James Madison University Pickleball Club Tryouts: A Journey of Selection and Skill

Contributed By Ryan Morneau, JMU Pickleball Club President

Running a growing, competitive pickleball team is no small feat. At James Madison University, our club is booming, and the demand for competitive spots has never been higher. This year, over 200 players expressed interest in joining our competitive squad. With only 32 coveted spots available, our leadership team faced a huge challenge: how do you evaluate that many talented players while staying true to our club’s values of growth and competitive integrity? Let me take you behind the scenes of this year’s tryouts and the journey that led to building our most talented team yet.

Kicking Off Tryouts: A Warm Welcome and Our Core Values

When tryout day finally arrived, we were blown away by the turnout—more than 140 players showed up for the first two days alone, all hoping to secure a spot on the JMU Pickleball Club’s competitive roster. With our eight roll-on net courts set up and ready to go, the scene was set for an action-packed evaluation process. Each court was able to accommodate four players at a time, allowing us to keep the tryouts moving efficiently. Even with our streamlined system, it was still an incredible challenge to assess so many skilled players.

We started the day with an introduction and welcome speech where I, as club president, introduced our executive team. It was important to remind everyone that, no matter the outcome, our club is built on two pillars: growth and competitive integrity. Whether players were here for their first tryout or were returning veterans, we wanted them to feel the strength of our community and our dedication to pushing each other to improve.

We also took a moment to thank our generous sponsors:

• Engage Pickleball, who supply us with top-of-the-line paddles and bags.

• Head Pickleball, keeping us geared up with shoes and accessories.

• ALL DAY VITALITY, our go-to for hydration and electrolyte products.

These partners play a huge role in ensuring that we’re equipped for both practices and competitions. Additionally, we highlighted Pickle for Pay, a partner that continues to help make our program accessible and affordable for all.

The Evaluation Process: Dinks, Drops, and High-Pressure Games

With so many players vying for a spot, we knew we had to run a rigorous and efficient evaluation process. To keep things fair and organized, we split the courts into groups of 12-16 players, with each group rotating through different drills. Every court ran through four rotations of drills to ensure each player had ample opportunity to show off their skills.

1. Crosscourt Dinking
   The day began with a staple of any good pickleball player’s arsenal—dinking. We paired players for crosscourt dinking drills to get a sense of their technical foundation. This drill, though simple, is a perfect way to assess control, touch, and patience—key attributes that separate great players from good ones.

2. Baseline Drops
   Next, we moved on to drops from the baseline, a drill that really let us gauge a player’s ability to transition from defense to offense. Consistency and precision were the name of the game here. We were looking for players who could not only execute the shot but also demonstrate court awareness and strategic thinking.

3. Shortened Games
   Finally, the players transitioned into shortened games, playing to either 5 or 7 points. This gave us a real sense of how they handled game situations—how they communicated with partners, adapted to their opponents, and applied strategy under pressure. With nearly 100 kids lined up along the fence waiting their turn, we worked hard to ensure everyone had at least three games within the hour.

By the end of the first day, the exec team and I had already started to see some standout performances. After wrapping up, we gathered to discuss the day’s top candidates and how we wanted to focus our evaluations for Day 2.

Day 2: Drilling Down on Skill and Strategy

Day 2 brought more excitement—and more tough decisions. This time, we switched up the structure by separating players by gender, allowing us to better assess skill levels within those groups. Our drills became more demanding, testing not just the technical side of each player’s game but their endurance, court awareness, and ability to perform under pressure.

We focused more on the mental side of pickleball as well—how players dealt with mistakes, how quickly they recovered, and whether they showed resilience when facing stronger competition. By the end of the second day, we had narrowed our list down to 35 players who would be invited back for a third, invite-only day.

The Final Day: Intense Competition and Final Decisions

Day 3 of tryouts was where the stakes really ramped up. With just 35 players left, all competing for 32 spots, this was the most intense day yet. We set up mini-games and ran skill-based drives, matching up players of similar abilities to ensure fair comparisons. The level of competition was fierce, but what impressed me most was the sportsmanship and camaraderie between the players. Even with so much on the line, everyone supported one another, embodying the spirit of our club.

After an hour of high-level play, our executive team had the difficult task of making our final selections. The level of talent this year was so high that we actually decided to expand our roster to 33 players—more than we’ve ever taken before. Our final roster includes 12 female players and 20 male players, marking the highest number of female players we’ve ever had on the team. This was a milestone moment for our club and a reflection of the increasing diversity and talent in the sport.

Pickleball's Growth at JMU: Breaking Records and Building a Future

One of the most exciting takeaways from this year’s tryouts was the sheer number of participants. Pickleball is growing faster than ever at JMU—our tryout numbers even outpaced those of traditional sports like baseball and basketball. This surge in interest isn’t just a local trend, it’s happening nationwide. The sport’s rapid rise, especially among younger players, has been amazing to witness.

For those who didn’t make the competitive team this year, there’s still plenty of opportunity to get involved. Our social team, which now has over 400 interested players, provides a fun, low-pressure environment to keep developing skills. Many of our top competitive players—including our current Treasurer, who is now a starter on the championship team—started on the social team and worked their way up through hard work and persistence.

Looking Ahead: New Goals, New Challenges

As we look ahead to the upcoming season, I couldn’t be more excited about the team we’ve assembled. The tryouts were grueling, but they’ve set the stage for an incredible season. Our goal this year is to become a top 10 pickleball program in the country, and I believe we have the talent and drive to get there. Beyond the court, we’re also focusing on growing our social presence locally and nationally, bringing even more attention to pickleball at JMU and beyond.

The journey has just begun, and I can’t wait to see where it takes us. Whether you’re a seasoned player or new to the sport, JMU Pickleball is a community where you can grow, compete, and belong.

Here’s to another amazing season ahead!