(Last updated November 2024)

Our House Rules are based on Pickleball Canada Rules, except we’re operating on a time-limited structure.

Use of TeamSnap App is mandatory so you can receive important messages and mark availability.  Download is free.

RULE #1 NO JERKS ALLOWED! 
This is a private club for good people with good vibes.  We trust that you align with our culture if you choose to join our sports clubs.

LOCATIONS:
Trout Lake Community Centre 3360 Victoria Dr, Vancouver, BC V5N 4M4

SCHEDULE:  Sundays 5:15pm-8:15pm
1st and last 10mins at each location is reserved for setup/teardown.  All players expected to help with equipment.
40min matches.  Guaranteed equal # of matches per team but not guaranteed to be back to back. 

Team-specific schedules will be available in your TeamSnap App and on the website shortly after registration closes.

GAME TIME/WARM-UP/TIMEOUTS:  Please arrive at least 10 mins. before your match to ensure proper start times.  Upon mutual agreement of your team captains, you may start early or use part of your time slot for additional warm-up (if time/space permits).  No time-outs.

SELF-REGULATION:  The player serving will be responsible for calling out the score before each serve.  Coaching each other and/or the other team is highly encouraged, so we can learn new skills, strategies, rules and progress together.  When in doubt, call yourself out!  In the name of sportsmanship, please only call faults on your own teammates.  Calling out an offence on your opponents is highly discouraged.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:  Minimum 2 players required on-site before game time to avoid a forfeit.  A grace period for late starts is up to both team leads to agree upon.  The ending time is still in effect even if you both agree to start late.  There is no maximum to team rosters, but a minimum of 3 full-time players must be registered to each team to ensure zero risk of forfeits.  So that we can encourage growth & development, any team facing the risk of forfeit must be flexible to accept at least 1 player from the wait-list.

SUBS/DROP-INS:  A sub is anyone that's acknowledged the culture, read the rules, and signed a liability waiver.  This can only be done through registration or the pickup list.  A drop-in is none of those and not allowed to play.  Again, unless they are registered or on the pickup list they ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY.  If you have more than 2 players and want to sub into the match, you cannot sub in the middle of a game, you must wait until the next game or match.  For example, 3 players show up.  2 play until 11pts, then the other person can sub in to play the next game.  Do not sub into the game between serves.  Any registered player from either division may rotate into your match between games, but they must be on a league roster.  Unregistered people will not be allowed to play - no exceptions!  Teams in the finals are for original rostered players only, you cannot play with subs from other teams or the pickup list.

FORFEITS:  Don’t do it! There is no max to the size of your rosters and a wait-list of eager players to pad it if you need.  Teams need 2 players to start.  There is an Availability tab in your TeamSnap accounts to forecast your teams' attendance and a chat feature to make appropriate arrangements well ahead of time.  If your team does end up needing to forfeit, it will be dropped from the schedule without refund, and we’ll replace the team spot.  All rostered names will move to the bottom of the waitlist.

START OF GAME:  To start the game, the HOME team serves 1st (you’ll see Home or Away assignment in your TeamSnap schedule). Away team can choose the side they want to start on.

GAME CLOCK:  We'll follow the gymnasium clock.  All matches MUST END at the scheduled time, however, you may start early or start late if both captains agree, and or time and space permits.  Whatever the score in whatever game teams are in when the game clock expires, that will be the final score for that set and the match will be decided upon that, even if it's tie, and even if it’s a win by 1.

TWO BOUNCE RULE:  The ball must bounce twice, once on each side of the court, before players can hit the ball in the air or on the “volley”. When the ball is served, it bounces in the receivers service court, the serving team must stay back and wait for the ball to bounce again on their side before they can move up and play the ball in the air.

This rule is instrumental in providing long rallies in the game of Pickleball. The serving team cannot serve the ball deep and then run to the net and smash it down “the throat” of their opponents. They must stay back and wait for the return bounce. New players often forget this and start to move up quickly with the serve and get caught hitting the ball in the air.

Both players on the serving team must stay back at the service line until the ball has bounced on their side. After the ball has bounced twice either team can play the ball on the bounce or in the air.

NON-VOLLEY ZONE (KITCHEN) FAULTS:  The Non-Volley Zone is a rectangle that is 7′ X 20 feet on both sides of the net. Since Pickleball was designed as a family game this area was put in place so that a player has to stay back from the net when hitting the ball in the air. Thus, cutting down on the number of smashes and possible injury to an opposing player. This also helps make for longer rallies.

This is one of the most difficult rules for players to get used to, especially tennis players. You can not step on the NV-line or into the NV-Zone when making a volley shot, a shot in the air. Your forward momentum cannot take you into the NV-zone after you hit the ball even if it is missed on the other side. No article of clothing, jewellery or paddle can fall into the zone on a volley or it is a fault. Your hat or paddle falling in is considered a fault.

Key points. This only applies when you are volleying or hitting the ball in the air. You can step in after making a ground stroke. You can go into the NV-zone to get a ball that bounces in there first. You can stand in the NV-zone all day if you want, you just can not play the ball in the air. It is a fault if you step in even after the ball is missed or hit by the opponents.

