Played as singles or doubles (same rules apply for both)
**Please see the bottom of the page for helpful information and video links!**
Before the Game:
- Teams will decide who serves first by “rock, paper, scissors”
- Teams may add alternate players to their roster
- Doubles: 2 players must be on the court or the game will be a forfeit (unless the other team is ok playing 2v1)
- If a team only has 1 player present, they may pick up a player from another team as a “sub player”, but that sub player cannot be on more than one roster and they cannot play as a pickup player for your team more than 1 time.
The Serve:
- The server’s arm must be moving in an upward arc when the ball is struck.
- Paddle contact with the ball must not be made above the waist level.
- The head of the paddle must not be above the highest part of the wrist at contact.
- A ‘drop serve’ is also permitted in which case none of the elements above apply.
- At the time the ball is struck, the server’s feet may not touch the court or outside the imaginary extension of the sideline or centerline and at least one foot must be behind the baseline on the playing surface or the ground behind the baseline.
- The serve is made diagonally crosscourt and must land within the confines of the opposite diagonal court.
- Only one serve attempt is allowed per server.
Other:
- 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.
- In singles the server serves from the right-hand court when his or her score is even and from the left when the score is odd.
Scoring:
- Points are scored only by the serving team.
- Games are played to 11 points, win by 2.
- Matches are comprised of 3 games.
- Matches must end within 50 minutes. If the game is still going on at 50 minutes, the game will stop and whatever the score is of that game will be the final score.
- Scores must be reported to the site rep.
- 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.
Pickleball Resources for Beginners:
