• Scheduling: Teams play in an 80-minute time block each week. Early and late start times will be rotated amongst the pools as the season progresses.
  • Format: Each match will consist of as many sets to 11 points (hard cap at 13 points teams can play in the alloted time. Note that if time expires, a team must have at least 5 points in the set to count towards the score.
  • Reseeding: Teams may be reseeded as a result of competitive balance requirements throughout the season as warranted at Urban Rec’s sole discretion.

Gameplay

  • To be eligible to play in the league all players must have signed an online waiver. Players that do not sign an online waiver are not allowed to play. Team captains that do not fill out the online team roster will have their team removed from the schedule until they do so and all players have signed the waiver.
  • The on-site staff may do a random ID check for players from any team.  If a team is found to be using an ineligible player (i.e. someone who has not indicated that they have read the online waiver), then that player’s team will forfeit the game if it has already begun.  If the game has not begun, then the game will not be a forfeit- that player is simply not permitted to participate until they have indicated they have read the online waiver.
  • Teams may avoid forfeiting/defaulting in regular season games by utilizing players from other teams that play in the league without penalty.  However, in the playoffs, this can only be done to avoid being subject to the default policy- the game will be considered a forfeit loss (but not a default) if a team utilizes players not on their roster to field a lineup.
  • Teams will only call fouls committed by their own players. Players will not call the fouls against their opponents. If a player neglects to call their own fouls, their team captain will be responsible for calling these fouls on their player’s behalf.
  • If there is a dispute on a call, re-serve the play. Contact the on-site staff for clarification of rules after the match is completed.
  • All players will conduct themselves in a polite and sportsmanlike manner. Individuals who do not abide by these criteria will be removed from the league.
  • This is an open league (there is no minimum number of men or women required).
  • The number of players on each court shall be two (2) players. If a team does not have two players, it will be considered a Default, and the team will be subject to the Urban Rec Default Policy.
  • Substitutes can be used as long as they have created an account and signed the most up to date Urban Rec waiver. During game play, substitutes can only be made after a full set is completed (or there is an injury to one of the players during a set).
  • Regular Season play will consist of 3 matches per week. In each match. teams will play as many sets to 11 (capped at 13) as they can in the alloted match time (approximatesly 20-min). If time expires in the last set, a team must have at least 5 points for the set to count towards the score.

COURT BOUNDARIES 

The courts are 20 feet wide by 44 feet long. 

STARTING THE GAME 

Players play scissors, paper, rock to determine who will serve first. The winner of the game will have the option to choose a side or to serve or receive.

SCORING 

  • Points are scored only by the serving team.
  • Games are played to 11 points, and teams win by 2 (capped at 13).
  • When the serving team’s score is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) the player who was the first server in the game for that team will be in the right-side court when serving or receiving; when odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) that player will be in the left-side court when serving or receiving.
  • If you win a game, that score goes to your overall team score for the allocated time slot. 

THE SERVE

  • The serve must be made underhand.
  • Paddle contact with the ball must be below the server’s waist (navel level).
  • The serve is initiated with at least one foot behind the baseline; neither foot may contact the baseline or court until after the ball is struck.
  • The pickleball drop serve is currently permitted, but may be revised or removed in the future based on its effect on the sport. To do a pickleball drop serve, you must drop or release the pickleball from any natural height, either by using your hand or letting the pickleball roll off of your paddle, and then hit the pickleball with your paddle after the pickleball bounces on the court. There is no rule prohibiting that a drop serve to bounce multiple times. As a result, the drop serve may bounce multiple times before making contact. Also, to note, you may pick up the pickleball and re-drop the pickleball if you do not like the drop as many times as you’d like (as long as you still hit your serve within 10 seconds after the score has been called).
  • Remember this rule:  It is not a fault for the server to start the serve prior to calling the entire score. It is only a fault if the server’s paddle has made contact with the pickleball for the serve prior to the entire score being called.
  • The serve is initiated with at least one foot behind the baseline; neither foot may contact the baseline or court until after the ball is struck.
  • The serve is made diagonally crosscourt and must land within the confines of the opposite diagonal court.
  • Only one serve attempt is allowed.
  • If the wrong score is called by the server, any player on the pickleball court can stop play, and ask for the correct score to be re-called, before the third shot of the rally is hit. If play is stopped before the third shot of the rally is hit, and the score was called incorrectly, then the server will re-call the correct score and re-serve the pickleball with no penalty. However, if a player on the pickleball court stops play after the third shot of the rally is hit, then the player who stopped play will have committed a fault and will lose the rally. In other words, you cannot raise the issue of the wrong score being called after the third shot of the rally is hit – you must challenge the issue of the wrong score being called before the third shot of the rally is hit.

SERVICE SEQUENCE 

  • Both players on the serving doubles team have the opportunity to serve and score points until they commit a fault *(except for the first service sequence of each new game).
  • The first serve of each side-out is made from the right-hand court.
  • If a point is scored, the server switches sides and the server initiates the next serve from the left-hand court.
  • As subsequent points are scored, the server continues switching back and forth until a fault is committed and the first server loses the serve.
  • 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 his team commits a fault and loses the serve to the opposing team.
  • Once the service goes to the opposition (at side out), 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.
  • *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.

DOUBLE BOUNCE RULE

  • When the ball is served, the receiving team must let it bounce before returning, and then the serving team must let it bounce before returning, thus two bounces.
  • After the ball has bounced once in each team’s court, both teams may either volley the ball (hit the ball before it bounces) or play it off a bounce (ground stroke).
  • ·The double bounce rule eliminates the serve and volley advantage and extends rallies.

NON-VOLLEY ZONE

  • The non-volley zone is the court area within 7 feet on both sides of the net (the kitchen).
  • Volleying is prohibited within the non-volley zone. This rule prevents players from executing smashes from a position within the zone.
  • It is a fault if, when volleying a ball, the player steps on the non-volley zone, including the line and/or when the player’s momentum causes them or anything they are wearing or carrying to touch the non-volley zone including the associated lines.
  •  It is a fault if, after volleying, a player is carried by momentum into or touches the non-volley zone,, even if the volleyed ball is declared dead before this happens.
  • A player may legally be in the non-volley zone any time other than when volleying a ball.

LINE CALLS

  • A ball contacting any line, except the non-volley zone line on a serve, is considered “in.”
  • A serve contacting the non-volley zone line is short and a fault.

FAULTS 

  • A fault is any action that stops play because of a rule violation.
  • A fault by the receiving team results in a point for the serving team.
  • A fault by the serving team results in the server’s loss of serve or side out.
  • A fault occurs when:
    • A serve does not land within the confines of the receiving court
    • The ball is hit into the net on the serve or any return
    • The ball is volleyed before a bounce has occurred on each side
    • The ball is hit out of bounds
    • A ball is volleyed from the non-volley zone
    • A ball bounces twice before being struck by the receiver
    • A player, player’s clothing, or any part of a player’s paddle touches the net or the net post when the ball is in play
    • There is a violation of a service rule
    • A ball in play strikes a player or anything the player is wearing or carrying
    • A ball in play strikes any permanent object before bouncing on the court

Note that the above details are generic Pickleball rules. The rules for each specific league may differ.



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