Flex League Rules

What are pickleball flex leagues?

The pickleball flex league is competitive match play, designed around your schedule. Matches are arranged with your opponents at a mutually agreeable day and time.

Matches can be played in any order.

Season is 6-8 weeks long, depending on the number of teams registered in a flight.

Women's and Men's Doubles, Mixed Doubles in the following flights: i

Teams are asked to self-rate for their first season. The software will keep a dynamic rating on all players after the first season.

Use the following guidelines to determine your skill level: www.usapa.org/skill-assessment-sheets

What are the dates of the league?

Winter Season - Begins January 17 (and will consist of at least 6 matches)

Spring Season - Begins March 21 (and will consist of at least 6matches)

Summer Season- Session 1 - Begins May 23 (and will consist of at least 6 matches)

How are the matches scheduled?

Matches can be played in an order, at any time, if they are completed by the season deadline.

List the player on the team first, that will be responsible for communicating for the team.

Give your opponents at least three times your team would be available to play.

Home team is responsible for initial contact to schedule the match but both teams can make contact. It is highly recommended to contact all opponents once the schedules are posted, to start the scheduling discussion. Schedule and play the most convenient matches first. The home team should reserve the courts for their home matches and expect that the away team will travel to them.

Home team must communicate the dress code at facility, available water, restrooms, paddle or ball requirements, lighting-if it will be needed and anything else you feel pertinent to playing the match OR Night-o-Round robin format is used, with a goal of playin one match assigned per week.

1-2 weeks are reserved at the end of each session, to make up matches, if needed. If a match is rained out, it should be rescheduled as soon as possible.

What constitutes a match?

Matches are 3 out of 5 matches to 11 points.
After each game in the match, write down the score, to ensure all are in agreement.
One point is awarded for each game won. When a team wins 3 games, the match is completed and will be scored as such.
Switch sides after each game; any player may ask to switch sides in the teams reach a score of 6.
Play your third game even if you have won the first two, as

Where are the matches played?

A "home" team is assigned for each match. Matches will be played at that facility. Please make sure the court is reserved, has lights if needed.
Communicate with opponent any dress, paddle or ball requirements. Additionally, if there is water and rest rooms at the home facility.
The "home" team provides the match balls. There should be a minimum of at least 2 new balls Guest fees may apply, please check with your club. Most clubs recognize the flex league as part of league play, as such, there is no fee, but check with your club or facility first. If there is a guest fee, it is paid for by the "home" team.
Should there be a problem with the court, or inclement weather, the home team must call the opponent's and reschedule.

What are the Flex League ball requirements?

How are the winners of the flights determined?

Winners should report the score
Flight winners are determined by the Total Point Standing on the last day of the season. If there is a tie, the winning team is determined by:
Fewest number of sets lost
Fewest number of games lost
Winner of head-to-head matches

How are players moved up via flight?

Teams are asked to self-rate for their first season.
The software will keep a dynamic rating on all players after the first seasons of ratings higher than the level the team is currently

Weather

It is the responsibility of the home team to communicate, before the match is schedule, to their opponents if the courts are wet.
If the match is delayed or interrupted by rain or wet courts, teams should follow the guidelines below:
The maximum wait time is 15 minutes (if court is available), for match to resume.
If all players agree (and court is available) to wait longer than the 15-minute rule, the match can be completed.
If either of the opportunities to finish the match exists, teams should reschedule match. If the match had begun, teams should make notes, with both teams agreeing as to side, score and resume the match at the exact game and point, when it is rescheduled.
If a match is rescheduled on the last date of play and it is rained out, the match will go unscored.

Defaults

After 3 reports of a team not communicating with other teams, the team will be contacted, remaining matches will be scored as default wins for their opponents, and the team is suspended from playing the next season.
Defaults are recorded as a win for the opposing team and recorded as such, 11-0, 11-0, 11-0 It is a default to cancel a match 24 hours or less, before it is scheduled. The team unable to play the match will default the match UNLESS the team receiving the default agrees to reschedule the match.
All players must arrive within 15 minutes of the scheduled match time. If a player is late, the team defaults the match, unless the opponents agree to play or reschedule the match.

Withdrawls

If a team withdraws from league, prior to playing a match, all the team's matches will simply be deleted.
No refunds will be issues once schedules are posted.
If a team withdraws in the flight after playing a match, all teams in the group will receive a 11-0, 11-0, 11-0 win against the withdrawing team. The rule attempts to credits teams who played the withdrawing team without penalizing those who did not play the withdrawing team.

Retired Matches

A retired match is when a match can't continue due to injury, illness or personal reasons. The score would be recorded with completed games played up to the point of the team retiring, with the balance of the match reported as 11-0 for the team not retiring.

Coaching

No coaching is allowed by any of the spectators or coach.
Spectators should not get involved in the match regarding line calls or rules.

