Every club in the Bear Digital Cup Series needs six squads, one for each division, with two to four players in each. That is up to 24 players wearing your club’s name, and the lists are due by 31 December 2026. How you pick your padel squad shapes everything that follows: how strong your teams are, how your members feel about the club and how much buzz you build before the first fixture on 6 February.
There is no single right way to do it. The league’s rules leave it to each club, through open trials or the club’s own selection. In practice, most clubs will use one of three methods, or a mix of them. Here is how each one works, with formats you can copy, a scouting scorecard and the rules every squad has to meet.
Clubs pick their Cup Series squads in three main ways. Trials are open to all and run over a weekend or a few weeks, with players fighting it out to reach a final. Scouting weekends use fast-paced four-point matches watched by staff and the club captain, followed by a challenge ladder up to the end of the year. Captain’s picks let owners, managers or captains choose players they already know. Every squad needs two to four players aged 18 or over, at the right Playtomic level, by 31 December 2026.
First, the rules every padel squad must meet
Whichever method you choose, your squads have to fit the league’s rules. Check these before you announce anything:
- ✓Two to four players per division. Four is recommended, because no players can be added after 31 December, not even for injuries.
- ✓Everyone is 18 or older.
- ✓Every player needs a Playtomic profile with a level. The level is taken when the club registers the player, and it stays fixed for the whole season, including Finals Weekend.
- ✓Players can play up, never down. A player can play in a higher division than their level, but not a lower one. A player exactly on a boundary, such as a 4.5 man, can play in either division.
- ✓One club only. Players do not need to be members of your club or venue, but each player can only play for one club.
- ✓More than one squad is allowed if a player’s level fits, for example a player named in their own division and the one above it.
- ✓Coaches, professional players, owners and captains can all play, as long as they are selected and meet the level rules.
- ✓Levels are checked. Cup Series Admin, with the Founder Clubs, reviews every player’s level and level history. A player who lowered their own Playtomic level in the six months before the league’s first match cannot use the lower level to play in Challenger or Social.
| Division | Men (Playtomic level) | Women (Playtomic level) |
|---|---|---|
| Premier | 4.5 and up | 4 and up |
| Challenger | 3.5 to 4.5 | 3 to 4 |
| Social | 2.5 to 3.5 | 2 to 3 |
The three ways to pick your squad
Trials are the most open way to pick a squad. Anyone who fits the level band can enter, and players fight it out on court for a place, with the final deciding who represents the club. They are visible, fair and great for atmosphere. There are two ways to run them.
Option A: the trials weekend
Two days, one squad decided. A simple blueprint for each division:
Option B: weekly trials
If a whole weekend is hard to find, spread the trials over four weeks, one session a week for each level band:
| Week | Format | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Rotating-partner sessions. Players change partner every match and points go on a leaderboard. | Who wins with different partners, week after week |
| 4 | The top eight on the leaderboard play a knockout in pairs chosen by the captain, ending in a final. | Who handles pressure when it counts |
| Result | The four players in the final make the squad, with the captain settling the pairs. | A squad that earned it in public |
- +Open and transparent: everyone can see how places were won
- +Finds talent the club did not know it had
- +Gets members on court and talking about the league
- +Players who win a place feel they earned it
- –Needs courts, time and someone to run it
- –One bad day can cost a good player a place
- –A strong player with a weaker partner can be overlooked if pairs stay fixed
- –Your best players may be away that weekend
Some clubs are going a step further. Padel X Somerset West, for example, is running a scouting weekend. Players are matched up over the course of the weekend in fast-paced matches played to four points, while the club’s staff and captain watch and assess them. The pairs selected at the end of the weekend are not safe yet: they can be challenged in the weeks that follow, right up to the end of the year.
It is a clever format, and any club can borrow it. Here is why it works, and how to run one.
How to run a scouting weekend
The scouting scorecard
Give every scout the same scorecard so players are judged on the same things. Score each criterion from 1 to 5:
| Criterion | What scouts look for |
|---|---|
| Level fit | Playtomic level inside the division’s band, and a level history that will pass the league’s checks |
| Consistency | Few unforced errors; keeps the ball in play when the rally gets long |
| Net play | Solid volleys and bandejas that keep the net position |
| Defence | Calm play off the back and side glass when under attack |
| Lob | Height and depth, and using the lob to take the net |
| Decisions | The right shot at the right time, and patience to wait for it |
| Partnership | Talks, moves with their partner and covers the middle |
| Pressure | How they play golden points and the end of a match |
| Availability | Free on Saturday afternoons from February to May |
| Attitude | Fair play, coachability and how they represent the club |
How the challenge ladder works
After the weekend, the selected pairs hold their places, but they can be challenged. Keep the rules short and publish them up front:
- Any eligible player or pair in the same level band can challenge a selected pair.
