Home » Adult Sports » Indoor Pickleball at Greater Austin YMCA

Indoor Pickleball at Greater Austin YMCA

For All Skill Levels

Pickleball is a fast-growing paddle sport that’s fun, social, and easy to pick up for all ages and skill levels. With Austin quickly becoming a hotspot for pickleball, the Greater Austin Y offers a strong, welcoming community to play and improve your game.

Our multi-purpose indoor courts are stripped for multiple pickleball courts and support both Skills-Based play and Open Play. Court reservations are managed through Pickleball Den, making it easy to plan your play and get on the court.

Court Reservations Launch January 20!

A woman smiles while playing a game of pickleball

Pickleball Den

Pickleball Den is our court reservation system that makes it easy to play with members at your level, join Open Play hours, and connect with other players.

Members must register for Pickleball Den at the welcome desk to reserve courts and play pickleball at Greater Austin Y.

Pickleball Den court reservations will be available at Townlake, East Communities, North Austin, Northwest Family, Springs Family, and Hays Communities Y.

Skill Level Play vs Open Play

Skill Level Play
Skill level play offers a more competitive and balanced Pickleball experience. Members and guest must self rate and reserve courts based on that rating through Pickleball Den, with staff support available to ensure ratings align with on-court play.
Players self-rate as 1.0-2.5 (beginner), 2.6-3.5 (intermediate) or 3.6 – 4.0+ (advanced) to help ensure evenly matched games. Click here to view the self-assessment and find your fit.

Open Play
Open play is designed for flexible, social Pickleball play. Reservations are required through Pickleball Den, with courts open to members and guest of all skill levels.

Pickleball Rules and Court Etiquette

FAQ’s for Pickleball at the Y

As pickleball participation has grown, peak times have led to longer wait times and challenges with court rotation. Court reservations help support fair and equitable access to playing time for all members.

This new process allows us to continue offering Open Play while also accommodating Skill Level play, helping create more balanced games and clearer expectations around court use. Reservations also make it easier for members to plan their play time and help reduce confusion during busy periods.

No. Open play will still be available, but reservations are now required to secure your spot. You can still play with a mix of skill levels and rotate in and out. The reservation simply guarantees your time on the court.

Pickleball Den is the Greater Austin YMCA’s court reservation system for pickleball. It is a website, not a downloadable app, and can be accessed on both mobile devices and desktop computers.
 

Members use Pickleball Den to view court availability and reserve time for Open Play and Skill Level play. 

Members must sign up for Pickleball Den at the Welcome Desk at any of the following locations: Town Lake, East Communities, North Austin, Northwest, Springs Family, and Hays Communities Y.

This ensures your account is connected to our locations and court availability. Once you reach the account setup page, complete all requested information to finish creating your account. A welcome email will arrive within 24 hours with next steps.

January 20th, 2026

No. Pickleball Den is a website, not a downloadable app. Members may choose to add a shortcut to their phone’s home screen for convenience, but this is optional. Staff are happy to help with setup.

  • Creating an account allows us to:  
    • Track participation accurately 
    • Manage capacity and waitlists  
  • Self-ratings help create more enjoyable and balanced games for those who choose skill-level play.  
    • Ratings are self-selected and not a judgment or requirement for open play. 

After creating an account, members reserve pickleball courts 48 hours in advance using the Pickleball Den reservation system.

Courts are booked in 90 or 120 minute time slots, and players can choose between Open Play or Skill Level Play for 1.0-2.5 (beginner), 2.6-3.5 (intermediate) or 3.6 – 4.0+ (advanced).

Pickleball Den “Sign Up Sheets” go live 48 hours before the start of each time slot, similar to Group Exercise classes.  

  • Log in to your Pickleball Den account and select Sign Up Sheets. 
  • Filter by date, location and skill level. 
  • Review court tags to see whether a court is designated for Open Play or Skill Level Play. 
  • Select the time slot that fits your level and click Sign Me Up to reserve your spot. 
  • Use your account at any time to view or withdraw from reservations

Yes, all members who play Pickleball at the Y will need to create a Pickleball Den account and reserve courts for an open play or skill level time slot.

Reservations open 48 hours in advance, and you can withdraw at any time if plans change. Withdrawing helps other members move off the waitlist and ensures courts are fully utilized.  

  • Open your PB Den account and choose the Account option in the bottom right corner.  
  • Scroll down until you see “Pickleball Profile” and type in the appropriate self-rating.  
  • Just above you will need to also type in your city of residence.  
  • After these fields are filled, scroll to the bottom and SAVE.  
  • Players self-rate as 1.0-2.5 (beginner), 2.6-3.5 (intermediate) or 3.6 – 4.0+ (advanced) 

Members can reserve up to two courts per day.

PB Den does not have an app that you download in the app store, instead you can create a shortcut on your smartphone’s home screen. 

 Apple Users

  • In your web browser type in “app.pickleballden.com.” This should take you to a login page.  
  • Click the “share” icon at the bottom of your screen.  
  • Scroll down and click the “Add to Home Screen” option.
  • Next, click “Add” in the top right corner.

Android Users

  • In your web browser type in “app.pickleballden.com.” This should take you to a login page.  
  • On the page that follows, click the “3 dots” in the top right of the screen. 
  • Next, click the “Add to Home Screen” option.

The YMCA absorbs the cost of Pickleball Den. There is no additional fee for members. 

Your name appears only within the Pickleball Den reservation system for the purpose of managing attendance. Ratings are used internally to organize skill-based play and are not publicly posted or advertised. 

No. Pickleball Den does not sell member information.

Pickleball Den collects only the information needed to manage registrations, reservations, and participation. That information is used solely to operate the platform, support scheduling, and improve user experience. It is not sold to third parties or used for marketing unrelated to YMCA programs. 

No. The system is designed to protect your privacy. Only first and last names associated with a reservation are displayed, and only people who have access to our club can see this information. The schedule is not public or searchable on the internet, and your personal data, contact information, and financial details remain fully protected according to YMCA privacy standards. 

A couple play pickleball together on an indoor court

“Pickleball has just exploded in popularity because it’s easy to learn, very social and fun for all ages, whether you’re playing with kids, young adults or seniors.”

– Jill A., Hays Communities YMCA