General Information

1. The team captain and all players are responsible for all information contained in the General Rules Page and in the following page. 

2. Participants must have a valid photo ID with them at all times. 

3. All players must be currently enrolled UT students or Faculty/Staff RecSports members. 

4. Intramural Pickleball is governed by USAPA playing rules and any modifications outlined in this document. 

5. You must provide your own equipment.

No Show 

1. Teams not ready to play within 10 minutes after the scheduled starting time (not when the preceding game finishes) will receive a no show loss.

2. Below is a summary of penalties for a team that is late: 

   1. Game Time = opponent gets choice of side and serve. 

   2. 5 minutes late = loss of first “set” 11-0 

   3. 10 minutes late = loss of second “set” 11- 0 and removed from league 

3. If neither team is ready to play by the scheduled game time, and it is less than 10 minutes past the scheduled start time, the teams will be permitted to play.  

4. If a team No-Shows for a game they will be removed from the league and replaced with a team on the waiting list. 

Basic Rules Overview 

1. Pickleball is played either as doubles (two players per team) or singles. 

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

 The Serve 

1. The serve must be made underhand. 

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

3. The serve is initiated with at least one foot behind the baseline; neither foot may contact the baseline or court until after the ball is struck. 

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

5. Only one serve attempt is allowed.

 Service Sequence 

General Rules

1. The correct server and receiver and their positions are determined by the score and the players’ starting positions in the game. 

2. The first serve of each side-out is always made from the right-hand court. 

3. Each player will serve until a rally is lost or a fault is declared against the player or team. 

4. As long as the server holds serve, after each point scored the server will alternate serving from the right and left sides of the court.

Single

1. If the server’s score is even (0, 2, 4 ...), the serve must be made from the right/even serving area and be received in the right/even service court by the opponent. 

2. If the server’s score is odd (1, 3, 5 ...), the serve must be made from the left/odd serving area and be received in the left/odd service court by the opponent. 

3. After the server loses the rally or faults, a side out will occur and service is awarded to the opponent.

Doubles

1. Both players on the serving doubles team have the opportunity to serve and score points until they commit a fault.

   1. Except at the start of each game, when only the starting server will have the opportunity to serve. The starting server of each game is therefore designated as “Second Server” for scoring purposes.

   2. After the starting server ("Second Server" or Server No.2) commits a fault or loses the rally, the serve is awarded towards the opposing team.

2. When the team’s score is even (0, 2, 4 ...), Server No.2's correct position is at the right/even serving area. 

3. When the team’s score is odd (1, 3, 5...), Server No.2's correct position is at the left/odd court. 

4. Service begins with the player correctly positioned on the right side of the court, according to the team’s score. 

   1. If it is even score, Server No.2 will be serving since they are at the right.

   2. If it is odd score, the server No.1 will be at the right. Thus, they will be serving.

5. The Server at the right will serve, alternating service sides after each point is won, until a rally is lost or the server’s team commits a fault. 

6. The other Server continues serving until their team commits a fault and loses the serve to the opposing team. 

7. Once the service goes to the opposition, 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.

8. Beside the server, there is no restriction on the position of other players, as long as all players are on their respective team’s side of the net. They can be positioned on or off the court. The correct server must serve from the correct service court, and the correct receiver must receive the serve.

Scoring 

1. Points are scored only by the serving team.     

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

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

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 double bounces. 

2. 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). 

3. The double bounce rule eliminates the serve and volley advantage and extends rallies.  

Non-Volley Zone ("Kitchen")

1. The non-volley zone is commonly referred to as “the kitchen.”

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

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

4. It is a fault if, when volleying a ball, the player steps in 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. 

5. 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. 

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

 Line Calls 

1. A ball contacting any line, except the non-volley zone line on a serve, is considered “in.” 

2. A serve contacting the non-volley zone line is short and a fault. 

 Faults 

1. A fault is any action that stops play because of a rule violation. 

2. A fault by the receiving team results in a point for the serving team. 

3. A fault by the serving team results in the server’s loss of serve or side out. 

4. A fault occurs when: 

   1. A serve does not land within the confines of the receiving court 

   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 

 Determining Serving Team 

1. Players use a coin toss to determine who will serve first.

2. The winner of the coin toss will have the option to choose side or to serve or receive. 

 Playoffs 

1. The number of playoff qualifiers will be announced at the end of the season and will vary based on record and number of "no-show" victories throughout the season.

2. If your team "no-shows" for a match, you could be eliminated from playoff consideration.