Senior pickleball tournaments are the top tiers of competition for mature pickleball players. With tournaments taking place in every region of the country, mature age groups are never far from participating in their favorite sport’s competitive action. Whether you’re looking to compete or attend, we’ve gathered a list of the most popular senior tournament games in the world of pickleball.
USSP Tournaments
US Senior Pickleball (USSP) is a division of the Super Senior International Pickleball Association (SSIPA). It operates intending to ensure that senior players in the world of pickleball are granted the respect and opportunities for competitive tournament play that they deserve. USSP is behind some of the largest senior tournaments in pickleball, and they have a packed schedule of tournament events across the country.
All USSP tournaments are sanctioned by USSP themselves, and the organization seeks no further sanctioning for any event. All tournaments are created for players who are 50 years or older, with age divisions set up at five-year intervals. Membership into the USSP is strongly suggested but is available at a low cost, plus members receive a credit on tournament fees. USSP also requires that any player who registers for a tournament set up a profile at pickleballbrackets.com.
USSP adheres to the guidelines outlined in the USA Pickleball Rule Book for tournament play. Players should be well informed of the official rules of USA Pickleball before registering for any event.
As mentioned, standard age division is set up at five-year intervals for players with a skill level rating of 3.0 – 4.5+. If necessary, depending on the number of attending tournament participants, age groups may be assigned at ten-year intervals instead so that all 50-year-olds, 60-year-olds, 70-year-olds, etc., would play in an age division with their decadal peers.
USSP prefers to use a round-robin style format in their tournaments when possible. At least two teams are required for each bracket. Singles, doubles, and mixed doubles tournaments are available. They typically only separate teams by skill levels only when it’s necessary to complete a bracket.
In the event that skill rating is used, competitors may choose to remain in their age group by moving up in skill rating if that’s an option. Likewise, players may also choose to play down in the age bracket to stay at their skill level if that’s the only option.
USSP categorizes its tournaments on a regional basis and then combines them into the National and Zone Championship Series. Here’s a rundown of the tournaments and dates, and venues for each region, plus the championship series. Please note that all listings are for 2023 or 2024, and that location and dates may change in the future.
USSP West Zone Tournament Circuit
- Maui Pukaball Tournament, located in Wailwa Ilk PI Kihei (1/26-1/30/23)
- San Juan Bautista Tournament in San Juan Bautista, CA (1/28/23-1/29/23)
- The Aaron Gifford Benefit Tournament, located in Las Cruces, NM (4/1/23-4/2/23)
- Prescott Spring Fling, located in Prescott, AZ (4/13/23-4/16/23)
- Lake Chelan Pickleball, located in Manson, WA (4/28/23-4/30/23)
- Bay Area Senior Games, located in Palo Alto, CA (5/26/23-5/29/23)
- The Last Frontier Pickleball Open, located in Anchorage, AK (6/21/23-6/26/23)
- Willamette Valley Tournament by PIG. located in Albany, OR (7/7/23-7/9/23)
- ICCU Pickleball Jamboree, located in Spokane, WA (7/19/23-7/23/23)
- The Longest Day, located in Anchorage, AK (7/21/23-7/24/23)
- Washington State Senior Pickleball Tournament, located in Lacey, WA (8/4/23-8/8/23)
- Crown of the Continent Pickleball Tournament, located in Bigfork, MT (8/11/23-8/13/23)
- Colorado Open Pickleball Tournament, located at Pikes Peak or Bust Colorado Springs, CO (8/11/23-8/13/23)
- Labor Day Tournament, located in Prescott, AZ (9/7/23-9/9/23)
- Legends Autumn Classic, located in Redmond, WA (9/28/23-10/1/23)
USSP East Zone Tournament Circuit
- Humana Super Senior, located in Holly Hill, FL ( 5/5/23-5/7/23)
- PickleBallerz Mid Atlantic Senior Open, located in Chantilly, VA (6/2/23-6/4/23)
- East Coast Senior Championships, located in Salisbury, MD (6/17/23-6/18-23)
- Pennypacker Pickleball Country Club Classic, located in Downington, PA (8/3/23-8/5/23)
- State Championship Tournament, located in Ashville, NC (8/4/23-8/6/23)
- GPA Fall Frenzy, located in Macon, GA (9/22/23-9/24/23)
USSP Central Zone Tournament Circuit
- Cowtown Senior Open Series 1, located in Fort Worth, TX (2/21/23-2/22/23)
- Cowtown Senior Open Series 2, located in Fort Worth, TX (4/4/23-4/5/23)
- Horseshoe Bay Resort Spring Open, located in Horseshoe Bay, TX (4/11/23-4/13/23)
