How to Enable Player Scoring and Auto-Run Your Tournament

Running a pickleball tournament just got easier with the new feature that allows players to enter their own scores directly from their phones, while the tournament system auto-runs matches and court assignments. This guide will walk you through the essentials of setting up and managing this feature, along with tips from experienced tournament directors who have tested it extensively.

Getting Started: Enabling Player Score Entry and Texting

To use this feature, the first step is enabling texting in your tournament setup. Texting is crucial because players receive match assignments and score entry links via text messages, making communication seamless and instant.

• Go to your Edit Tourney menu and scroll down to ensure texting is turned on. Note the extra cost per player (not per text). 
• Next, navigate to your Events screen and click the edit pencil next to the event you want to allow player score entry for.
• Scroll to the bottom and toggle on Can players enter scores? and set the Minutes until auto confirm. A three-minute confirmation window is a good starting point, though some run instant confirmation or 1 minute confirmation for faster flow.
• If your event has a playoff scheduled, you'll see an additional toggle switch to allow player to enter scores for their playoff matches.
• Save your changes.

Once enabled, verify your event in the live console to confirm it is ready for tournament day. You will see an icon indicating that players can enter scores for that event.

Using Court Desk and Auto-Run Features

The court desk interface now supports an Auto-Run mode combined with player-entered scoring. This means the system automatically assigns courts and sends out matches as players finish and enter their scores.

• Start your events from the live console, by selection options, then "start" in the menu.  
• Go to the waiting tab in live console once you have started matches
• Use the Fill Empty Court button to assign matches to available courts automatically.
• Navigate to the court desk to view courts and refresh as needed
• As scores are entered and confirmed, the system assigns the next matches to freed-up courts without manual intervention.
• If you run tournaments on designated courts or "pods," you can exclude courts from certain events to control where matches are played.

This auto-run setup frees tournament directors from manually tracking and assigning matches, allowing them to focus on helping players and maintaining smooth operations.

Player Experience: How Players Enter Scores

Players receive text messages with match assignments and a direct link to enter their scores after finishing a match. The process is straightforward:

1. Players tap the link right from their phone, or go to the tournament page and click View Current Matches.
2. They enter the score on their phone and hit Save.
3. One player then clicks Finish Match to submit the score for opponent confirmation.
4. The opposing team receives a prompt to either Confirm or Dispute the score.
5. If disputed, both teams are directed to the tournament desk to resolve the issue.

To ensure smooth operation, tournament directors recommend informing players well in advance to:

• Be logged into their Pickleball.com account on their phone before tournament day.
• Have texting enabled in their player profile, making sure their phone number as well as their country code are both correct
• Bring reading glasses or other aids if needed to comfortably enter scores on their device.

Best Practices and Tips from Tournament Directors

Experienced directors Janice and Kati  shared valuable insights based on their real-world use of this feature:

• Instant Confirmation vs. Time Delay: Instant confirmation speeds up play but may cause issues in single or double elimination brackets if mistakes occur. A 2-3 minute confirmation window is ideal for elimination rounds.
• Player Education: Hold a brief meeting before the event to explain score entry. Having a dedicated person to assist players during the first round helps ease anxiety and ensures everyone understands the process.
• Score Entry Responsibility: Assign the winning team to enter the score to avoid conflicts or multiple entries.
• Monitoring: Walk around with a tablet showing the live court desk or bracket view to monitor score entry and court assignments, rather than staying tied to the tournament desk.
• Managing Courts and Pods: Use the Manage Event Court Counts and Start Times screen to exclude courts and assign pods for better control over where matches are played.
• Handling Disputes: Disputes are rare and usually resolved quickly at the tournament desk.
• Mixed Use: You can enable player score entry for some events and use traditional paper score sheets for others within the same tournament.

How to Know Scores Are Entered and Verified

Tournament directors can verify score entry by:

• Watching the Live Console bracket view to see scores populate in real time.
• Monitoring the Court Desk to track court assignments and match progress.
• Checking for matches that have been on a court too long without score entry, then contacting players directly.
• Relying on opponent confirmation of scores; if a score is disputed or unconfirmed, players will be prompted to visit the tournament desk.

Additional Considerations

• If you have referees using the official referee app, score sheets may not be necessary as referees can enter scores on their app, or they can will turn in the score sheet.
• Printed score sheets are generally not needed with player score entry enabled, but you can still print them if desired.
• Auto-fill court assignments work best when player score entry is enabled, but you can use auto-fill with some events using paper score sheets and others using phone entry.
• The system sends multiple text notifications to players for match assignments, score entry, and confirmations, so encourage players to pay attention to these messages.

Summary

Enabling players to enter their own scores and using the auto-run court desk feature transforms how pickleball tournaments are managed. This approach reduces manual score tracking, speeds up match progression, and empowers players to take an active role in tournament operations. With proper setup, clear communication, and some hands-on support during the first matches, tournament directors can enjoy a smoother, more efficient tournament day.

For Further Review

For a deeper dive into this feature and to see it in action, watch the full webinar recording on the Pickleball Play Solutions YouTube channel. It covers all aspects of setting up, running, and troubleshooting player score entry and auto-run tournaments.