How to use PADL
The designer's walkthrough of every panel in your account — what it's for, the order to use it in, and why it matters to your rating.
Your setup checklist
These steps take you from a new account to a full PADL profile. Steps tick themselves off as you go — tap the circle to mark anything we can't detect. Ranked verification steps stay locked until you're on Rookie or Tour.
Create your account
Claim your permanent Player ID.
Install the app on your phone
Scan the install QR, then Add to Home Screen.
Set your avatar and home court
Stored on your account so every device matches.
Log your first local match
Rec play counts toward your scorecard.
Log a verified ranked match
Two-sided verified match logging is a Rookie feature — Beginner accounts track play in Local Play instead.
Rookie+Finish calibration and reveal your PPI
Calibration runs on verified ranked matches, so it starts once you're on Rookie or Tour.
Rookie+
Getting your account live
Everything in PADL hangs off one verified player identity. Finish these once and every other feature works on any device you sign in from.
Why it matters — One identity across web and phone means your rating, scorecard and match history never fragment.
Log casual play and build your scorecard
Local Play is your everyday record: rec games, open play and drills. No opponent verification required, so nothing here moves your PPI.
Why it matters — Casual volume is the honest picture of how much you actually play, and it's what promotion targets are measured against.
Ranked matches that move your PPI
Only two-sided verified matches touch your rating. This is the anti-inflation core of the system.
Why it matters — A rating is only worth something if every point came from a match both players agreed happened.
Your first matches are calibration
New accounts play a hidden calibration period. Your rating is moving the whole time — you just can't see the number yet.
Why it matters — Hiding the number early stops score-chasing and stops brand-new players from being judged on two games.
Reading your performance panels
Analytics answer one question: where is your level actually going, and what's driving it?
Why it matters — Analytics tell you what to practice, not just where you place.
Finding courts, open play and partners
The locator and radar are how you turn an empty afternoon into logged matches.
Why it matters — Rating growth is capped by how often you play — this is the fastest lever you have.
Tournament flights and gear
Flight placement uses your PPI band, so you're bracketed against players at your actual level.
Why it matters — Correct bracketing is what makes a tournament result meaningful instead of a coin flip.
Referrals, $PADL and your wallet
Your wallet holds the network utility balance you earn and spend inside PADL.
Why it matters — The network grows from players bringing players, so that's where the rewards sit.
What each tier unlocks
Locked panels always show you what they'd contain — nothing is hidden behind a blank screen.
Why it matters — You should always be able to see what the next tier gives you before paying for it.