Junior Padel Tournament Format

A junior padel tournament should feel fun, safe and age‑appropriate. This guide helps you choose age groups, balls, courts, simple formats and scoring – plus key safeguarding steps – so children and parents leave wanting to come back for more.

Age Groups & Ball Choices for Junior Padel

Matching age and equipment keeps rallies fun and manageable for kids.

Suggested Age Bands

  • U9 / Mini Padel: approx 7–9 years.
  • U12: approx 10–12 years.
  • U14: approx 13–14 years.
  • U16 & U18: older teenagers, near‑adult play.
  • You can combine or split bands based on local demand (e.g. U11, U13, U15).

Balls by Age & Level

  • U9 / beginners: red or orange low‑compression balls.
  • U12: orange or green balls depending on experience.
  • U14: green or standard balls.
  • U16–U18: standard padel balls for most players.

Court Adjustments for Younger Kids

  • Mini‑court lines (using throw‑down lines or cones) for U9.
  • Shorter service boxes or no‑serve rules (coach feed) for very new players.
  • More coach‑led starts to rallies (e.g. underarm feeds) for beginners.

Communication with Parents

In your event info, clearly state which ball colour and approximate court size each age group will use. This reassures parents and helps them choose the right category for their child.

Format Ideas by Age Group

Use formats that maximise time on court and keep waiting to a minimum.

U9 / Mini Padel

  • Focus: fun & basic rally skills.
  • Format: stations + mini matches.
  • – 2–3 skill stations (volleys, lobs, targets).
  • – Short matches first to 7–10 points or 8‑minute games.
  • Partners can rotate often; don’t worry too much about final tables.

U12 & U14

  • Best formats:
  • – Small round robin groups (3–4 pairs).
  • – Group stage followed by simple finals.
  • Match length:
  • – Single short set to 4 or 5 (tie‑break at 3–3 or 4–4).
  • – Or super tie-breaks to 10 for very tight schedules.

U16 & U18

  • Close to adult play; you can use:
  • – One full set to 6, tie‑break at 6–6, with golden point.
  • – Or short‑set formats for larger draws.
  • Format: group stage or consolation draws so everyone gets multiple matches.

Social vs Ranking Events

Decide whether your junior tournament is a social festival or a more serious ranking event. For festivals, lean towards fun formats (Americano, tiebreak shootouts); for ranking, use clearer structures like group‑plus‑knockout or Swiss systems.

Simple Scoring for Junior Padel

Scoring should be easy to understand for both children and parents.

Game & Set Scoring

  • Older juniors: standard 15–30–40 scoring.
  • Younger age groups:
  • – Consider simple point counts (1,2,3,4…) up to a target.
  • – Or games to 3 or 4 with simplified deuce rules.

Golden Point & Tie-Breaks

  • To keep matches short, use golden point at deuce (one deciding point).
  • For set tie-breaks: first to 7 points, win by 2.
  • For match tie-breaks: first to 10, win by 2 (older age groups).

Group Standings

  • Common approach for round robins:
  • – Win = 2 points, loss = 1 (to reward participation), walkover = 0.
  • Break ties with:
  • – Head‑to‑head result between tied players.
  • – Then games difference, then points difference.

Scoreboards & Helpers

Use court‑side scoreboards where possible and assign older juniors or volunteers as “court captains” to help younger players remember score and order. PaddlePals can track results centrally as they come in.

Example Half-Day Junior Padel Schedules

Here are a couple of templates you can adapt to your courts and entries.

Example A: Morning U12 Festival (3 Courts, 16 Players)

  • 09:00–09:20 – Check‑in, group warm‑up, safety chat.
  • 09:20–09:40 – Simple drills / coach‑led activities.
  • 09:40–11:20 – 4 × 20‑minute match rounds (short sets or tie-breaks).
  • 11:20–11:40 – Fun team games / parents vs kids points.
  • 11:40–12:00 – Medals, certificates, photos.