Sportsmanship

Players in the Flex League must abide by fair play and good sportsmanlike behavior.
All players are expected to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner, adhering to the USAPA code of conduct regarding good sportsmanship. Please review at: http://www.usapa.org/usapa-code-of-conduct
Players that repeatedly ignore fair play and good sportsmanlike behavior will be suspended from league. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis and at the discretion of the Flex League Administrator.
Players returning to the league after a suspension are subject to a zero tolerance policy. In other words, any further complaints on returning players are ground for permanent suspension form the league.

Waivers

Players, participants, and any spectators or individuals that are participating in the
LeaguesForPickIeball.com (LFP) Flex League, acknowledge the risks associated with playing competitive pickleball and accept those risks voluntarily, and in consideration of their acceptance in LFP Flex League Program, assume all loss or damage, and any claim or demand therefore on account of injury and/or exposure to infectious syndromes or diseases to the person or property or resulting in illness and/or death arising out of or related to their participation, whether caused by negligence or otherwise. By participating or attending a league event the players, participants and any spectators assume all risks whether known or unknown. Furthermore, players, participants and spectators hold harmless LeaguesForPickIebaIl.com, the host facility and its employees, its affiliated company's with respect to any injury or loss caused by negligence or otherwise to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Flex League Rules

What are pickleball flex leagues?

What are the dates of the league?

How are the matches scheduled?

Home team must communicate the dress code at facility, available water, restrooms, paddle or ball requirements, lighting-if it will be needed and anything else you feel pertinent to playing the match OR Night-o-Round robin format is used, with a goal of playin one match assigned per week.

What constitutes a match?

Matches are 3 out of 5 matches to 11 points.

After each game in the match, write down the score, to ensure all are in agreement.

One point is awarded for each game won. When a team wins 3 games, the match is completed and will be scored as such.

Switch sides after each game; any player may ask to switch sides in the teams reach a score of 6.

Play your third game even if you have won the first two, as

Where are the matches played?

A "home" team is assigned for each match. Matches will be played at that facility. Please make sure the court is reserved, has lights if needed.

Communicate with opponent any dress, paddle or ball requirements. Additionally, if there is water and rest rooms at the home facility.

Should there be a problem with the court, or inclement weather, the home team must call the opponent's and reschedule.

What are the Flex League ball requirements?

How are the winners of the flights determined?

Winners should report the score

Flight winners are determined by the Total Point Standing on the last day of the season. If there is a tie, the winning team is determined by:

Fewest number of sets lost

Fewest number of games lost

Winner of head-to-head matches

How are players moved up via flight?

Teams are asked to self-rate for their first season.

The software will keep a dynamic rating on all players after the first seasons of ratings higher than the level the team is currently

Weather

It is the responsibility of the home team to communicate, before the match is schedule, to their opponents if the courts are wet.

If the match is delayed or interrupted by rain or wet courts, teams should follow the guidelines below:

The maximum wait time is 15 minutes (if court is available), for match to resume.

If all players agree (and court is available) to wait longer than the 15-minute rule, the match can be completed.

If either of the opportunities to finish the match exists, teams should reschedule match. If the match had begun, teams should make notes, with both teams agreeing as to side, score and resume the match at the exact game and point, when it is rescheduled.

If a match is rescheduled on the last date of play and it is rained out, the match will go unscored.

Defaults

After 3 reports of a team not communicating with other teams, the team will be contacted, remaining matches will be scored as default wins for their opponents, and the team is suspended from playing the next season.

Defaults are recorded as a win for the opposing team and recorded as such, 11-0, 11-0, 11-0 It is a default to cancel a match 24 hours or less, before it is scheduled. The team unable to play the match will default the match UNLESS the team receiving the default agrees to reschedule the match.

All players must arrive within 15 minutes of the scheduled match time. If a player is late, the team defaults the match, unless the opponents agree to play or reschedule the match.

Withdrawls

If a team withdraws from league, prior to playing a match, all the team's matches will simply be deleted.

No refunds will be issues once schedules are posted.

If a team withdraws in the flight after playing a match, all teams in the group will receive a 11-0, 11-0, 11-0 win against the withdrawing team. The rule attempts to credits teams who played the withdrawing team without penalizing those who did not play the withdrawing team.

Retired Matches

A retired match is when a match can't continue due to injury, illness or personal reasons. The score would be recorded with completed games played up to the point of the team retiring, with the balance of the match reported as 11-0 for the team not retiring.

Coaching

No coaching is allowed by any of the spectators or coach.

Spectators should not get involved in the match regarding line calls or rules.

Sportsmanship

Players in the Flex League must abide by fair play and good sportsmanlike behavior.

All players are expected to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner, adhering to the USAPA code of conduct regarding good sportsmanship. Please review at: http://www.usapa.org/usapa-code-of-conduct

Players that repeatedly ignore fair play and good sportsmanlike behavior will be suspended from league. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis and at the discretion of the Flex League Administrator.

Players returning to the league after a suspension are subject to a zero tolerance policy. In other words, any further complaints on returning players are ground for permanent suspension form the league.

Waivers

Players, participants, and any spectators or individuals that are participating in the