.
Shot selection.
Court positioning.
Movement and court coverage.
Ability to play effectively at the non-volley zone.
Control of pace and placement.
Ability to attack and defend appropriately.
Understanding of doubles strategy.
Ability to adapt during competitive play.
Performance against players already participating at the advanced level.
Overall match readiness.
Approval is based on overall playing ability rather than whether a player can demonstrate every individual skill perfectly.
6. DUPR is a Qualification Pathway, Not the Only Measure
CHP recognises that DUPR is useful but is not a perfect measure of playing ability.
A player may therefore qualify through coach approval or Sunday KoC performance even if their DUPR rating is below 3.0 or they do not currently have a DUPR rating.
Similarly, where there is a reasonable concern that a DUPR rating does not accurately represent a player's current playing standard, CHP may seek clarification or an assessment before approving participation.
The purpose of the rating requirement is to maintain the standard of the session, not simply to enforce a number.
7. Sunday KoC as the Development Pathway
CHP's Sunday and Thursday King of the Court sessions are intended to operate together as part of a player development pathway.
Sunday KoC provides an appropriate competitive environment for developing and intermediate players.
Thursday KoC provides an advanced competitive environment for players who have reached the required playing standard.
Players participating in Sunday KoC have an opportunity to:
Develop their competitive game.
Play against a range of opponents.
Demonstrate improvement.
Gain experience with the KoC format.
Progress towards Thursday Night qualification.
A player who wins Sunday KoC on three consecutive occasions in which they participate qualifies for Thursday Night KoC.
Missing a Sunday session does not break the sequence. Participating in a Sunday KoC without winning does.
Qualification for Thursday does not necessarily make a player immediately ineligible for Sunday.
Eligibility for Sunday KoC is determined separately under the CHP Sunday King of the Court Participation Policy, including its upper playing-level requirements.
This creates an intentional transition period where a developing player may qualify for Thursday while remaining eligible for Sunday until they progress beyond the Sunday session's playing level.
8. Booking and Access
Thursday Night KoC will be identified in CourtFlow as an Advanced session.
Where practicable, CourtFlow may be used to manage eligibility.
A player's profile may record qualification based upon:
DUPR 3.0+.
Coach approval.
Sunday KoC qualification.
Another eligibility determination approved by CHP.
Only eligible players will ordinarily be able to book into the session.
A successful booking does not override this policy where a player has booked as a result of incorrect, outdated or incomplete information.
CHP may cancel or amend an ineligible booking where necessary to maintain the requirements of the session.
9. Session Capacity
Qualification does not guarantee a place at every Thursday Night KoC session.
Session numbers may be limited by:
Court availability.
Venue capacity.
The KoC format.
Session duration.
Operational or safety requirements.
Where more eligible players wish to participate than places are available, bookings will ordinarily be managed through CourtFlow using the applicable booking or waitlist process.
10. Maintaining Eligibility
Qualification for Thursday Night KoC will ordinarily continue while the player remains reasonably suited to the standard and nature of the session.
CHP does not intend to continually move players in and out of eligibility because of minor DUPR fluctuations or temporary changes in form.
However, eligibility may be reviewed where:
A player's playing standard has materially changed.
A player's DUPR or other relevant playing information indicates a significant and sustained change in playing level.
The player is returning after a significant period away from the sport.
There are reasonable safety concerns relating to participation at the required playing level.
Qualification was recorded incorrectly.
The format or standard of Thursday KoC materially changes.
Other circumstances reasonably justify reassessment of the player's suitability for the session.
A DUPR rating moving slightly below 3.0 will not automatically remove eligibility.
Where eligibility is reviewed, CHP should consider the player's overall current playing ability rather than relying solely upon a single rating or result.
Where appropriate, an authorised CHP coach may reassess the player.
The purpose of any review is to maintain the intended advanced playing standard of Thursday KoC, not to punish or discipline a player.
11. Behaviour and Sportsmanship
Thursday Night KoC remains subject to the CHP Code of Conduct and other applicable Club policies.
Advanced and competitive play does not excuse:
Abuse.
Intimidation.
Poor sportsmanship.
Deliberately dangerous play.
Disrespect towards partners or opponents.
Hostility towards developing players.
Arguments concerning rankings or results.
Players are expected to contribute positively to the competitive but welcoming environment CHP intends the session to provide.
12. Eligibility Decisions and Membership Rights
Eligibility decisions may be made by:
An authorised CHP coach.
The session organiser acting within their delegated authority.
A person authorised by the CHP Committee.
The CHP Committee where required.
Where a player does not currently qualify, they may seek an appropriate assessment or continue participating in other CHP sessions with the aim of qualifying in the future.
Eligibility for Thursday Night KoC is a session participation requirement.
A decision that a player:
Does not qualify.
No longer meets the required playing standard.
Requires reassessment.
Cannot book a particular Thursday session.
is not, by itself, disciplinary action.
It does not:
Suspend CHP membership.
Terminate CHP membership.
Remove the person's general rights as a CHP member.
Prevent the member from participating in other CHP activities for which they are eligible.
CHP membership does not provide an automatic entitlement to participate in every Club session irrespective of the session's designated playing level, capacity, format or eligibility requirements.
Where CHP proposes formal disciplinary action against a member for alleged misconduct, that action must be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure contained in the CHP Rules of Association.
13. Exceptions
CHP may approve an exception where there is a reasonable operational or sporting reason to do so.
Examples may include:
Invited advanced players from another club.
Visiting tournament players.
Coaches.
Trial or assessment participation.
Special events.
Circumstances necessary to make the session format operate effectively.
An exception for one session does not automatically provide ongoing qualification.
14. Relationship With Other CHP Sessions
CHP aims to provide playing opportunities across a range of skill levels.
Players who do not currently qualify for Thursday Night KoC are encouraged to participate in other appropriate CHP sessions and development opportunities.
The existence of eligibility requirements for Thursday Night KoC does not prevent CHP from creating additional advanced, intermediate, social or development sessions as membership and court availability permit.
15. Policy Administration
The CHP Committee may review:
The 3.0 DUPR threshold.
Qualification pathways.
Sunday KoC qualification requirements.
Session format.
Coaching assessment arrangements.
CourtFlow eligibility controls.
Changes may be made where required to maintain an appropriate balance between player development, session quality, participation opportunities and the needs of the Club.
Any material change to eligibility requirements should be communicated to members.
16. Relationship With Other CHP Policies and Rules
This policy should be read together with:
CHP Rules of Association.
CHP Sunday King of the Court Participation Policy.
CHP Code of Conduct.
CHP Member Protection Policy.
CHP Complaint Handling Process.
CHP Membership Policy.
Other applicable CHP participation and safety policies.
This policy establishes eligibility for a particular playing session. It does not create a separate disciplinary process or override rights provided by the CHP Rules of Association.
Where there is any inconsistency between this policy and the Rules of Association or applicable law, the Rules of Association and applicable law prevail.
17. Final Principle
Thursday Night King of the Court exists to provide advanced, competitive pickleball.
CHP welcomes and encourages players of all abilities, but recognises that a healthy Club requires different playing opportunities for different stages of player development.
Accordingly, Thursday Night KoC will remain a restricted advanced session.
Players can qualify through:
DUPR 3.0+
OR Coach Approval
OR Three Consecutive Sunday KoC Wins
These pathways provide both an objective playing standard and a clear progression route for CHP members who aspire to participate in advanced play.
Version: 1.1
Effective Date: September 2025
Last Review Date: August 2026
Responsible Body: CHP Committee
Approved by: CHP Committee
Review: Annually or as required