Pickleball Rules

(Revised 06/2023)

1. TEAM MAKEUP

• All players must sign the roster prior to play. Playing with an illegal player could lead to a forfeit.
• Teams can consist of any mix of genders (2 males, 2 females, 1m/1f).
• Each team playing a team payment may have a max of 4 players on the roster. Additional players are $10.
• Players from your roster can only be switched out in between games, unless approved due to injury or other circumstance. Players cannot be subbed out during a game.
• Pick up players are only allowed from a signed player from another team. Teams must have at least 1 original roster player to play a match.
• Only signed roster players may play in the playoffs. Players must be added to your roster prior to the final game of the regular season.
• Two or more forfeits by a team during the season may result in removal from the league.
•  If you are unable to make a match, please discuss with your partner and try to get your own sub. If the team can not find one, please contact the office ASAP so we may assist in trying to find one!

2. SCORING

• Only the serving team can score points. For the other team to score, they must win the serve back and then win the rally.
• Receiving team is to make in/out calls by the honor system.  If a team feels a call has been made incorrectly, they may ask (but not necessarily granted) a “replay”.  If a team feels several calls are being missed, a neutral 3rd party may be asked to watch and settle disputes (if agreed upon by both parties or the Pickleball Coordinator).
• There are 3 numbers to call out. First number indicates the serving teams score, second number is the opponents score, third number is who is serving (1st server or after fault 2nd server) The call out must be heard by all players
• Please direct all questions/disputes to the Pickleball coordinator.  After the match, please record scores on score sheets provided and turn in to the Pickleball Coordinator.  

3. GAME PLAY

• MATCH PROCEDURE: Teams will flip to see who serves first. Each match will consist of a SINGLE GAME. Games will be played to 11 points, must win by 2. Teams will be scheduled for 3 games a night. If only 2 of the 4 teams show for the round robin time slot, they can play best 2 of 3 for that 45 min.
• START/SERVE: Player will serve from behind the baseline with an underhand swing. The ball must land in the opponent’s service court. Once the server announces the score, they have 10 seconds to serve the ball or a fault is called. Let serves are legal and playable as long as they land in the correct area.
• DOUBLE BOUNCE RULE: After the ball is served to the opponent, it must bounce once on their side and then bounce once on the server’s side before the ball can be taken out of the air. Then the rally can begin and the ball can be hit without a bounce.
• SERVICE SEQUENCE: Both players on the serving team have the opportunity to serve and score points until they commit a fault.

• Exceptions:

*At the beginning of each new game only one partner on the serving team has the opportunity to serve before faulting, after which the service passes to the receiving team.

*If a point is scored, the server switches sides and the server initiates the next serve from the left-hand court.

*When the first server loses the serve, the partner then serves from their correct side of the court (except for the first service sequence of the game)

*The second server continues serving until their team commits a fault and loses the serve to the opposing team.

*Once the service goes to the opposition, the first serve is from the right hand court and both players on that team have the opportunity to serve and score points until their team commits two faults.

• NO VOLLEY RULE/ KITCHEN: There is a 7 ft area on each side of the net. No volleying may happen in this zone. No stepping in the kitchen unless a dink bounces once in the kitchen, then the player may step in the kitchen after the ball bounces and then hit the ball and immediately get out of the kitchen after hitting it..
• FAULTS:

1. Second Bounce- ball bounces on same side 2 times
2. Out of Bounds- ball lands outside the marked boundaries
3. Net- ball does not clear the net
4. Kitchen- ball hits in any part of this on serve- including the lines

• Each team gets one (1) 60 second time out per game. This time out does NOT have to be during your serve sequence.
• Please play with respect for your partner, opponents, and the facility.  Cursing, yelling, throwing your racquet, or other unsportsmanlike behavior may result in ejection from the game, complex, and/or league.

4. PLAYOFFS

• All teams make the playoffs.
• Playoffs are best 2 of 3 games in a match.
• Seedings will be based on 1) win/loss record, 2) overall sets won/lost differential, 3) overall games won/lost differential, 4) head to head play with 2 teams tied, 5) coin flip.  
• Only the two rostered players may participate in playoffs (subs are not allowed).  If a player is missing they may play with one player.

5. MISC. RULES

• Minimum age is 18
• For league information concerning rules, schedules, rosters and standings, please visit our website
• Fighting/Arguing before, during, or after the game, on or off the field, will not be tolerated
• All players must wear closed toed athletic shoes
• Club Sport and/or the Coordinator reserve the right to monitor and move individual players from leagues in which they are not of level play
• No gum, drinks (besides water), or food are allowed in the gym.