FLPB Rules & regulations
During the week prior to the designated Match Week, the Home team should text the Visiting team members to coordinate a time to play the match. All players are encouraged to be as flexible as possible in working to determine a time to play the match. Matches should be played during the designated Match Week shown on the season Bracket. A match can be played either the week prior or week after the designated Match Week due to vacation, business travel, etc. as long as both teams agree on change. Unless delaying the match is agreed on by both teams, a match that is not completed before the end of the week after the designated Match Week, then both teams will receive a score of 0 for that match.
Match Play
The Host team must ensure a court is available at the agreed on start time of the match. If the court is not available within 20 minutes of the start time, the match may be declared a forfeit at the discretion of the Visiting team. Both teams must be present and ready to play within 15 minutes of the established start time of the match or the match may be declared a forfeit at the discretion of the team which is present within the appointed time. FLPB encourages all matches to be played and for both teams to work together to avoid a forfeit. If a match is declared a forfeit, the forfeiting team receives 0 points and the other team receives 3 points for a Recreational & Intermediate match & 4 points for an Advanced match. A maximum of 10 minutes is allowed for warm-up prior to beginning the match. Each Novice, Recreational & Intermediate match consists of 5 games to 11, win by 2. Each Advanced match consists of 7 games to 11, win by 2. The Host team begins serving for the first game. The first serve alternates between teams for each subsequent game. The Visiting team selects the end of the court they would like to start for the first game. The beginning court sides alternate between teams for each subsequent game. Players can rotate ends when one team has scored six points if agreed to by both teams before the match begins. Each team is allowed (1) one-minute timeout per game. A timeout must be called after the conclusion of a point and prior to the score being called for the next serve. Timeouts do not carry over from game to game (use it or lose it). A rest time of up to 5 minutes is allowed between games unless a medical issue dictates that more time is needed. The Host team provides two balls for use during the match. Balls used during the match must be the same make/type. Outdoor balls can be Dura Fast 40, Franklin X-40, or Engage Tour. Indoor balls can be Selkirk SLK Hybred, Onix Fuse, Gamma Photon or Franklin X-26. Other makes/types can be used if both teams agree on using the alternate balls. Outdoor balls should be used for outdoor courts & indoor balls for indoor courts. The Host team must replace a cracked ball with a new ball of the same make/type. Courts must have lights if match play goes beyond sunset. The Host team is responsible for any costs (reservation cost, visitor cost, etc.) associated with playing the match at a facility.
Match Scores
(1) point is awarded for each game won. The Host team is responsible for uploading the scores to the FLPB website after the match. The Visiting team should not report scores on the FLPB website to avoid reporting duplicate scores.
Establishing Match Times
Player Substitutes
Each team can use a Substitute Player for up to two matches during the season. A substitute player must be of the same gender, same age group (or older) & same skill level (or lower) as the player being replaced. Subs must register by emailing info@flexleaguepickleball.com prior to playing the match. A forfeit will occur if an unregistered sub plays a match.
Player Replacements
If a Replacement player is needed to complete the remainder of the season as a result of a medical condition or injury, an alternate player can register and replace the player for the remainder of the season. A replacement player must be of the same gender, same age group (or older) & same skill level (or lower) as the player being replaced. The original player who was replaced cannot return to play any remaining matches during the season. Only one player replacement is allowed per team per season. If a player from a team which has already used their replacement option during a season cannot finish the season, then that team forfeits the remainder of their matches and receives 0 points for each remaining match. The non-forfeiting recreational or intermediate team will receive (3) points for each remaining/un-played match scheduled against the forfeiting team. The non-forfeiting advanced team will receive (4) points for each remaining/un-played match scheduled against the forfeiting team.