How to Add a Walk-In or Guest to a Pickleball Game
Walk-ins are the rule at pickleball, not the exception. Someone's friend tags along, a regular forgets to RSVP, three people wander over from the next court. Pikel is built for exactly that — as the game's host (or a club admin), you can add a member or a guest right from the game, no scramble required. Here's how.
Step 1 — Open the game and go to Players
Open the game and switch to the Players tab. This is the live roster of everyone accepted into the game — the same list Pikel uses to build your rounds. Adding a walk-in here puts them in the pool the scheduler draws from.
Step 2 — Tap Add Player
Tap Add Player to open the Add Players sheet. The top of the sheet is a single Search or add by name field — that one box is both the finder for existing players and the entry point for adding someone brand new.
Step 3 — Add a club member on the spot
If the walk-in is already on Pikel, just start typing their name. Matches appear as you type — tap to select one (or several), then tap Add N Players to seat them. You can also skip typing and browse the Suggested, Recent, or Club roster filter chips to pick from people you play with regularly.
They're added straight to the accepted roster — no RSVP needed, no waiting.
Step 4 — Add a guest who isn't on Pikel yet
Not everyone at the courts has the app. You've got three ways to add them anyway:
- Add as a guest (fastest). Type the walk-in's name and tap “Add [name] as a guest.” No account needed — they're seated as a name-only player, and they can claim the spot later to link it to their own account.
- Invite new player. Tap Invite new player to add a name plus an optional email. Enter a valid email and Pikel sends them an email invite to join the game; leave it blank and they're added as a name-only guest instead.
- Bulk add guests. A whole crew showed up? Tap Bulk add guests and paste a list of names — one per line, or separated by commas — to seat them all in one step.
Step 5 — Re-generate rounds so they're in the mix
If you haven't built your schedule yet, you're done — just tap Start Game when you're ready and the walk-in is included in the very first round.
If you'd already generated rounds before they arrived, the new player won't appear in matchups that already exist. Re-generate from the Players tab — the button now reads Restart Game — to rebuild the schedule with everyone included. Heads up: restarting clears the existing rounds, scores, and standings, so it's best done early rather than mid-game.
Pro tip
Seat your walk-ins before you tap Start Game the first time. Give newcomers a minute at the start of the session to get added, then generate once — everyone lands in the opening round and you skip the restart-and-wipe entirely. For a true drop-in night where people trickle in, the Popcorn round robin is the friendliest format: new partners every round means a late arrival blends right in.
Get started
Pikel is live on iOS and Android — add anyone who shows up, no one gets turned away at the net.
Frequently asked questions
Someone showed up who never RSVP'd — how do I add them?
Open the game, go to the Players tab, and tap Add Player. Search their name and tap Add — they're seated on the spot. Only the game's host or a club admin can add players.
Can I add someone who isn't on Pikel yet?
Yes. Type their name in the Add Players search and tap “Add [name] as a guest” — no account needed, and they can claim the spot later. If you have their email, “Invite new player” sends them an email invite to join the game instead.
A whole group walked in — can I add them all at once?
Yes. “Bulk add guests” lets you paste a list of names — one per line, or separated by commas — and seats them together in one step.
I already generated rounds — will the walk-in be in the matchups?
Not automatically. After you add them, re-generate from the Players tab with Start Game (or Restart Game if rounds already exist) so they're woven into the rotation. Restarting rebuilds the schedule, which clears the existing rounds and scores.
What happens if the game is already full?
Adds beyond the player cap are waitlisted instead of seated. You'll see “Game is full — remove a selection to add others,” and a guest you add to a full game gets an amber “waitlisted” note rather than a green “Added.”