The Villages Competitive Pickleball Club
League Rules
The Villages Competitive Pickleball Club will adhere to USA Pickleball Rules unless otherwise stated in this document. USAPA Rules can be seen at https://usapickleball.org/what-is-pickleball/official-rules/ The TVCPC reserves the right to amend these rules as needed. Club membership will be informed when changes are made.
- MATCH PLAY RULES
1.1 Coaching Rule
Coaching from anyone other than a partner is only permitted between games and during time-outs. Coaching is not permitted at any other time during a pickleball match. A verbal or written complaint regarding this infraction may be filed with the League Commissioner. The Commissioner, or his designee, will investigate and at his/her discretion may issue a verbal warning or remove the offender from the courts.
1.2 Player injury/illness during match play
1.2a. If a player is injured or becomes ill during a match and a same division substitute player of the same gender is available, that substitute player may step in and complete the downed player’s games with agreement of both captains. If there is disagreement between captains, the Commissioner or his designee will rule in favor of avoiding forfeitures.
1.2b. If a player is injured or becomes ill during a match, he/she can be replaced by a same gender player from his/her team for the remainder of the match.
1.2c. If an injury occurs during a game, the point in progress is treated the same as a “ball-on-court” situation and the point is replayed.
1.3 No show
If a player does not arrive in time for their first game, the following shall apply:
1.3a. A game, scheduled to begin later, may start in place of the missing player’s game.
1.3b. The missing player’s game may proceed with a player from the division’s substitute list in the missing player’s position with agreement of both captains. If captains cannot agree, the Commissioner or his designee will rule in favor of avoiding forfeiture.
1.3c. The missing player’s match may begin with a same gender teammate in the missing player’s position.
1.3d. If the late player arrives mid-game, the replacement player will complete the entire game. The late player shall play the remainder of his/her scheduled games.
1.3e. If the “no show” player does not arrive, the team’s other same gender players may continue to rotate into his/her games. If the team’s other players are not willing or able to play the missing player’s games, those games will be forfeited. If court reservation time expires before all games can be completed, the incomplete games will be considered forfeited by the team who is missing a player. No player may play more than 2 games in excess of their scheduled games.
1.3f. Forfeited games will not be entered into DUPR and will not count in any player’s individual statistics in MyPBGames. Forfeited games will count in team results and for total points scored toward the bonus point.
1.4 Time outs
Each team is allowed 2, 1- minute time-outs per game.
1.5 Unsportsmanlike conduct on or off the courts will not be tolerated.
The Commissioner has discretion to:
- Remove the player from the courts for the remainder of the match
- Suspend the player from the league
- Expel the player from the club
1.6 Competition format and scoring
1.6a. Division specific match format will be determined each season by club leadership in consultation with team captains and division leaders.
- The number of players and courts available and time allotment will be considered.
1.6b. Games will be played with traditional scoring and will conclude at 11 points, win by one.
- D1 only – the third and sixth games will conclude at 9 points, win by one. The teams will switch sides after 5 points in these games.
- CLUB RULES
2.1 Ratings and rating changes
Player’s DUPR ratings will change weekly as match scores are entered. All players will remain in their assigned division and on their assigned team for the entire season regardless of rating fluctuations during a season.
2.1a The league will capture the starting DUPR rating for every player at the start of each season; that number will be used as player substitution and replacement criteria.
2.1b Two average DUPR ratings will be established for full-time players in each division prior to the first day of match play – one for males, the second for females. These DUPR averages will be utilized throughout the entire season when considering appropriate player replacements and substitutes.
2.2 Replacing a player
If a player leaves a team mid-season, the team captain will inform league leadership via support@tvcpc.com. Leadership will seek an appropriate level player to fill the vacancy. Players from the substitute list will be considered before other potential replacement players.
2.2a. Replacement Player Criteria — If the player leaving a team had a DUPR rating at the start of the season that was above the established same gender DUPR average, then her/his replacement may have a DUPR rating no greater than 0.25 above that which the player leaving had at the start of the season.
2.2b. If the player being replaced had a DUPR rating below the established same gender DUPR average at the beginning of the season, the replacement chosen may have a DUPR no higher than the division’s established same gender DUPR average.
2.3 Inclement weather/Unsafe courts
2.3a. Wet courts are considered unsafe for league play. If court conditions are unsafe prior to the start of scheduled matches, league play will be canceled for the day and an announcement will be issued from MyPBGames to all club members.
2.3b. If court conditions become unsafe during league play, the commissioner or his/her designee will stop play for the day. The number of games completed by ALL teams in the division will be the number of games entered into MyPBGames and DUPR for the day. The bonus point in each match will be awarded to the team earning the most points in the completed games.
2.4 Substitute players
2.4a. Substitute players must be members of The Villages Competitive Pickleball Club and on the division’s substitute list unless otherwise approved by the commissioner.
2.4b. The following rules apply by division:
2.4b1 Frequency of substitute use
• D1 – D3. A substitute player may play for the same team twice per season. There is no
restriction on a sub playing consecutive weeks.
• D4. A substitute player may play twice per team per season but not on consecutive weeks.
2.4b2 Selection of substitutes
• D1. New substitute players may be added at any time throughout the season. Each Sunday, the
division leader will notify all captains of new subs added during the previous week. Those subs
will be considered available to play beginning 8 days after the Sunday announcement.
• D1 – D3. If the unavailable team member had a DUPR rating above the established same gender
DUPR average at the start of the season, a substitute player with a DUPR rating no greater than
0.25 above that of the unavailable player will fill his/her position for the day.
If the unavailable team member’s DUPR rating at the beginning of the season was below the
established same gender DUPR average, the substitute chosen may have a DUPR rating no
higher than the division’s established same gender DUPR average.
▪ D4 – If the unavailable player’s DUPR rating is less than or equal to 0.24 points below the same
gender average for the division, the replacement player’s DUPR rating may be up to 0.25 above
that of the player being replaced, even if it exceeds the division’s same gender DUPR average
established at the beginning of the season.
2.4c. The captain who secures a substitute player will add them to their lineup which will set the player’s status to “Subbing” in the system. The substitute player should mark his/her status as unavailable in any other division where the player is enrolled as a substitute for the same season.
2.4d. A “substitute coordinator” will be assigned in each division to:
- personally provide instructions to substitute players on completing their availability chart
- inform substitute players of club rules of substitution
- ensure the substitute availability chart remains up to date
- assist captains in securing substitute players when needed
- monitor use of substitute players by teams (division specific rules)
2.4e. Substitute players who fail to complete their availability chart on MyPBGames after being contacted by the substitute coordinator, may be subject to removal from the substitute list for the current season.
2.4e. If a team captain has secured a substitute player because a rostered player has marked themselves unavailable and both players arrive on game day, the substitute player will play all scheduled games for the day.
2.5. Resignation from a team
Players who sign up to play in the league are expected to be committed to playing the entire season. Many hours are put into creating balanced divisions and teams after the sign-up period is closed. When players drop out after teams are composed, balance is disrupted. This is not fair to players who are committed to the league and are expecting balanced play. It also creates unnecessary work for league organizers. Players who sign-up and then withdraw after teams are formed, may be ineligible to be full-time players the following season. Extenuating circumstances will be taken into consideration on an individual basis.
Adopted 4/20/23
Revised 8/12/23
Revised 1/12/202