League Format

and Policies

COVID POLICIES

Scarborough follows Columbus City health department guidelines.
Our club is privately owned and may have at any time additional policies regarding COVID.
Our club currently has a minimal observer policy for all events. This includes our pickleball leagues. The club prefers NO observers at the club solely for watching the pickleball league play.

LEAGUE PLAY

DETAILED RULES GOVERNING COMPETITION OF ALL PICKLEBALL LEAGUES

WHO CAN JOIN OUR LEAGUES

Our pickleball leagues are generally open to anyone who already knows how to play pickleball, who has been playing for a year, and who has at least a 3.0 skill level. We ask that total beginners join only our Beginner league.
You do not have to be a member of Scarborough East Tennis Club to join our pickleball leagues. However, if you are a club member you receive a 20% discount on league fees. In addition club members get priority over non-club members for filling any open spots.
In addition starting in Fall 2023, Scarborough's leagues have the following ranking on precendence of getting into our leagues:
1. Returning Scarborough club members who have been in our leagues before
2. Returning league members who have been in our leagues >=1 year
3. Scarborough members
4. Returning league members from previous sessions but < 1 year in league
5. Returning players from anytime in 2022.
6. Everyone else.

Any league may be co-ed so men and women all play together, or any league may be gender specific. Any league may also be age specific generally following accepted USAPA practices. Any league may have skill restrictions.

LADDER LEAGUES

You do not need a partner to join a ladder league. You will be placed on a court each week with 3 other people. Each week you will have 2 different players on your court. You may also share a permanent spot -- and the costs -- with one other person if you want to play less than once per week, or if you know you are going to miss several weeks straight.

FORMAT & RULES

2022 International Federation of Pickleball regulations are the guidelines we follow in our leagues.

LADDER LEAGUES

The ladder format is designed so that players mostly play others of similar skill level. The player's weekly ranking in the league and, thus, which court they play on for any given week, is based on the player's winning percentage of the previous week. The winning percentage is defined as the ratio of points won to total points possible. Two players out of four on each court will move up or down the ladder (or one court) each week according to whether they have the highest or the lowest winning percentage. The other two players will stay on the same court.
If two players on the same court tie for the most points on a given day of play, the league director will choose the player with the lower Player Order # (e.g., higher ranked order) in the Court Assignments for that day of play. That player will, if applicable, move to the next higher court. Otherwise, the other player may go down, if applicable. If both stay on the court that player with the lowest Player Order # gets the lower Player Order # again the next week relative to the other tied player. In the case of a tie between a player and a substitute player, the normal league player automatically wins the tie regardless of the Player Order #.
There is no rule stating which team's starting server begins a new game (i.e. serves the first ball in the game). Players are not compelled to use another player's personal preference of who serves first.
Each team may take one 60 second time out during one game.
There is a maximum 5 minute break between games during which players should enter their game scores or go to the restroom.
Scores are kept on this website for 3 months

SINGLES LEAGUES

Singles leagues are based on specific USAPA skill levels and skill level definitions, and accepted match formats for tournament competition.
Players rate themselves often times so one player's opinion of his/her own or someone else's skill level may differ. If players have official USAPA ratings, these ratings must be used as a player's stated skill level.
Singles leagues are conducted via a round robin format. This means each player in a specific league plays every other play in the same league one time.
Each player may take two 60-second time outs during one 11 pt game.
The league director will randomly pick who is server #1 for each singles match and let the players know ahead of their matches who is first server.
There is a maximum 5 minute break between games during which players should enter their game scores.
Scores are kept on this website for 3 months

MATCHES

The match format is 3 games.
All ladder league games go to 21 points win by 2. This means match lengths will be around 2 hours. NOTE: Due to the win by 2 rule, the matches may go to 25-23, for example.
All singles league games will go to 11 win by 2 NOTE: Due to the win by 2 rule, the matches may go to 15-13, for example.

GAME BALL

Only the yellow Franklin X-40 outdoor ball is allowed on court. Players rightfully expect the same ball to be used throughout a league season. Ladder league players expect the same ball on every court as they move up and down the ladder.
Any player bringing another type of ball to use in the league is subject to REMOVAL FROM THE LEAGUE.

ENTERING SCORES

All points and all game results from all matches count!! Game results are recorded by every player after each game is finished. The score entry is done by the online ENTER GAME SCORE tool on this website. Players should verify scores with each other so any disagreements can be immediately resolved.
All scores, once entered on this website, are final.
Any doubles match scores above 21 (i.e. 25-23) will be counted so all players receive all points they earn!
Any singles match score above 11 will be counted.

MAKING LINE CALLS (including No Volley Zone lines, sidelines and baselines)

Calling the ball in or out is done by either player that is on the side of the court where the ball bounces last. Everyone MUST respect a player's call (even when we may disagree with the call).
All players MUST give the benefit of the doubt for balls very close to the lines i.e. if you are not 100% positive that a ball is out, then, by definition, you MUST call the ball is IN. If team members disagree with each other on a call, by definition (you both don't see the ball OUT), you MUST call the ball IN. This is different than one player seeing the ball bounce, and the other player being unable to see the ball bounce. In the latter case, two players cannot call the ball since only one saw the ball bounce.
Here is an excellent detailed post on line calling.

