Welcome to Dalton Area Pickleball's Spring Flex League! 

DPRD and Dalton Area Pickleball is proud to announce their first Pickleball League. Divisions are Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles with  2.5 – 3.5 and 3.5-4.5 skill ranges.

No more than 8 teams per League. League length determined by the number of teams. If fewer than 6 teams register, a round-robin format will be used.

The week will start on Sunday and matches must be played and scores reported by 10 pm Saturday. Exceptions can be made if both teams agree and you notify the tournament director.

The cost for the League will be $30 per person for the first league and an additional $10 per person for every additional league.

The first week of play will be April 11th – 17th and continue for the next 7 weeks concluding May 30th.

Registration must be completed no later than April 10th. Registration will stop for each division when 8 2 person teams have been registered. After registration is full, players will be placed on a waitlist, and depending on the numbers other divisions might be added.

After completion of each match, please log in to the website and report your scores. If you need assistance contact, Joey Wills. Scores are important to have to settle ties as necessary.

Fees are $30.00 for the first event and $10.00 fo an additional event

How to Register Video

What is my level of play?

We encourage all players to select a level that offers good competitive match play. 

If you do not have an IFP Rating please refer to the IFP Rating Descriptions below 

2.5

• Makes longer-lasting slow-paced rallies.

• makes most easy volleys and uses some backhands, but needs work on developing strokes.

• Beginning to approach the non-volley zone to hit volleys.

• Aware of the "soft game."

• Knowledge of the rules has improved.

• Court coverage is weak but improving.
  
  

3.0

• More consistent on the serve and service return and when returning medium-paced balls

• Demonstrated improved skills with all the basic shot strokes and shot placement but lacks control when trying for direction, depth, or power on their shots 

• Beginning to attempt lobs and dinks with little success and doesn't fully understand when and why they should be used.

3.5

• Demonstrates improved stroke dependability with directional control on most medium-paced balls and some faster-paced balls

• Demonstrates improved control when trying for direction, depth, and power on their shots

• Needs to develop variety with their shots.

• Exhibits some aggressive net play

• Beginning to anticipate opponent's shots.

• Learning about the importance of strategy and teamwork in doubles.
  
  

4.0

• Consistent and dependable strokes, including directional control and depth on both forehand and backhand shots.

• Reliable serves, lobs, overheads, approach shots, and volleys and can use spin shots with some success.

• Occasionally can force errors when serving.

• Rallies may be lost due to impatience.

• Uses the dink shot and drop shots to slow down or change the pace of the game.

• Demonstrates 3rd shot strategies- drop shots, lobs, and fast-paced groundstrokes.

• Aggressive net play and teamwork in doubles is evident.

• Fully understands the rules of the game and can play by them.
  
  

4.5

• Beginning to master the use of power and spin, can successfully execute all shots, can control the depth of their shots, and can handle pace.  

• Beginning to master the dink shots and drop shots and their importance to the game.

• Beginning to master 3rd shot choices.

• Displays sound footwork and moves well enough to get to the non-volley zone whenever required.

The following is an abbreviated form of the rules to give a quick overview of how the game is played.

Official USAPA Rules:  https://www.usapa.org/ifp-official-rules/

THE SERVE

• The serve must be made underhand.

• Paddle contact with the ball must be below the server's waist.(navel level)

• The serve is innitiated with at least one foot behind the baseline; neither foot may contact the baseline or court until after the ball is struct.

• The serve is made diagonally crosscourt and must land within the condines of the opposite diagonal court.

• Only one serve attempt is allowed, except in the event of a let (the ball touches the net on the serve and lands on the proper service court; let serves are replayed.
  
  

SERVE 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/even court.

• If a point is scored, the server switches sides and the server initiates the next serve from the left/odd court.

• 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 looses the serve to the opposing team.

• Once the serve goes to the opposition  (at the side out), the first serve is from the right/even 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/even court when his or her score is even and from the left/odd 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

• Points are scored only by the serving team.

• Games are normally played to 11 points, win by 2.

• 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/even court when serving or receiving; when odd(1,3,5,7,9) that player will be in the left/odd court when serving  or receiving.
  
  

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 the 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 ono-volley zone. 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 lines.

• 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.

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

• 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 the 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 if a rule violation.

• 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.
  
  

DETERMINING SERVING TEAM

• Any fair method can be used to determine which player or team has first choice of side, service, or receive. A recognized way to start, is the team that is closest to Bainbridge, WA where Pickleball was created begins the game with a call of 0-0-2.