Example B: Afternoon U14/U16 Tournament (4 Courts, 24 Players)

  • 13:00–13:20 – Registration & warm‑up.
  • 13:20–14:40 – Group stage (4 groups of 3 pairs; each match = 1 set to 4 with golden point).
  • 14:40–15:50 – Knockout & consolation rounds (semis, finals, placement matches).
  • 15:50–16:00 – Presentation & thank‑yous.

Using PaddlePals for Draws

With PaddlePals you can create junior draws, schedule groups and knockouts, and enter scores in seconds – ideal when parents and kids are constantly asking “who do we play next?”.

Safeguarding, Parents & Event Rules

Junior events must put safety and wellbeing first, with clear communication to families.

Key Safeguarding Steps

  • Have at least one named safeguarding lead on site.
  • Ensure relevant staff / coaches have the appropriate checks (e.g. DBS in the UK).
  • Collect emergency contact and medical info on entry forms.
  • Set clear rules on pick‑up / drop‑off and leaving the site.

Parents & Spectators

  • Explain where parents can watch safely around the courts.
  • Discourage coaching from the side – keep tone positive and calm.
  • Have a simple code of conduct for adults and players.

Photos & Social Media

  • Ask for photo / video consent on sign‑up forms.
  • Explain how images may be used (club website, PaddlePals, social media).
  • Provide opt‑out options and respect them during the event.

Clear Rules, Friendly Delivery

Share event rules (format, scoring, behaviour) in advance and repeat them briefly on the day. Children respond best when expectations are clear and adults model respectful behaviour.

Prizes & Recognition for Juniors

Reward effort and attitude as much as results to keep children motivated.

Competition Awards

  • Category winners and runners‑up (e.g. U12 champions).
  • Best team or club spirit award.
  • “Mini‑finals” for consolation draws so more kids experience a final.

Effort & Attitude Awards

  • Most improved player.
  • Fair play / respect award.
  • Best teammate or “cheerleader of the day”.

Certificates & Small Prizes

Use PaddlePals to generate personalised victory certificates and give small prizes like grips, keyrings, snacks or club‑branded items. Younger kids value certificates and medals as much as big trophies.

Organiser Tips for Junior Padel Tournaments

A few practical habits make junior events smoother and more enjoyable.

Before the Event

  • Choose age groups, maximum entries and format.
  • Decide ball types and court adaptations per age.
  • Set entry deadlines and share clear joining instructions with parents.
  • Prepare draws and schedules in PaddlePals.

On the Day

  • Have a visible registration desk and sign‑in sheet.
  • Run group warm‑ups and simple ice‑breaker games.
  • Keep matches running on time and avoid long gaps.
  • Check in with any nervous or new players regularly.

Communication

  • Use a whiteboard or central display for courts and results.
  • Announce next rounds clearly and repeat for younger kids.
  • Share rough timings with parents so they can plan pick‑ups.

Review & Improve

After the event, ask coaches, parents and some juniors what they liked most and what could improve (match length, waiting times, prizegiving). Adjust your next junior padel tournament using those insights.

Next Steps: Run or Join a Junior Padel Tournament

You now have the building blocks to add junior padel events to your club or school calendar.

Find Family‑Friendly Courts

Use Padel Courts Near Me to find venues with good viewing areas, safe access and junior coaching support.

Mix with Other Formats

Blend junior tournaments with family socials, Americano afternoons or team days from the Padel Games hub.

Use PaddlePals to Run Junior Events

With PaddlePals, you can create age‑group draws, track scores, share results with parents and produce victory certificates that children will want to put on the fridge.

Back to Top

Revisit any section above when you’re planning your next junior padel tournament or festival.

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Juniors

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Age‑group formats, soft balls and safeguarding for kids.

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Sign Up Now & Run Junior Padel Tournaments

Create your free PaddlePals account to host junior padel events, manage draws and fixtures, and reward young players with personalised victory certificates.

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