- Each selected pair defends one challenge at a time, with a sensible gap between challenges, such as a week.
- Challenges are played in the league format, two sets with golden point and a 10-point tiebreak, so they test players in real league conditions.
- If the challengers win, they take the place. If not, the selected pair keeps it.
- The ladder closes on a fixed date in mid-December, so the club can lock its squads, confirm names for the kit and register before 31 December.
- +Sees lots of players in very little time
- +Short matches test nerve as well as skill
- +The ladder rewards form and keeps squads hungry
- +Fun for players, busy for the club
- –Four-point matches do not show stamina over two sets
- –Needs organisers and trusted scouts
- –A ladder needs clear rules and someone to run it
- –Selected players may feel unsettled
Sometimes the club already knows. Owners, managers, coaches and captains see their players every week, and they know who wins, who turns up and who plays well together. Captain’s picks, also called direct selection, simply means choosing those players.
It is the fastest method and it keeps proven partnerships together. It works best for clubs with an established competitive core, clubs where coaches already see the top players week in, week out, and clubs that are short of courts or time in November and December.
- +Fast: squads can be settled in days
- +Keeps partnerships that already work
- +Little admin and no court time needed
- +Lets the club confirm names for kit early
- –Can feel closed to members who want a chance
- –Easy to overlook players outside the usual circle
- –Risks looking like favouritism if the reasons are not shared
Which method suits your club?
| Trials | Scouting weekend | Captain’s picks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Clubs with many members and courts | Clubs with coaches and staff to scout | Clubs with an established core of players |
| Time needed | One weekend, or four weekly sessions | One weekend, plus a ladder to mid-December | A few days |
| Openness | Very open | Open, and form-based | Closed, unless you add a trial |
| Admin | Medium | High | Low |
| Main risk | One bad day decides a place | Judgement calls by scouts | Looks like favouritism |
Pick pairs, not just players
Two of your players are on court for each match, and the pair a club selects for a fixture plays the whole match. So think in partnerships as well as names:
- ✓Balance the sides. Most players have a preferred side. The player on the left usually takes more overheads down the middle, while the player on the right builds the point. Pick pairs who want different sides.
- ✓Look for left-handers. A right-hander on the left with a left-hander on the right puts both forehands in the middle, which is a real advantage.
- ✓Value communication. Pairs who talk on every ball, especially the ones down the middle, win the tight points.
- ✓Use your third and fourth players. All registered players can play any fixture and Finals Weekend, and you can change your pair from one fixture to the next. Treat them as squad members, not spares.
- ✓Use multi-squad players as cover, not as the plan. All six matches are played on the same Saturday afternoon, so a player named in two squads may not be able to play both matches.
Your padel squad countdown to 31 December
Six mistakes to avoid
- Registering only two players. With no replacements after 31 December, one injury or one wedding can cost you a match.
- Ignoring availability. Fixtures are on Saturdays between 12pm and 3pm. Ask about February to May before you pick anyone.
- Picking on level alone. A Playtomic number does not show nerve, consistency or how someone plays with a partner.
- Skipping the level check. If a player lowered their own level in the six months before the season, they cannot use the lower level to play in Challenger or Social. Check before you select.
- Picking a player another club has picked. Each player can only play for one club. Confirm early.
- Leaving it late. Kit needs names, the deadline is final and December is busy. Aim to lock squads in mid-December.
Telling your members
However you choose, how you communicate selection matters almost as much as the choices themselves. Share the method and the dates early, show players the scorecard so they know how they will be judged, and give honest feedback to anyone who misses out. Celebrate the squads when they are announced, and remind everyone that a winter league follows later in 2027, with its own squads.
Players looking for a club can read our guide to joining a padel league in Cape Town. And if your club has not entered yet, there is still time: here is why clubs joining now get a full place.
Check the full squad rules, or get in touch if your club still needs to enter. Club entries close on 30 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many players does a Cup Series padel squad need?
Two to four per division, with four recommended. Every club enters a squad in all six divisions, so up to 24 players in total.
When are squads due?
By 31 December 2026, the player entry deadline for the 2027 Summer League. No new players can be registered after that date.
Do clubs have to run trials?
No. Clubs choose their players through open trials or their own selection, so trials, scouting weekends and captain’s picks are all allowed.
Do players have to be members of the club?
No. Players do not need to be members of the club or venue, but each player can only play for one club.
Can a player be in more than one squad?
Yes, if their level allows it. Players can play up but never down, so a player can be named in their own division and a higher one, and a player exactly on a boundary, such as a 4.5 man, can play in either division.
Can we replace an injured player during the season?
No new players can be registered after 31 December, including for injuries. During a match, an injured player can only be replaced by a registered reserve from that division who is at the venue.
Can coaches and club owners play?
Yes. Coaches, professional players, club owners and captains can all play, as long as they are selected and meet the division’s level rules.