Tournament Rules (Quick Guide)

This is a summary of our tournament guidelines for Paddle for a Purpose. Unless otherwise specified here, players should follow official USAP rules to ensure fairness and safety as we honor our scholarship mission.

Registration Information & Requirements

Teams must register level of play (1 - Rookie, 2 - Kitchen Cruiser, 3 - Dinker, 4 - Smasher, 5 - Ace).

This information is required for group setup. All skill levels are welcome!

Not Sure? Check out this USA Pickleball webpage and see where you fit.

-----------------

Have a team name? Let us know! Want us to provide one? That works too!

-----------------

No team? We can work with that. We can pair singles to participate should the need arise. Remember, this is all for a good cause.

Format & Scoring

Think FIFA World Cup!

Group Stage (Round Robin Format)

Group Stage: Teams are split into groups of four (4) and play each other once (round-robin). Wins/Points decide rankings and the top two teams advance from each group. Group Play scoring is first to seven (7) points.

Knockout Stage (Single Elimination)
Knockout Bracket: Advancing teams enter a single-elimination bracket. Win and move on, lose and you’re out, until a champion is determined. First place from Group A will play Second Place from Group B and so on for each of the two teams that advance into this phase.

Knockout Stage scoring is on serves only. Teams must score 11 and must win by 2.

Check-in & Timing

Players must check in during the registration & check in window. Late arrivals (10+ mins) may result in a forfeit to keep the schedule on track.

Conduct & Sportsmanship

Friendly, firm competition is expected. Please respect all players, officials, and volunteers while honoring the charitable spirit of the mission.

Safety & Injuries

In case of injury, play stops immediately. Brief injury timeouts are allowed (3 mins); significant injuries may require retirement from the bracket.

Tie-breaking & Disputes

Head-to-head results break ties. For any scoring disputes, the on-site Tournament Director will provide the final, binding decision.