Most of the rules for the Pickleball Leagues are listed below. If you see something missing or not understandable, please let us know.

Attention: The preferred ball of choice at Sandman's is an OUTDOOR ball. These are outdoor surface courts.

General

Pickleball is a sport in which two or four players use solid paddles made of wood or composite materials to hit a perforated polymer ball over a net. The sport shares features of other racquet sports, the dimensions and layout of a badminton court, and a net and rules similar to tennis, with a few modifications.

Format & Scoring

5 Team sessions: One game against each of the different teams will be played for each time slot.

A game is played to 11, win by 2, cap at 13. If a game starts within :10 minutes of time remaining, the game is played to 7, with a cap at 9.

The score is a series of 3 numbers; serving team score, receiving team score, server #1 or #2. Ex. 7-3-2 means serving team has 7 points, opposing team has 3 points, and it is the second server about to serve.

Only the serving team can score points.

The winning team is responsible for reporting the scores at the end of each game.

Serving

The player on the right side of the court, facing their opponents, starts the serve.

Each team member gets to serve until they lose the point, with one exception, the team that serves first only gets 1 server.

Must serve underhand from behind the baseline, cross-court, into the service area.

You can either hit the ball out of the air or drop the ball on the ground and hit it.

Contact with the ball must be below the waist.

The serve must clear the kitchen (including the line) to count.

There is no “let” in pickleball (no redo). If the serve hits the net but still lands in the service area the ball is played as it lands.

Rules

The “Double Bounce Rule” - After the serve, the receiving team must let the ball bounce, then the serving team must let that return bounce before any player can hit a shot out of the air (a volley).

After the Double Bounce rule, the ball may be volleyed (hit in the air) or off the bounce.

The 7ft zone on each side of the net marks the non-volley zone, or “kitchen”.

A player cannot strike the ball in the kitchen unless the ball bounces in the kitchen first. This means you can never hit a volley—a shot hit out of the air—while having any part of your body in the kitchen. Or even on the kitchen line. And you cannot let your momentum carry you into the kitchen after a volley either.

If your opponent hits a short shot landing in the kitchen, you can enter and hit from the kitchen after the ball bounces.

After winning a point on your serve, you switch sides with your partner and serve to the other opponent.

Faults

Play continues until a fault occurs.

Four basic faults are: The serve does not clear the kitchen, A shot is hit out of bounds, A shot is hit into the net, a player violates the Double Bounce Rule, or a player violates the kitchen rule.

The net post is considered out of play. Any ball coming in contact with the post, even if it lands in play, is ruled out.

If a ball clips the top of the net and drops onto the net brace or wheel, the point shall be re-played.

League Specific Rules

Substitutes (subs) are allowed during league play.

If one actual team member is present, playing with a sub, the games will count. If two subs are playing (no actual team members), the games will not count towards the teams season standings.

League players are only allowed to sub “UP”. For example, if you play in the Intermediate league, you cannot sub in the beginner league. You can sub in the other Intermediate league or the Advanced league. If you play in the Advanced league, you cannot sub in the Intermediate or Beginner league. If you play in the Beginner league, you can sub anywhere. This rule is subjective in the Individual league.

You must play at least three times during the season to qualify to play in the playoffs.

Players playing in the championship the final week must be the same players that played in the playoffs. If this is not possible, you relinquish your spot to the first runner-up.

If you are crowned a Season Champion, you can only play one more season in that same league. Then you must move up (n/a for Advanced league).