If you’re as obsessed about pickleball as we are, maybe it’s time to start filming your pickleball games.

Of course, you will enjoy watching your awesome ATPs and Ernes over and over. But you can also use your videos to gather data and perform analytics. For example, you may think you don’t need to stack, but if hard data reveals that your team rarely wins when you’re on the left side of the court, it may be time to reconsider.

The good news is that recording pickleball games is easier than you might think.  You don’t need to know anything about lighting, audio, or video-editing. Aside from your phone, the only equipment you really need is a tripod, which is surprisingly affordable. One good option is the UBeesize Phone Tripod. It’s our favorite because it can be easily mounted on a chain-link fence or post.

It’s best to position the camera at an angle, which allows more of the court to fit within the camera frame.

You don’t want to run out of room on your phone, so before you start recording, make sure you’ve removed large files (such as previous video recordings) from your phone. It is a good idea to use an App such as CC Cleaner which will ensure that the files are completely removed.

Sorry to be Captain Obvious, but make sure your phone battery is fully charged (and pack a spare battery just in case).

Our advice: Always get permission from the people you are playing with before recording. Few will care, but it’s a polite courtesy.

Videotaping games in the summertime is challenging because high temperatures cause phones to overheat. Make sure you close all apps other than your camera; if possible do not mount the phone in direct sunlight; and consider using a mini phone umbrella (bet you didn’t even know such a thing existed!). We have not yet had a chance to try out this phone-cooling device, but it looks promising.

Once you get home, transfer your video to your computer and upload it to Youtube or another video-sharing platform. If you want the whole world to see it, set the video to “public.” Otherwise set it to “unlisted.” Don’t forget to share the link with all the players on screen.

If you want to graduate to fancier video set-ups, there are plenty of mounts for iPads/tablets, GoPros, and digital cameras on Amazon. There’s even a special tennis pole mount that can be used for pickleball. 

Remember to spiff up your court shoes, straighten your visor, and get your dinks in tip-top shape before you start. Smile, you’re on candid pickleball camera!