SCHEDULE OVERVIEW
Each day will begin approximately at 8am, and events will run all day. A detailed schedule will be posted on or by June 1st (after registration closes on May 30th at 10pm)
Friday: Singles (men's/nonbinary and women's/nonbinary singles)
Friday afternoon/evening: Men’s/Nonbinary Doubles (3.0 & 3.5)
Saturday: Doubles (remaining men's/nonbinary and all women's/nonbinary doubles)
Sunday: Mixed Doubles
DETAILED SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY
8am start: Men's 4.5 singles, Women's 4.0+ singles, and Men's 2.5/3.0 singles
10am start: Women's 3.0 singles
11:30am start: Men's 3.5 singles
2pm start: Men's 4.0 singles and Women's 3.5 singles
5pm start: Men's 3.5 doubles and Men's 3.0 doubles
SATURDAY
8am start: Men's 5.0, Women's 5.0, Women's 4.5
10am start: Women's 3.5
11:30am start: Men's 4.5
1pm start: Men's 4.0
3pm start: Women's 3.0
4pm start: Women's 4.0
5pm start: Women's 2.5
SUNDAY
8am start: Mixed 3.5, 4.5, and 5.0+
1pm start: Mixed 2.5/3.0 and 4.0
CHECK IN
Players must check in at front desk at least 30 min prior to the start of the event
WEATHER AND RAIN OUT POLICY
No refunds will be issued in the case of weather related cancellations.
BRACKET FORMATS
All amateur play will be round robin (pool play) with playoffs. All teams/players will play a minimum of 4-6 games (at least 4 games to 15 or at least 6 games to 11). At least the top 4 teams/players will advance to a playoff (across all event players/pools). If a bracket consists of more than 2 pools of 6 teams/players, there is a potential for 6 teams/players to advance to playoffs.
VENUE
Austin Tennis Center in Austin, Texas
REFEREE
Players will monitor their own line calls and scoring. The tournament director and staff will be roving and available to help players as needed.
TOURNAMENT BALLS
Balls will be provided and available at the registration desk. Players must return balls after each match.
We will be using Franklin X-40s.
WARM UP
Players are welcome to warm up on the courts prior to the start of the tournament, or if there is an open court with no match. Players will get up to 5 minutes of warm up time for their first match of the day and up to 2 minutes of warm up time for any additional matches.
SKILL LEVELS
Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles categories are divided into multiple categories of skill levels. Players may sign up for one skill level event per category. Please sign up for the appropriate skill level. Players are welcome to play in higher levels; however, higher level players who sign up for lower skill levels may be moved into the appropriate skill category.
If you need assistance in determining your skill level please copy and paste the link below to learn more.
https://usapickleball.org/tournaments/tournament-player-ratings/player-skill-rating-definitions/
TOURNAMENT RULES
Our event will follow USAPA rules (see: https://usapickleball.org/what-is-pickleball/official-rules/). Players may ask any questions they have or report any violations at the tournament desk. The tournament director may use their discretion in interpreting or modifying the USAPA rules to suit the specific scenario and ensure fun/competitive play.
Our tournament directors will not be validating all paddles at the events, but any concerns/violations should be reported by players at the tournament desk. If players have concerns about a delaminated or non-approved paddle, please notify the player before the match (when possible) or come to the tournament desk if play has started. The tournament directors have decided that since this is an amateur only event, we will give players the opportunity to switch paddles (or choose to forfeit) rather than default to a forfeited game as stated in the USAPA rules, especially in light of paddles with an approved stamp that are no longer on the approved list.
DUPR
This tournament will submit all tournament scores to DUPR. You should expect the games to take 2-4 weeks to appear in DUPR. Please reach out to us if you see any discrepancies in the reporting after the full results are posted.
WHO CAN PLAY
This event is open to the entire pickleball community, including LGBTQ+ players and allies. We welcome participants of all skill levels, ages, and backgrounds. Whether you're a seasoned player or a beginner playing in your first tournament, you'll find a place here. Our goal is to create an inclusive, supportive, and fun environment where everyone can enjoy the game, celebrate our LGBTQ+ community, and make new friends. Join us for a day of friendly competition, community spirit, and plenty of pickleball action!
GENDER INCLUSION POLICY
We strongly believe that gender identity, expression and sex variation should never hinder the participation of a competitor. All players should have the opportunity to participate fairly, safely and equitably without prejudice. Our Pickle & Pride tournament strives to prioritize diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the sport and is committed to providing a safe, supportive and welcoming environment for transgender and non-binary people.
We have previously offered non-gendered play categories (at other events), but found that it effectively became a second “men’s” category. Female and female identifying players expressed concerns about not having a space that was inclusive/welcoming.
We believe that offering men’s/nonbinary and women’s/nonbinary categories is our best option for creating inclusive and welcoming play. Athletes of all gender identities have the choice to participate in the event categories that they feel most closely aligns with their gender identity.
We understand this is a complex topic and welcome any suggestions/feedback for improving our gender inclusion policy for future events.
TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR
AJ Davis - Contact her at aj.davis.pickleball@gmail.com
