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

HOW TO PLAY
BASIC RULES OVERVIEW
Game is played in singles or doubles, rules are same for both
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.
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)
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
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
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
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
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”
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
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
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