WINNING THE LEAGUE

LADDER LEAGUES

At the end of the season, the player with the most accumulated points across ALL matches of the season is the 1st place winner and receives a medal. We will also present 2nd and 3rd place medals as well as most improved player (chosen at League Director's discretion). In the case of a tie, all players who tie get medals.

SINGLES LEAGUES

At the end of the season, the player with the most match wins across ALL matches of the season is the 1st place winner and receives a medal. We will also present 2nd and 3rd place medals . In the case of a tie, the official tournament rules will determine a tie. Namely head to head results is the first tiebreaker, and differential points is the second tiebreaker.

AUTOMATIC BILLING FOR LEAGUE FEES

You pay $10 per match at the beginning of each month for the matches taking place during that month.
Scarborough requires your credit card to be on file if you are not a club member. Scarborough will bill the monthly fee to your credit card automatically. Otherwise, if you are a Scarborough member, your account we be charged the monthly fee
You get a club discount on league fees if you are a Scarborough member.
There is also a session registration fee that is good for as long as the player is in consecutive sessions (i.e., spring, summer, fall, winter)

RESPECT ON COURT RULE

Scarborough has a "respect all players on court" rule that we all are REQUIRED to follow in our pickleball leagues. We insist on maintaining a healthy, fair, and FUN atmosphere for everyone in our pickleball leagues!

If the league director gets 3 complaints from different people about the same person**, the league director will ask the offending party to leave the league. The offending player will not be welcome back for 1 year. Remember you are being recorded so it is easy to verify accuracy of the complaint.

** The complaints can vary. Any unsportsmanlike behavior may qualify as a strike. This is ultimately at the League Director's discretion. After all, the League Director should not receive ANY complaints about players' sportsmanship. **

Other complaints such as these also qualify:

-Continually making incorrect line calls in your favor

-Continually being late

MISSING A DAY OF PLAY - USING A SUBSTITUTE PLAYER IN LADDER LEAGUES

LADDER LEAGUES

If a player must miss a day of the ladder league, that player must use a substitute player so the league can stay on schedule.
A substitute player's game scores are entered as official results just as if the permanent player was there. These results determine if the absent player will stay on the same court or move down a court. To protect against an inappropriately skilled substitute player advancing a permanent player up a court, a sub cannot advance a player up to the next court no matter the substitute's game results. A sub can keep a player on the current court or drop a player to a lower court.
The points added to the absent player's accumulated point total is the average of all four players' game totals. This protects the absent players from a sub's poor game while also preventing the absent player getting a substitute player who is too skilled for the absent player's court.

SINGLES LEAGUES

If possible, 9 players will be in each singles round robin. This means all players get 1 bye. The players can tell the League Director which one day of the 8 weeks they cannot play. The League Director will try to schedule that player with a bye on that date.
If a player must miss a 2nd day of the league, that player must use a substitute player so the league can stay on schedule. That substitute player's results are counted as an official score.

USING A SUBSTITUTE PLAYER

Players MUST find their own substitute players if they need to miss a week. To make this very easy, the league director maintains a list for each league with many substitute players names, skill levels, contact info AND availability. To protect substitute players' contact information, the league director does not keep sub lists online. The league director will include a link to the sub list in the "Important Information for The First Day of League" email that all players receive shortly before league begins. In addition the league director will frequently email this link to each league member in subsequent "league update" emails so the sub list link is easy to obtain. Players should BOOK MARK the sub list link for easy access.
Players must get a substitute player with the same or lower skill level.
Players must follow the notes in the sub lists that indicate which subs can play only on the higher courts.
Players must fill out the MY SUBSTITUTE form with what day(s) the player will be absent and provide the name of the substitute player. If the sub is not in the sub list (see below) the player must also include the sub's contact information.
Players may find a sub that is NOT on the sub list as long as that sub is of equal or lesser skill. The player must enter the sub's name and cell number in the My Substitute form.
The league director prefers everyone who substitutes to be on the official sub list so we have ready access to the sub's contact info AND emergency contact info. Please ask your preferred person to sign up to be a sub!
Subs play for free. Invite your friends to sign up to be a sub at https://www.copleagues.com/substitute-list
NOTE THAT SUBSTITUTE PLAYERS MUST COMPLY WITH ALL LEAGUE RULES!

OPEN SPOTS IN THE LEAGUE ARE FILLED WITH SUBS UNTIL A NEW PLAYER JOINS

At times a league may have an "Open Spot" shown on a specific court. Open spots happen when there is an odd number of players in the league such that an entire court cannot be filled. To allow any permanent player to play in the league on a court with less than 4 players, the League Director puts substitute players in any open spots until another permanent player joins the league. These open spots also commonly exist at the beginning of the season when the league is still filling.

A new open spot occurs during the league when a player has to drop out. The League Director puts the open spot on the court where the player drops to keep the level of play the same on that court.

