Pickleball Rules
Serve
I. Players must keep one foot behind the back line when serving. The serve is made underhand. The paddle must pass below the waist. The server must hit the ball in the air on the serve. The ball may not be bounced and then hit. The service is made diagonally cross court and must cleat the non-volley zone. Only one serve attempt is allowed, except if the ball touches the net on the serve and lands in the proper service court. Then the serve may be taken over.
II. The serve changes courts after each successful court. At the start of each new game, the 1st serving team is allowed only one fault before giving up the ball to the opponents. Thereafter both members of each team will serve and fault before it is turned over to the opposing team. When the receiving team wins the serve, the players in the right hand court will always start play.
Volley
To volley a ball means to hit it in the air without first letting it bounce. ALL volleying must be done with player’s feet clearly behind the non-volley zone. It is a fault if the player steps on or over the non-volley zone line on the follow through of a hit.
Double bounce rule
Each team MUST PLAY ITS FIRST SHOT OFF THE BOUNCE. That is, the receiving team must let the serve bounce, and the serving team must let the return of the serve bounce before playing it. After the 2 bounces have occurred, the ball can be either volleyed or played off the bounce
Fault
I. Hitting the ball out of bounds (a ball landing on a land if considered in bounds)
II. Ball does not clear net
III. Stepping into non-volley zone while playing the ball on a volley
IV. Volleying the ball before it has bounce once on each side of the net
Scoring
A team shall score a point only when serving. A player who is serving shall continue to do so until a fault is made by that team. The game is played to 11 points with a 2 point margin.
DOUBLES
I. Player in right hand court (1) serves diagonally across court to receiver in opposite right hand court. The ball must clear the non-volley zone and land in the right hand court. The receiver must let the ball bounce before returning the serve. Serving team must also let the return bounce before playing it. After the both bounces have occurred, the ball may then be either volleyed or played off the bounce until a fault is made.
II. If the fault is made by the receiving team a point is scored by the serving team. While the serving team wins a point, its players will switch courts and the same player will continue to serve.
III. When the serving team makes it’s first fault, players will stay in the same court and the second partner will then serve. When they make their second fault they will stay in the same courts and turn the ball over to the other team. Players switch courts only after scoring.
