January 9th, 2019

What's Up With the Game Schedule?

WhatsApp - That's What

Pickleball OSC Uses a Floating Schedule

Because the availability of pickleball courts is at times unpredictable, Pickleball OSC operates and organizes without adhering to a fixed schedule. At first glance, this approach may seem unworkable but we have found that just the opposite is the case.

The "floating schedule" approach is effective because the club coordinator utilizes floor space data from two facilities in combination with the broadcast texting platform called "WhatsApp Messenger" to poll club athletes as to whether a particular game-time and game-location is of interest. Members of the group respond to these polling texts, those responses are recorded, and the coordinator books the appropriate number of courts at the appropriate location to accommodate the number of positive responses.

If, for example, floor space becomes available at one of our two facilities on a particular (but not every) Sunday at 7:00PM, the coordinator polls the group for their interest in meeting at that location and time. Should there be eight positive responses, two courts will be reserved. Instead, should there be eighteen positive responses, four courts will be reserved. A day or two before the proposed game, a report is sent to attending athletes via WhatsApp Messenger to let them know how many other players they can expect at that particular game.

Fees for these floating schedule bookings vary. Individual game fees are dependent on the facility, the day of week, and the time of day. In most instances, players at Pickleball OSC pay $10 for a two-hour session.