When a new player joins, if there are any open spots in the league, the new player will take the open spot exactly where it is if the new player's skill is roughly the same as the court where the open spot exits. If the new player has much greater or much less skill, the League Director will assign the new player to a different court better suited for the new player.

PLAYERS WHO NO-SHOW AND/OR OTHERWISE DO NOT TAKE APPROPRIATE RESPONSIBILITY IN GETTING A SUBSTITUTE

Sometimes players cannot make their court time. For whatever reason a substitute player doesn't show up, and no one hears anything from the absent player either. When no one shows up to play at a scheduled league time, this is called a no-show.

No-show is generally defined as no one actively hearing anything from the permanent player, and neither the player nor a sub show up to play.

Not taking appropriate responsibility for getting a sub is considered the same as a no-show. This includes (but not limited to) things like:

only following some of and not the entire substitute process (process includes putting your sub in the "my substitute" form as well as the sub's cell number if they are not on the sub list),
emailing the League Director the morning of the league day, assuming she'll read the email and find a sub,
emailing a sub and assuming it all works out,
arranging a sub 2 months prior and never reminding them again about subbing so they don't forget,
asking players on your court to start the games late because you know you are going to be late,
asking a buddy at the last minute to sub for you even though you have not cleared it with the League Director and/or your buddy does not have your same skill level.

Not taking appropriate responsibility means someone else most likely has to take some extraordinary measure to prevent a no-show and/or quality of play is at risk for 3 permanent players through no fault of their own.

To crack down on the number of no-shows, we are allowing only one oops! The FIRST TIME a player no-shows or doesn't take appropriate responsibility for getting a substitute, this is the one and only free oops! The player receives zero points for that day including accumulated points, and the player will move down the next week.

The SECOND TIME a player no-shows or doesn't take appropriate responsibility, the League Director will ask the player to leave the league.

TIMEFRAME FOR PLAY AND PENALTIES FOR BEING LATE

10:00am-10:10 /

11:00am-11:10 /

1:00pm-1:10 /

8:05pm-8:15 /

8:30pm-8:40 / All players warm-up.

10:10am /

11:10am/

1:10pm /

8:15pm /

8:40pm First games start on all courts.

10:15am /

11:15am /

1:15pm /

8:20pm /

8:45pm / If any court has not started game 1 because someone is missing (has not shown up at all), whoever is missing will receive a game score of zero for the first game when the Director adds scores to the official score record. As soon as the missing person is present, game 1 play starts.

10:20am /

11:20am /

1:20pm /

8:25pm /

8:50pm If any court has not started game 1 because someone is missing (has not shown up at all), whoever is missing will receive a game score of zero for all 3 games when the Director adds scores to the official score record. As soon as the missing person is present, game 1 play starts.

Everyone but the late player will receive relative points as if the game was played to 21.

2:57pm - Sunday The entire match must be concluded by 2:57pm at the very latest. Players should be walking off the court with the nets, balls, and ALL of their belongings at 3pm.

10:02pm / 10:27pm - Monday The entire match must be concluded by 10:02pm / 10:27pm at the very latest. Players should be walking off the court with the nets, balls, and ALL of their belongings at 10:05pm / 10:30pm.

11:57am - Tuesday The entire match must be concluded by 11:57am at the very latest. Players should be walking off the court with the nets, balls, and ALL of their belongings at 12pm.

12:57pm - Wednesday The entire match must be concluded by 12:57pm at the very latest. Players should be walking off the court with the nets, balls, and ALL of their belongings at 1pm.

9:57pm - Thursday The entire match must be concluded by 9:57pm at the very latest. Players should be walking off the court with the nets, balls, and ALL of their belongings at 10pm.

PLEASE NOTE: Even if a player is 25 or more minutes late and will receive a score of zero for all 3 games, we all expect that late player to show up and play as soon as possible so no players have an incomplete court.

ADDITIONAL LEAGUE INFORMATION

All league members and substitute players must abide by Scarborough East Tennis Club's rules. Our club is a family friendly club and our club rules reflect this. All players must have shirts on at all times. This includes women playing in shirts and NOT just sports bras regardless of how much covering the sports bras provide.
Players may enter a ladder league permanently at any time as long as there is a spot open. The League Director reserves the right to add new players where those players generally belong in the rank order of players. In other words, a high skilled player won't start on the bottom court. The high skilled player will be put on a court with similarly skilled players and start there. Alternatively, we may also be able to add an entire court to the league if there are 3 other people wait listed (you would be the fourth). Our numbers must stay even (i.e., multiples of 4) to have enough players on each court to play a game.
Players can also share a permanent spot with one other person. A schedule for the season must be kept up to date so that the Director knows what players are expected for each week.
The only requirement for leaving the league permanently is that a player must leave at the end of a month and must inform the league Director 10 days before they plan to drop out of the league. This way Scarborough can cancel the payment of the next month's league fees as well as get a replacement player
A "League Management" tab for each separate weekly league is on this website for updated League information (weekly scores, etc).