On behalf of the BWI Airport Fire & Rescue Department and IAFF Local 1742, we are excited to announce the Battle of the Badges Pickleball Tournament, taking place July 25–27, 2025 at PickleRage in Glen Burnie. This event will bring together teams from fire and police departments across the region for a fun, competitive, and community-driven weekend — all to benefit the professional firefighters of IAFF Local 1742.

About the Event

Friday will feature our signature Badge Team Showdown (Team Based Competition / Registration is separate on Swish Tournaments @ https://swishtournaments.com/product/battle-of-the-unions/ — a coed, team-based event where local fire and police departments will compete in the ultimate battle of public safety pride. The weekend will continue with a traditional tournament open to the public.

Join us for the Battle of the Badges—a pickleball tournament like no other! This exciting event brings together first responders, athletes, and our community for a day of fierce competition and camaraderie, all in support of a worthy cause.

We are honored to host this tournament in memory of the brave firefighter, Chris Higgins, who tragically lost his life while on duty. In his honor, 10% of all tournament proceeds will be donated to the Higgins family to help them during this incredibly difficult time.

Come out to play, cheer on your favorite friends and family, and show your support for a family that exemplifies courage and strength. Let's rally together for a great cause and make this an event to remember.

FEE SCHEDULE:

Early Bird Registration Fee (Before 7/9/2025): $40

Regular Registration Fee (After 7/9/2025): $45

Late Registration Fee (After 7/16/2025): $50

***Includes 2 events***

Pickleball Brackets Service Fee = $5.00 PER EVENT registered. Non-Refundable.

SCHEDULE:

• 7/25/2025 09:00AM-4:00PM - Battle of Badges / Teams Competition Event

• 7/25/2025 5:00PM-10:00PM - Singles Night

• 7/26/2025 8:00AM-10:00PM - Gender Doubles Day

• 7/27/2025 8:00AM-10:00PM - Mixed Doubles Day

RULES

•While this tournament isn’t sanctioned, we’ll be adhering to USA Pickleball rules, including using only paddles from the approved paddle list. Let’s play fair and play hard!

FORMAT:

• All brackets will follow a round-robin (pool play) format with playoffs.

• Each team/player is guaranteed a minimum of 4 games.

• Round-robin brackets will include 4–8 teams/players.

• The top 4 teams/players from each bracket will advance to the playoffs.

SCORING:

• Round-robin games: Either First to 11 or 15 points, win by 2. **Depending on Skill Level Bracket)

• Playoffs: First to 15 points, win by 2.

• Bronze Medal Match: First to 15 win by 2.

• Gold Medal Match: Best 2 out of 3 to 11 win by 2.

COMBINED BRACKETS:

If brackets are combined, only one set of medals will be awarded to the top 3 players/teams in the combined bracket. Medals will NOT be awarded to top teams from original brackets.

Additional Details:

• Players may only compete in one event per day. **Exception being anyone playing in Team Competition

• Brackets are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

• As demand grows, bracket maximums may be adjusted to accommodate more players.

• Brackets and registration are based on your DUPR rating. Please register for the appropriate bracket based on your DUPR rating. If you do not have a DUPR rating, you will need to sign up. DUPR Account is REQUIRED and MUST be linked with your Pickleball.com Account. Players should not have more than 1 DUPR or Pickleball.com Account, if discovered, your accounts will be merged. In the case of players that do not have a DUPR rating(i.e NR for Not Rated), they will register under their Pickleball.com rating. As always, you can play up in skill level but cannot play down. For example, if you are a 3.5 but your partner is a 4.2 you would play in the 4.0-4.5 bracket.

***Tournament Director reserves the right to move players accordingly matching their DUPR skill level*** Please note that DUPR is the accepted industry standard whether you agree with the algorithm or not. If you have a reliability rating over 60% your DUPR rating is considered accurate.

Partner Replacement Policy:

• If you need a replacement partner after registration closes, please contact us. If a replacement player is found, the original player's fee will be refunded as long as the replacement player pays the registration.

• The replacement must match the original skill/age group, though players may play down in age or up in skill. All replacement players must be eligible for the original bracket or the team will be moved. For example, if you are in the 3.5-4.0 bracket and try to substitute a 4.3 player, you will be moved into the 4.0-4.5 bracket.

• Replacement details must be communicated to the tournament director or management team by 4 PM the day before the event.

Replacement Player Fees:

• If the original player withdraws after registration closes, their registration fee is non-refundable.

• The replacement player must pay all applicable fees, and the withdrawing player is responsible for reimbursing the event fee.

These guidelines are in place to ensure fair play, smooth organization, and an enjoyable tournament experience for all participants!

***REFUND POLICY***

***Pickleball Brackets Service Fees are NON-REFUNDABLE***

Withdrawals before registration closes on July 22nd, 2025 will incur a $20 processing fee.

Withdrawals after registration closes on July 22, 2025 will NOT be refunded.