FYI, this rule was introduced to prevent players from going to the net and smashing it at their opponents as in tennis. It is safer and longer rallies result because there are fewer “put away’s’ standing 7′ back from the net.

POINTS:  Only the serving team can win a point. The receiving team must get the “side down” and get the serve back before earning points.  Matches are best of 3 games.  Games play to 11 points, must win by 2.  Each match has a time limit of 40 mins.  Whatever the score at the end of the game clock, decides the result of that match, even if it’s only a win by 1 point or tie.  You earn a point when the other team commits a fault. Faults are described below.

The only exceptions are:

1.  Games during the Finals Tournament, where a 3rd set cannot end in a tie.  In the rare occasion the game clock expires on a tied score, we will allow 1 last serve.  Whichever team wins this rally wins the match, even if it wasn't their teams' serve.

2. The Championship game, the very last game of the Finals Tournament, where there is no time limit on the 3rd set

SCORING:  Scoring in pickleball can be very confusing to beginners. The first rule of etiquette in pickleball is that the server and only the server should announce the score. The player that is standing in the right-hand service area of the serving side always starts. That player is server number 1 for this sequence only. The next time they get the serve, their partner may be in the right court to start and they become server number 1.

The sequence for announcing the score is as follows; serving team’s score first, opponents score second and server number third. So if the server announces 3, 4, 1, the serving team has 3 points, the opposing team has 4 points and server number 1 is serving. If the serving team wins a point, the score would be 4, 4, 1. The serving team switches courts(example:  if your previous serve was from the right corner, now you serve from the left corner) after winning a point but the receiving team stays as is.

Remember the server only gets one fault and they lose their serve. You only get one chance to get your serve in, not two as in tennis.

SERVING:  To start the game, the HOME team serves 1st (you’ll see Home or Away assignment in your TeamSnap schedule).  The team serving first gets only one serve their first time. This rule helps prevent “blow” out games with one team getting a large number of points to start. The server making the first serve should announce 0, 0, 2. The score is 0, 0, and because the team gets only one serve, the server is number 2. When the serve switches to the other side, that team gets two serves and play continues that way until a score of 11 is reached.

The server must serve underhand making contact with the ball below the waist. The top of the paddle face must be below the wrist and the server must have both feet behind the service line at the time of contact with the ball. The ball must be served to the diagonally opposite court and it must be clearly in the service area. The ball cannot hit any part of the non-volley zone including the non-volley line. A serve that hits the net but lands in the service area is legal and play should continue. Before serving the ball, the server should make sure all players are ready. Take a minute to check to make sure your partner is ready and that the opposing team is ready.

If you are receiving the serve but you or your partner are not ready, hold up your hand or paddle. If the server serves to you anyway, do not swing at the ball and call for a “let” serve because you were not ready. Returning the ball indicates you were ready and the point stands.

CALLING LINES:  If the ball touches any part of the lines, it's considered IN.  Except on a serve.  If you serve and it touches the kitchen line it's OUT.  The other 3 lines of the service box are still IN.  We rely on the integrity of the players in calling shots in or out. The rule of etiquette suggests that players will call the lines as honestly and fairly as they can. Players should call the lines on their side of the net and opponents will do the same on their side. Opponents should never make a call on the other side of the net unless they are asked. If a team cannot decide on a line call, we reserve.  Fairness is the rule of the day. Remember it is only a game. Keeping this in mind, will prevent conflict on the court.

FAULTS:  A fault occurs on a serve when the ball hits short of the service court including the non-volley line. If the ball is served to the wrong court, long behind the back service line or out of the bounds that is a fault.

After the serve, a fault occurs if a player steps in the non-volley court or on the non-volley line while making a volley shot. If the ball is hit into the net or other permanent object such as the pole, that is a fault.

A ball hit outside the boundary lines of the court are considered out and a fault. If the ball hits a player they have committed a fault. On the serve, if a ball is hit into the wrong court and the opposing player in that court is hit or catches the ball that is considered a fault on the receiving team.

A player should not catch a ball that is heading out of bounds because that is considered a fault as well. Always let the ball bounce first. An indication of an out ball should be made by yelling out or by hand gesture indicating out. This should be done quickly.

Failing to hit the ball before it bounces twice is a fault. However, if the ball bounces twice off your paddle while you are making a continuous forward motion, this is legal. If the ball hits any part of your paddle hand, the hand below the wrist, is considered part of the paddle and legal.

If a ball hits a player or his/her clothing, while standing on or off the court during a rally, this is a fault and a point for the opponents.

GAME EQUIPMENT:  The facility will provide all net equipment.  Dill Pickleball Club will provide balls.  Teams are responsible for their own paddles.  

SKILL LEVELS:  Dill Pickleball Club is a recreational mix of novice, intermediate, and competitive players.  It is highly encouraged for skilled players to share their knowledge and coach others to elevate the overall level of play and love for the game.