- Quad States Senior Open at Robson Ranch, located in Denton, TX (4/21/23-4/23/23)
- Southwest Missouri Senior Games, located in Springfield, MO (4/27/23-4/28/23)
- Bush Tennis Center Senior Open, located in Midland, TX (4/29/23-4/30/23)
- Houston Lake Conroe May-Day Classic, located in Montgomery, TX (5/12/23-5/14/23)
- Heights Athletic Club Memorial Pickleball, located in Harker Heights, TX (5/27/23-5/29/23)
- The Sunmed Spa City Classic, located in Hot Spring, AR (7/6/23-7/9/23)
- Lost Forest Summer Slam, located in Houston, TX (7/14/23-7/15/23)
- Waco Wet n Wild Pickleball Tournament, located in Waco, TX (7/28/23-7/30/23)
- NW Arkansas Senior Tournament, located in Springdale, AR (8/4/23-8/6/23)
- Indiana State Games, located in Evansville, IN (8/4/23-8/6/23)
- Cowtown Senior Open Series 3, located in Fort Worth, TX (8/15/23-8/16/23)
- Senior Pickleball Classic, located in Knoxville, TN (8/26/23-8/27/23)
- Bush Tennis Center Senior Pickleball Open, located in Midland, TX (9/16/23-9/17/23)
- Brownwood Pickleball Classic, located in Brownwood, TX (10/5/23-10/8/23)
- Cowtown Senior Open Series 4, located in Fort Worth, TX (10/10/23-10/11/23)
- Houston Lake Conroe Senior Classic, located in Montgomery, TX (10/13/23-10/15/23)
- Oklahoma Senior Games, located in Oklahoma City, OK (10/20/23-10/22/23)
- Horseshoe Bay Resort Senior Fall Open, Located in Horseshoe Bay, TX (10/31/23-11/2/23)
- Cowtown Senior Open Series 5, located in Fort Worth, TX (12/5/23-12/6/23)
USSP National and Zone Championship Series
- USSP National Indoor Championship, located in Oklahoma City, OK (6/2/23-6/4/23)
- USSP South Central Zone Championships, located in Denton, TX (10/6/23-10/8/23)
- USSP South East Zone Championships, located in Hoschton, GA (9/1/23-9/3/23)
- USSP South West Zone Championships, located in El Mirage, AZ (11/1/23-11/3/23)
- USSP National Championship, located in Rockwall, TX (9/22/23-9/24/23)
National Senior Games
The National Senior Games Association typically puts on a USA Pickleball sanctioned event, although this year, the most current pickleball event schedule is set to not be released until November. This means that we don’t currently have a schedule to pass along for the USA Pickleball Nationals Senior Games Association, but we have our eyes and ears peeled for the details.
Senior Pickleball Tournaments By State
Almost every state has its own schedule of pickleball events and tournaments that take place throughout the year, and of course, senior tournaments are included in this! It would take us an entire book to list every single senior age division tournament in every state. Here are some of the biggest and most popular senior tournaments across the United States.
San Diego Senior Games Pickleball Tournament
The San Diego Senior Games Senior Pickleball Tournament takes place at the Bishop Rec Center in Oceanside, CA. This tournament will be played from August 25-August 27, 2023. To qualify, competitors must not be any younger than 50 years old.
T-shirts and medals are awarded by gender within each age division. Age divisions are divided into five-year intervals, starting at age 50 and continuing through to 80+. Entry fees for the San Diego Senior Games Pickleball Tournament cost a total of $70, which includes an entry fee of $40 per person plus a $30 sports fee.
Oregon Senior Games Pickleball Tournament
The Oregon Senior Games Pickleball Tournament takes place at the Linn Benton Community College, located in Albany, OR. This tournament typically takes place in August, with the 2023 event happening from August 10 through August 13.
This tournament will feature women’s doubles and singles matches, men’s doubles and singles, and mixed doubles tournaments. The mixed doubles events are separated between recreational players with a pickleball skill level of 2.5-3.5 and advanced play for skill levels ranging between 4.0-5.0. Players may use their own paddles if they are approved, and the ball used in tournament play is the Franklin X 40 pickleball series.
Age divisions are set up in five-year increments, but age groups may be combined if there are not enough players needed to complete a bracket. Tournaments are played round-robin style, with medals going to the winners. Athletes who medal as one of the first, second, third, or fourth-place winners will qualify to play in the National Senior Games.
Idaho Senior Games Pickleball Tournament
Senior pickleball players in Idaho will want to start preparing themselves to play in the Idaho Senior Games Pickleball Tournament, which is held from August 25th to August 27th, 2023, at Settlers Park in Meridian, Idaho.
