Pickleball Basics

The Pickleball Basics

Pickleball is fun sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong.  Invented in 1965 in Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, Washington as a children's backyard game.

Can be played as doubles or singles, with a solid (hole-less) paddle and a plastic wiffle ball with 26 or 40 round holes. It is played indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court and a slightly modified tennis net (just two inches lower at the middle as the tennis net height) and can be enjoyed by all ages and skill levels players.

Skill Rating Definition:

Here is a link to the USAPA Player Skill Rating Definitions.    Find out where you are in terms of skill level!

https://usapickleball.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/USAPA-Skill-Rating-Definitions-2020.pdf

Round-Robin Rules:

    1.  Typically games are doubles games to 11; win by 2 points.  When eight or more players are waiting, games go to 9 points. 

    2.  Play is first come, first served.

    3.  Waiting players stack their paddles to determine the next group to play when a court opens.

    4.  When a game finishes, players exit the court and stack their paddles at the end of the line to be in the queue for another game.

    5.  If there are only a few players waiting, variations in queuing are allowed, such as, winning team stays on the court and splits, and two new players join. If there are a lot of players waiting, then all 4 players come off the court and are replaced by 4 new players.

    6.  Players wishing to play together can stack their paddles toghether in the queue.

Player Etiquette and Safety Considerations:

•  Include new players and make them feel welcome.

•  Non-members seeking to play should be made welcome and encouraged to join SPC.

•  Don’t chase the ball onto another court. Be courteous and return other players’ balls that stray into and behind your court.
  If another team’s ball is in your court during play, for safety’s sake, stop your play and have the server re-serve.

•  Call out the score every time you serve. 

•  If you or your partner is not sure if the ball is in or out, the call is always in favor of your opponent. 

•  Good sportsmanship is the rule. Respect all players, and above all, have fun!
  
  

Basic Rules Overview

• Pickleball is played either as doubles (two players per team) or singles; doubles is most common

• The same size playing area and rules are used for both singles and doubles

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

• 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

• The serve is made diagonally crosscourt and must land within the confines of the opposite diagonal

• Only one serve attempt is allowed per server.

Service Sequence

• 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

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

• 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.

*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

• Traditional Side-Out Scoring

• Points are scored only by the serving

• Games are normally played to 11 points, win by

• Tournament games may be to 15 or 21, win by 2.

• 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.

• Rally Scoring

• A point is scored after every rally, regardless of which team is serving. This method rewards success after each point.

Two Bounce Rule

• When the ball is served, the receiving team must let it bounce before returning, and then the serving team must let it bounce before returning, thus two 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 two-bounce rule eliminates the serve and volley advantage and extends rallies.

Non-Volley Zone

• The non-volley zone is the court area within 7 feet on both sides of the net.

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

• It is a fault if, when volleying a ball, the player steps on the non-volley zone, including the line and/or when the player’s momentum causes them or anything they are wearing or carrying to touch the non-volley zone including the associated

• It is a fault if, after volleying, a player is carried by momentum into or touches the non-volley zone, even if the volleyed ball is declared dead before this

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

• The non-volley zone is commonly 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 short and a fault.

Faults

• A fault is any action that stops play because of a rule

• A fault by the receiving team results in 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 the receiving court

  • The ball is hit into the net on the serve or any return

  • The ball is volleyed before a bounce has occurred on each side

  • The ball is hit out of bounds

  • A ball is volleyed from the non-volley zone

  • A 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

  • A ball in play strikes a player or anything the player is wearing or carrying

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

source:  https://usapickleball.org/what-is-pickleball/official-rules/rules-summary/