PICKLEBALL
Tuesdays & Thursdays
9:00 AM on Court 1 in the gym
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Pickup Style Player Rotation
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Check out your equipment at the Member Information Center!

PICKLEBALL RULES & HOW TO PLAY
BASIC RULES OVERVIEW
Game is played in singles or doubles, rules are same for both
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DETERMINING SERVING TEAM
Players use a coin toss to determine who will serve first. The winner of the coin toss will have the option to choose side, to serve or to receive.
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THE SERVE
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Serves are made underhand only
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Paddle contact with ball must be below the server’s waist
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One foot behind the baseline & neither foot may contact the baseline or court until after ball is struck
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The serve is made diagonally cross-court and must land within the confines of the opposite diagonal court
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Only one serve attempt is allowed, except in the event of a let (LET: the ball touches the net on the serve and lands on the proper service court)
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SERVICE SEQUENCE
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Both players on serving doubles team have the opportunity to serve and score points until they commit a fault (except for 1st service sequence of each new game)
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1st serve of each side-out is made from right-hand court
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If a point is scored, the server switches sides and the server initiates the next serve from left-hand court
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As subsequent points are scored, the server continues switching back and forth until a fault is committed and the
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1st server loses the serve
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When the 1st server loses the serve, the partner then serves from their correct side of the court
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The 2nd server continues serving until his team commits a fault and loses the serve to the opposing team
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Once the service goes to the opposition, the 1st 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
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SINGLES
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Server serves from the right-hand court when score is even and left-hand court when score is odd
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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
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SCORING
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Points are scored only by the serving team
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Games are normally played to 11 points (win by 2)
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When the serving team’s score is even, 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 points are odd, that player will be left-side court
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DOUBLE-BOUNCE RULE
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When ball is served, receiving team must let it bounce before returning, then the serving team must let it bounce before returning (2 bounces)
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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)
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The double bounce rule eliminates the serve and volley advantage and extends rallies
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THE NON-VOLLEY ZONE (AKA: THE KITCHEN)
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The court area within 7 feet on both sides of the net
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Volleying is prohibited within the non-volley zone. This rule prevents players from executing smashes from a position within the zone
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Fault: If a player steps on the non-volley zone when volleying a ball. This includes the line and/or when the player’s momentum causes them or anything they are wearing/carrying to touch the non-volley zone (including the associated lines)
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If a player touches the non-volley zone after volleying the ball, then the ball is declared dead
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A player may legally be in the non-volley zone any time other than when volleying a ball
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The non-volley zone is referred to as “the kitchen”
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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 a short fault
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FAULTS
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Faults are actions that stop play because of rule violations
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A fault by the receiving team is a point for the serving team
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A fault by the serving team results in the server’s loss of serve or side out
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A FAULT OCCURS WHEN
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A serve does not land within the confines of receiving court
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Ball is hit into the net on the serve or any return
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Ball is volleyed before a bounce has occurred on each side
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Ball is hit out of bounds
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Ball is volleyed from the non-volley zone
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Ball bounces twice before being struck by the receiver
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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
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There is a violation of a service rule
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Ball in play strikes a player or anything the player is wearing/carrying
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Ball in play strikes any permanent object before bouncing on the court