top of page

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!

IMG_1774.jpeg

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
  • Serves are made underhand only

  • Paddle contact with ball must be below the server’s waist

  • One foot behind the baseline & neither foot may contact the baseline or court until after ball is struck

  • The serve is made diagonally cross-court and must land within the confines of the opposite diagonal court

  • 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
  • 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)

  • 1st serve of each side-out is made from right-hand court

  • If a point is scored, the server switches sides and the server initiates the next serve from left-hand court

  • As subsequent points are scored, the server continues switching back and forth until a fault is committed and the

  • 1st server loses the serve

  • When the 1st server loses the serve, the partner then serves from their correct side of the court

  • The 2nd server continues serving until his team commits a fault and loses the serve to the opposing team

  • 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
  • Server serves from the right-hand court when score is even and left-hand court when score is odd

  • 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
  • Points are scored only by the serving team

  • Games are normally played to 11 points (win by 2)

  • 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
  • When ball is served, receiving team must let it bounce before returning, then the serving team must let it bounce before returning (2 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

THE NON-VOLLEY ZONE (AKA: THE KITCHEN)
  • The court area within 7 feet on both sides of the net

  • Volleying is prohibited within the non-volley zone. This rule prevents players from executing smashes from a position within the zone

  • 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)

  • If a player touches the non-volley zone after volleying the ball, then the ball is declared dead

  • A player may legally be in the non-volley zone any time other than when volleying a ball

  • 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
  • Faults are actions that stop play because of rule violations

  • A fault by the receiving team is 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 receiving court

  • Ball is hit into the net on the serve or any return

  • Ball is volleyed before a bounce has occurred on each side

  • Ball is hit out of bounds

  • Ball is volleyed from the non-volley zone

  • 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

  • Ball in play strikes a player or anything the player is wearing/carrying

  • Ball in play strikes any permanent object before bouncing on the court

CONTACT
Shane Richardson | Director of Athletics

richardson@ymcanorman.org

(405) 364-9622 ext. 137

bottom of page