The tournament is open to players whose ages are 50 years or older. Categories of tournament play include men’s doubles and singles for both recreational and advanced players, women’s singles and doubles for both recreational and advanced players, and mixed doubles, also with separate divisions for recreational and advanced players.
Vermont Senior Games Pickleball
The Vermont Senior Games are taking place at both Leddy Park in Burlington, VT, and Airport Park in Colchester from August 25-August 27, 2023. The tournament features the full spectrum of men’s and women’s singles and doubles, along with mixed doubles tournaments.
The final format of the tournament will be determined by how many athletes are registered. For mixed doubles, where age division can be determined by only one partner, it will be the younger age of the two partners that will be considered. Skill level divisions will include 3.0-3.9 and 4.0 and above. All competitors to finish in the top three for their age group will be eligible to play in the pickleball National Senior Games.
New Jersey Senior Olympics Pickleball Tournament
The New Jersey Senior Olympic Pickleball Tournament is a qualifying event for the National Senior Games, which takes place in Pittsburg. The New Jersey Senior Olympics takes place from September 8 – September 9 and is open to players who are 50 years or older.
Brackets for this tournament will be organized by age group, with five-year increments being the goal. The tournament director reserves the right to reorganize brackets based on attendance and available age groups. This tournament does offer a matching system where players needing partners can find a player that they’re compatible with.
FAQs
How old are seniors in pickleball?
In general, most state, regional, and national senior games require that athletes be at least 50 years old by a certain date before event registration. Almost all tournaments are divided into age divisions at five-year intervals unless the tournament director determines otherwise based on attendance. That said, it’s always wise to check with each tournament individually regarding their age cut-off for senior games.
Who are the top senior pickleball players?
Some of the top senior pickleball players in the United States include Scott Moore, Dave Weinbach, Paul Olin, Cammy McGreggor, Kris Anderson, and Jennifer Dawson. Keep in mind that the minimum age for a pickleball senior is only 50, so many of these pros actually appear quite young.
Keep Track of the Regional and National Senior Games in Pickleball
No matter what your skill level, there’s a senior pickleball tournament with your name on it! Whether this is your first event or your one-hundredth, we’re here to help guide the way. Keep in touch for more information about tournaments, your favorite players, pickleball gear, and more.
Looking for 80+ tournaments in Texas
Hi Betty,
There aren’t many tournaments specifically for 80+, but there are senior tournaments that offer age divisions so that you’ll be playing with others who are closer in age. This site is a good resource for up-to-date information on pickleball tournaments throughout Texas. On this list is the 2nd Annual Sharon Jefkins Memorial Pickleball Tournament, which is a senior tournament for 55+. Many of the other tournaments will have senior-age divisions as well.
https://www.pickleballtournaments.com/tlisting.pl?sublist=Y&selyear=2023&selstate=TX
1] What is the difference between a Senior Elites Pickleball Tournament and a Senior Pickleball Tournament?
2] I prefer to stay in the central part of the country. IE: Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Oklahoma but am willing to travel to participate in a Senior Tournament. How do I find Senior Tournaments in this area of country? Are they simply few and far between in this part of the country?
3] I played my first Senior Olympic last fall. Illinois Senior Olympic games. My partner and I met just prior to our first match. We did well I believe with Bronze. Any suggestions on how to locate partners for these events? We have a large pickleball group here, but when looking at the age group near 70 the availability is very slim.
Thank you.
Roger Lunt
Hi Roger,
There isn’t a difference between an Elite pickleball tournament and a regular one. In many cases, Elite is used because it’s a name associated with the event’s sponsor. If you’re unsure, you can always check what skill level/pickleball ranking the tournament is open for.
For finding pickleball tournaments in your area, this site is a great reference, and it’s one we use frequently: https://www.pickleballtournaments.com/
As far as locating partners for events, local pickleball clubs or even going to social media and searching for senior pickleball clubs would be a good place to start, especially if you’re more interested in finding local partners that you can practice with on a regular basis.
Also, congratulations on doing so well with your first Senior Olympic event!!
Why is there no links to sign up for these tournaments
Most of these tournaments can be found on Pickleball Tournaments or Pickleball Brackets. If there’s a specific tournament you’re interested in, I’d be happy to find the registration link for you.
When will be your next tournament in south Florida for players 60 or older
There are multiple stops during the APP tour scheduled in South Florida for seniors age 55+, including dates in Boca Raton and Delray Beach.
I’m an 88-year-old Australian male and I play with a group of mature-aged pickleballers mostly in their 60s and 70s. I would love to try out with others my age. In Australia the top age group in tournaments is 75 years plus. What’s it in the U.S.?
It is amazing that you’re so active at 88 years old; we can all hope to age so gracefully! Many tournaments here have age groups for players 80+.