EverplaySSC

⚈Everplay Pickleball Rules⚈

*New "Game Duration & Playoff" Format starting Spring 2024

*NO ALCOHOL AT PUBLIC PARKS

New League/Sportsmanship:

  1. This is a new sport/league Everplay is trying to grow, establish and improve. Rules and structure are all new to us as they are to you.  If there are any suggestions or concerns please feel free to contact us via hotline (803-569-1912-Text Only) or email [email protected]. 
  2. Remember, this is for fun.  Anyone showing Unsportsmanlike, Rudeness or Overwhelming Attitude will be ejected and possibly removed from the league as these actions eliminate fun for everyone else.
  3. Everplay staff have the right to eject any participant or spectator not following these guidelines.
  4. If any participants have any concerns about teams or players please notify a Everplay staff member.

Officiating:

  1. This is a self officiated league. 
  2. Players must agree upon calls (most calls should be made on the side of the court the ball is on).
  3. If there is any confusion on calls we strongly encourage replaying the point.  Please be honest and show good sportsmanship.  THIS IS FOR FUN! =)
  4. Everplay will provide 1 field manager that you must report scores to after the conclusion of your time slot.

 The Start of Play:

  1. Team captains will play rock, paper, scissors. The winner can choose to serve first or the side of the court they prefer.

Equipment and Field of Play:

  1. Everplay will provide the balls.
  2. Facility will provide the net, Paddles (Demo Paddles are available for purchase. A minimum of $5 down goes towards the paddle-you have 30 days to pay for it in full).
    1. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE GETTING YOUR OWN PADDLE. (On site at Cayce Tennis Facility, Target, Todd & Moore, Amazon, Sporting Stores, etc.)
  3. The field of play is rectangular, 44 feet long by 20 feet wide, divided into 2 halves by a center dividing net.
  4. Each half has a line that is 7 feet away and parallel with the net. This indicates a Non-Volley Zone or “The Kitchen”

Teams/Substitutions:

  1. Each team consists a minimum of 3 paid players (2 play at a time).- There are no gender restrictions.
  2. Players 1,2,3 will rotate games accordingly.  All players on site must play in at least one game.  The extra player is also a substitute due to players being out certain weeks.  This saves your team from having to forfeit games. (For forfeitures ruling see forfeit section).
  3. You can have as many people on your team as you want but just know the more you have, the less playing time there will be. (We suggest signing up multiple teams if you have multiple people interested in participating).

Game Duration:

  1. Matches will be 60 mins.
    1. Teams will play as many games as possible within that 60 mins.
    2. Starting week 3 we will re schedule games according to scores the 1st & 2nd week.  This will help us keep the league competitive and fun for all teams.  If there are teams that you are 100% wanting to play against please email us or put in the comment section.
    3. If a team decides to quit during that 60 mins, it will be recorded as a 5-0 defeat. *Not a forfeit.
    4. Games will be to 11 points and win by 2 or first to 15.

Serving:

  1. The ball is served underhand and diagonally to the opponent's service court.
  2. Player A serves → If Team AB wins the point, Player A switches positions with Player B and serves. This continues until Player A faults. After Player A faults, Player B serves. After Player B faults, the serve goes to the other team.
  3. The serve CAN bounce before making contact with the servers paddle.
  4. Serves must cross the non-volley line on the opponent's side.
  5. If the serve lands in the non-volley zone or on the non-volley line, it is considered a fault, and the other team gets the ball.
  6. Serves must be made underhand and below the waist.
  7. The server must be positioned behind the baseline and on their quadrant of the court.
  8. Only one serve attempt is allowed.
  9. Let serves are now considered IN play.
  10. The Double-Bounce Rule
    1. 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.
    2. After the ball has bounced once in each team’s court, both teams may either hit the ball before it bounces or play it off a bounce.
  11. Any ball that lands on the line is considered IN.

Scoring:

  1. Serve to score.
  2. A point is scored if the returning team fails to return the ball or if the returning team commits a fault.

Faults:

  1. A fault is any action that stops play because of a rule violation.
  2. The ball is hit into the net on the serve or any return.
  3. The ball is volleyed before a bounce has occurred on each side.
  4. The ball is hit out of bounds.
  5. A ball is volleyed from the non-volley zone.
  6. A ball bounces twice before being struck by the receiver.
  7. 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.
  8. There is a violation of a service rule.
  9. A ball in play strikes a player or anything the player is wearing or carrying.
  10. A ball in play strikes any permanent object before bouncing on the court.

Non-Volley Zone aka "The Kitchen":

  1. The non-volley zone is the court area within 7 feet on both sides of the net.
  2. Volleying is prohibited within the non-volley zone. This rule prevents players from executing smashes from a position within the zone.
  3. 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 lines.
  4. 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 happens.
  5. A player may legally be in the non-volley zone any time other than when volleying a ball.

Cancellations/Rain outs:

  1. 2 Makeup weeks are built into the end of each season unless otherwise specified. After 2 weeks we cannot make up due to scheduling constraints and future seasons.
  2. All players will be notified via email if games are canceled.
  3. We will also post via social media if there are cancellations, so we suggest following Everplay on all platforms.

Forfeits:

  1. Teams have until 10 minutes past the designated start time to field the minimum requirement (2).
  2. A forfeit will be scored 5-0 (F). 
  3. If your team is going to forfeit a game, PLEASE text our hotline (803-569-1912) or email [email protected].
    1. First Forfeit - Loss of game.
    2. Second Forfeit - Loss of game and Everplay reserves the right to remove the team from playoffs.
    3. Third Forfeit - Loss of game and removal from the league.
  4. Please notify us early if you have to forfeit. If we have enough notice it gives us a chance to find a replacement team for your opponent to play or can allow others to practice and utilize the courts.

League Schedule:

  1. All teams are scheduled for 6 matches minimum.
  2. The top teams will make the single-elimination tournament on the 7th week.
    1. The number of teams that qualify will vary depending on the number of teams in the league and court space available.

Playoffs:

  1. Rosters will be checked at the beginning of games.
  2. Tournament Format:
    1. A single-elimination tournament will be played on week 7 on the same day of the week that the league is scheduled.
    2. The top teams qualify for playoffs.
      1. The number of teams will vary depending on the total number of teams in the league and available court space.
    3. First rounds will best of 3 games.  *Champ games will be best of 5 games.
  1. Champions of the league will receive ring pops, Everplay champ prizes and a cool pic with our Champions Banner.
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