What This Partnership Means for Players Who Take Their Game (and Their Rating) Seriously
Pickleball has a way of pulling people in one moment at a time.
Maybe it starts the first time you hold your own at the kitchen and think, okay… I can actually do this. Or the afternoon you realize you've accidentally played for three straight hours and loved every minute of it.
As players get better, the game opens up even more.
You meet new partners.
You find courts that feel like home.
You start hearing people talk about ratings and suddenly you’re wondering what all the numbers mean.
That’s where DUPR comes in.
If you’ve never used it before, think of DUPR as pickleball’s universal scoreboard. A simple rating that shows how you’re progressing, who you’re evenly matched with, and how your game stacks up as you keep getting better.
Players at every level use it to organize matches and track improvement. And now, there’s a new chapter forming around it.
SQAIRZ is officially partnering with the DUPR Collegiate, Minor League, and High School Tours.
Whether you’re someone who checks your DUPR weekly or someone who just learned what it stands for, this partnership shines a light on how quickly the sport is evolving and how much opportunity there is for players coming up through the system.
Stick with us.
By the time you finish reading, you’ll understand why DUPR matters, how your rating works, and why the shoes you wear play a bigger role in your progress than most players realize.
So… What Exactly Is DUPR?
Think of DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) as the sport’s universal language.
Instead of guessing who you’re evenly matched with or walking onto a court with that “uh-oh” feeling, DUPR gives every player a single, accurate, data-driven rating based on real match outcomes. Age doesn’t matter. Gender doesn’t matter. All that counts is how you play.
If you’re joining us from the golf side of SQAIRZ, here’s the simplest way to think about it: your DUPR score is kind of like your handicap, just in reverse. Instead of aiming for a lower number, you’re trying to climb higher. DUPR runs on a 1.00 to 7.00 scale, and the closer you are to 7, the stronger your level of play. Most competitive adults fall somewhere in the 3s and 4s, while high-level collegiate and pro athletes often land in the 5–6+ range.
Your rating updates as you improve, and the system is used everywhere from rec leagues to college teams to Major League Pickleball organizations.
If you’ve ever asked, “Who here is around my level?”
DUPR answers that question for millions of players.
Why SQAIRZ and DUPR Make Sense Together
Pickleball has exploded, and with that growth has come a real need for structure.
That’s where DUPR comes in. And that’s why this partnership makes sense.
DUPR created a rating system for players who care about playing better. SQAIRZ builds footwear for players who care about moving better. Both sides are focused on performance and are built around the demands of real competition.
As DUPR watched the sport accelerate, they saw the gap between traditional athletic shoes and what pickleball athletes actually need. They chose to partner with SQAIRZ because the XRZ™ wasn’t adapted from another sport. It was designed specifically for this one.
Serious rating system.
Serious footwear.
A natural alignment for where the sport is going.
The Shoe That Keeps Showing Up in the Data
When Pickleheads, one of the largest and most respected pickleball communities, named the XRZ™ the Best Pickleball Shoe of 2025, it wasn’t based on opinions. Their team put the shoe through months of testing alongside top brands, and the results were clear: the XRZ™ offered the strongest combination of support, traction, and durability.
And then came the clinical balance study.
Players wearing the XRZ™ saw measurable improvements in balance, outperforming big-name athletic brands in stability testing conducted with medical professionals and motion-capture technology. The results showed exactly what the design team intended, the shoe naturally reduces wobble, supports clean foot placement, and helps limit the missteps that lead to rolled ankles and falls.
So What Does This Mean for You?
Here’s the short answer:
If you care about your DUPR rating, your footwear matters more than you think.
Because that rating reflects real play. Real movement. Real footwork.
And your feet are your foundation.
Whether you’re jumping into MiLP matches, playing in tournaments, or just trying to hold your own at your local court, the same basic things matter for everyone:
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Steady footing helps you stay in rallies longer.
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Balanced movement makes your shots feel more controlled.
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Feeling supported means you’re less likely to tweak something and end up sidelined.
And the more you play, the more matches go into your DUPR, and the clearer your progress becomes.
Ready to Start a DUPR Rating? Here’s the Quick 3-Step Version
1. Make a free DUPR account
Log in, claim your profile, and start tracking all your matches. Super simple.
2. Record games—any format works
Rec play, tournaments, league nights, ladder sessions… they all count.
3. Watch your rating update as you improve
The algorithm is smart. It adjusts based on opponents, partner differential, and match outcomes.
You might be surprised how quickly your score becomes your new favorite stat.
And About the XRZ™…
This shoe was built for the reality of today’s pickleball:
fast cuts, stop-and-start points, slides into the kitchen, rapid resets, sudden direction changes, and long days on hard surfaces.
The XRZ™ supports all of it with:
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A roomier toe box for natural balance and stability
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A SmartTraction™ system engineered for pickleball footwork, not running gait
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Lateral support structures that reduce ankle roll risk
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A platform designed to help keep players grounded and controlled in the moments that matter
The Bottom Line
DUPR gives you a clear picture of how you’re progressing.
SQAIRZ gives you the foundation to keep climbing.
Together, they support the players shaping the sport’s future, from high school first-timers to college standouts to seasoned MiLP competitors chasing every point like it matters (because it does).
If you haven’t checked your DUPR in a while, go update it.
If you haven’t checked your footwear, now’s the time.
For a limited time, SQAIRZ is running a Buy One, Get One 50% Off offer, with the ability to mix and match across pickleball, baseball, and golf. Whether you’re gearing up for yourself or grabbing a second pair for a partner, teammate, or Valentine, it’s an easy way to step into the season better prepared.
Want to explore the XRZ™ lineup?
Or ready to start your DUPR journey?
Either way, your next match just got a little more interesting.
