Play Guidelines
Booking | Check In | Rules
Play Guidelines
Booking | Check In | Rules
All sessions are booked on the CourtReserve app. Download the app from Google Play, the App Store, or bookmark the browser version on your computer or tablet.
Open the app, join, complete your profile and submit. Add optional filters such as play level, preferred locations, days and times to display only sessions that work for you.
Book sessions up to 7 days in advance, pay fees on booking.
Fees will be charged to the credit/debit card on your profile.
Registrants are accepted on a first come, first serve basis.
If a session is full, you can join the waitlist.
You can also book a court and have other members join you.
Review the Guide (main menu) for step-by-step booking info.
For help, email helpdesk@notlpickleball.ca.
Cancel as early as possible as a courtesy to waitlisted players.
Cancellations at least 24 hours before sessions are refunded.
Cancellations by the Club are refunded.
Refunds appear as credits in your CourtReserve account.
12 hours or more before the session start time, the first person in the queue is automatically registered.
Within 12 hours, all waitlisted players are emailed. The first to register and pay gets the spot.
All play is at your own risk. The Club and facility owners are not responsible for any injury, lost, stolen or damaged equipment.
Wear proper sports attire and non-marking court shoes.
Sport safety glasses are recommended.
At indoor facilities, remove outdoor footwear in designated areas. Stow gear away from walkways, not on chairs.
Check in with the Captain before playing.
The paddle box controls player rotation.
The first players due up should immediately commence play.
Only rostered players may play — no substitutions allowed.
Additional venue-specific protocols:
(links to Google Maps directions)Park on the right side of the church toward the rear.
Follow the walkway to the rear entrance double doors.
Courts are down the hall to the right, past the washrooms.
Change area is outside the gym, leave bags in the hallway.
Start serving on the window side, "shift over" when games finish.
Check in via the stage door at the rear by the change area.
Enter/exit the courts via the hall doors to avoid disrupting play.
Enter the auditorium via the main door off the lobby.
Enter and exit the courts via the middle aisle.
Help with equipment set up before the first session and takedown after the last session is always appreciated.
Open seasonally from 9 am to 8:30 pm for Club and public play.
Only play when courts are dry.
Bring a lawn chair.
Wait for a break in play to cross another court.
Respect paddle box protocols for equitable court rotation
Get on/off court promptly when it's your turn to play/exit
Avoid lobbing behind movement-limited players
Ensure all players are ready and call out the score before serving
Call "BALL" immediately if your ball strays onto another court
With less-skilled players, play down (temper your intensity)
Respect the equipment and the playing environment
Congratulate opponents on great shots
Tap paddles with the other players at the net after a game
These key points focus on doubles, our usual form of play. Singles rules are identical except for Serving Sequence. Click the links below to review all the official rules.
Serving
Serves must be made from within the area behind the right or left court and land within the opposite diagonal court.
Only one serve attempt is allowed per server.
Serves can be made with either a forehand or backhand motion.
Both volley serves and drop serves are permitted.
Volley Serves
The volley serve is made without bouncing the ball.
The ball must be released from one hand without added spin.
When the paddle makes contact with the ball:
The server’s paddle arm must be moving in an upward arc;
The ball must not be above waist level;
The paddle head must not be above the top of the wrist.
Drop Serves
The drop serve is made by striking the ball after it bounces.
The server must release the ball from one hand only or drop it off the paddle face from any natural (unaided) height.
The ball must not be propelled (thrown) downward or tossed or hit upward with the paddle.
Serving Sequence
After each point, except at the start of a new game, the server switches courts and continues until a fault is committed.
The partner then continues serving and switching until their team commits a fault and loses the serve ("side-out").
At the start of a new game only one partner serves. On the first fault, service is lost.
The first serve of each game and side-out is from the right court.
In singles, the server serves from the right when his/her score is even, from the left when odd.
Two-Bounce Rule
The receiving team must let a served ball bounce;
The serving team must let a return-of-serve ball bounce.
After the ball has bounced twice, both teams may volley the ball.
Non-Volley Zone (“the kitchen”)
The kitchen is the area within 7 feet on both sides of the net and includes all its boundary lines.
It is a fault if a player steps on the kitchen while volleying.
A player may be in the kitchen at any time if not volleying.
A serve may not land in the kitchen or contact its lines.
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.