If you’ve been wondering how to prepare for a pickleball tournament — and the idea of competing makes your stomach flip — I want to walk you through it, because I know exactly how big and scary that step can feel. Not long ago I listened to an episode of the Smartless podcast where Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett interviewed Michael Stipe of R.E.M. They got to talking about putting yourself out there and trying things that make you uncomfortable, and Michael said something that stuck with me: “If I’m terrified, then I know that I’m doing something right.” The takeaway was simple — being in a spot where you feel uncomfortable is actually a pretty good place to be.

I’ve thought about that a lot, especially when it comes to the players I work with who are working up the courage to compete for the first time. For so many of you, a pickleball tournament feels too big, too scary, too much. I get it. But I also know what’s waiting on the other side of that nervousness, and I don’t want fear to keep you from it. So if a tournament has been sitting on your “someday, maybe” list, let me be the one to prepare you. Here’s everything I want you to know before you step onto that court.

Start With Your Mental Game

Here’s the truth I tell every first-timer: your nerves are normal, and they are not a sign that you don’t belong. Some of the most capable players I know get butterflies before a tournament. The goal isn’t to make the nerves disappear — it’s to keep them from running the show.

A few things help. First, let go of the expectation that you have to win. When you walk in needing to beat everyone, you carry a weight that tightens up your whole game. When you walk in free to simply play your best and see what happens, you loosen up and play better. Give yourself permission to compete without the pressure of a particular result.

Second, watch the story you’re telling yourself. If you’ve had a rough stretch — a tough league, a nagging injury, a dip in confidence — it’s easy to walk into a pickleball tournament already defeated. Don’t. You signed up, and that alone is brave. Now go play your game.

And here’s a small mindset shift that does wonders: decide ahead of time that you and your partner are going to lean into positivity, on purpose. Some of the strongest doubles teams I’ve watched aren’t the ones with the biggest shots. They’re the ones who stay loose, encourage each other, and keep having fun even when a game gets tight.

How to Prepare for Tournament Day

Most first-timers prepare for the pickleball and forget to prepare for the day. Tournament day is long, often hot, and far more physically and mentally draining than a typical rec session. Set yourself up for it.

Arrive early and unrushed. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the venue and check in, so you’re not scrambling and spiking your stress before you’ve hit a single ball. That calm, early start is one of the simplest gifts you can give yourself.

Pack like you’re responsible for your own fuel, because you are. Playing at a beautiful, big-name venue — even something as large as the APP New York City Open — does not guarantee they’ll be selling Gatorade. Bring your own electrolytes and snacks so you’re never caught depending on a vendor that may not be there.

A few more day-of essentials I always recommend:

• Bring extra socks and a change of clothes. Between matches, take your shoes off for a few minutes. It feels incredible and helps your feet recover.
• Find the shade. A little time out of the sun between matches restores you more than you’d expect, especially when the temperature climbs into the 90s.
• Bring your people. A support system courtside — someone to hand you a snack, hold your gear, and cheer you on — is worth more than you’d think.

Pool Play Strategy for First-Timers

You don’t need a hundred advanced tactics for your first pickleball tournament. You need a handful of solid ones you actually use. These are the ones I’d put at the top of your list for pool play and beyond.

• Win the toss? Take the side. When you win the coin toss, choose side rather than serve. Most teams instinctively choose to serve, which means you can start the game on the side you want — wind, sun, background — and walk in with a small but mighty sense of control.
• Only stack if you both truly understand it. Stacking can be a real advantage, but only when both partners know exactly when and why they’re doing it. I’ve watched teams stack poorly and leave huge holes on the court that their opponents happily exploited. If you’re not both confident in it, play your standard positioning.
• Use your timeouts. Timeouts are one of the most underused tools in tournament play. Call one to slow your opponents’ momentum, catch your breath, regroup on strategy, or simply share a laugh and reset. They can change the rhythm of a game in your favor.
• Encourage good shots — even theirs. Be the player who claps for a great shot, whoever hits it. It costs you nothing, it keeps your own energy positive, and it makes the whole match better. You’d be surprised how many players have never experienced that kind of sportsmanship. Be the one who brings it.

When You Face a Tough or Unexpected Matchup

At some point in a tournament, you’ll draw an opponent who rattles you. Maybe they’re ranked higher, maybe they’re far younger and more athletic, maybe they’re a surprisingly skilled kid who clearly grew up with a paddle in hand. Tournaments are full of these moments, and they can mess with your head if you let them.

Here’s my advice: notice the spiral, then reset. The matchup is what it is — you can’t change your opponent’s age or athleticism, so spending energy on it only takes you out of your own game. Take a breath, settle your nerves, and return your attention to the things you can control: your shot selection, your communication with your partner, your effort on the next point. Some of the most rewarding wins come from matches you were sure you’d lose, simply because you stopped fighting the situation and started playing your game.

Maintaining Energy on Long Tournament Days

This is the part first-timers underestimate most. A single tense match in full sun can leave you cooked — mentally and physically — in a way a normal rec session never does. If you want to play well in your last match of the day, you have to manage your energy from the very first one.

• Refuel between every match. Sip your electrolytes and eat something small and steady, even when you don’t feel hungry. Don’t wait until you’re depleted to start replacing what you’ve burned.
• Rest your feet. Slipping out of your shoes for a few minutes between matches, with fresh socks waiting, does more for your recovery than you’d believe.
• Get into the shade and breathe. A few quiet minutes out of the heat will bring you back to life and ready you for the next round.

Take care of your body across the day, and you’ll walk into your later matches feeling restored instead of running on fumes.

Believe You Can — and Have Fun Doing It

If you lose a game early, it does not define your day. I’ve seen players drop a game to a team and then come right back and beat that same team later, for one reason: they believed they could, and they let themselves have fun doing it. Don’t let one tough start convince you the day is over. Keep showing up, keep your energy up, and keep enjoying the people you’re sharing the court with. That joy is often the difference between a team that fades and a team that finishes strong.

You’re More Ready Than You Think

A first pickleball tournament is a tremendous opportunity for growth — the kind you only get by doing the thing that scares you a little. Knowing how to prepare for a pickleball tournament is honestly half the battle, because being ready is the difference between an experience you survive and one you actually enjoy. So if the chance to play in one ever lands in front of you and some part of you wants to try it, I’m telling you: go for it.

That’s exactly why I built the Tournament Game Plan course inside the Better Pickleball Academy. It walks you through everything to do before, during, and even after your pickleball tournament, so nothing catches you off guard and you can focus on playing your best. If a tournament is anywhere on your horizon, start there.

Now that you know how to prepare for a pickleball tournament, go have some fun out there. And when you play that first tournament, come back and tell me how it went in the comments — I’ll be cheering for you.