Tournament Description
Welcome to the Courts for Restoration hosted at the Bowers Park Pickleball Courts in Tuscaloosa, AL. and brought to you by the Will Bright Foundation! We are excited to have you join us for this competitive charity event.
SCHEDULE OF PLAY
Saturday, April 3rd, 2027 – Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
Play may begin as early as 8:00 AM. Specific start times for each event will be posted and emailed to players within 24–48 hours after the close of registration.
REGISTRATION & FEES
Entry fee is $49 and includes one (1) event.
Additional events are $15 each.
Pickleball.com charges a $5 service fee per event.
REGISTRATION CLOSES: March 28th, 2027 AT 11:55 PM
DIVISIONS OFFERED
Men’s & Women’s Doubles | Mixed Doubles
SKILL LEVELS (DUPR ID REQUIRED)
2.5 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.5
DUPR RATING RANGES
• 2.5 Division: 2.999 and below
• 3.0 Division: 3.000–3.499
• 3.5 Division: 3.500–3.999
• 4.0 Division: 4.000–4.499
• 4.5 Division: 4.500–4.999
AGE GROUPS
55+
Age is determined as of 1/01/2027
Age divisions may be further divided or combined at the discretion of tournament management based on registration numbers and overall bracket composition.
If the Tournament Director combines any brackets, medals will be awarded based on players’ original registration divisions.
TEAM RULE: Teams must compete at the skill level of the higher-rated player or higher and in the age group of the younger player.
The Will Bright Foundation provides housing, transportation, community, and purpose for men exiting the bubble of an inhouse treatment or recovery program and entering their next steps in recovery!
MATCH GUARANTEE
• We guarantees a minimum of four (4) matches per team per event.
• Tournament management reserves the right to combine brackets as needed to create playable divisions.
• Tournament management reserves the right to change bracket formats.
• If brackets are combined, medals will be awarded based on the original registered division.
SKILL LEVELS/RATINGS (DUPR ID REQUIRED)
• DUPR ratings will be used for all events – We will use the DUPR overall rating, not the mixed rating.
• Players with a DUPR rating of NR (No Rating) may still play, but must have a DUPR ID.
• To create a new DUPR ID or check your DUPR rating visit DUPR.com (https://www.dupr.com/)
• If a player’s DUPR rating is NR, the system will use the player’s self-rating from their pickleball.com profile.
• Players may play up in skill level, but cannot play down in age level.
• All matches will be reported to DUPR.
• Players are responsible for verifying match scores immediately after each match, before their next match
begins.
• Score corrections may not be possible once the next match has started, so players are strongly
encouraged to verify scores promptly.
• The Tournament Director reserves the right to move players up or down as deemed appropriate.
• After registration closes, all players’ DUPR ratings will be updated and reviewed.
• Players whose updated DUPR rating with 50% or higher reliability exceeds the registered division will be
moved to the appropriate higher bracket.
• Players with a DUPR rating below 50% reliability may appeal to play in a lower division.
• Players must initially register in the higher division mandated by their current DUPR rating.
• Appeals must be submitted via email to jdrake@willbrightfoundation.com before registration closes.
• Both partners, if applicable, must agree to the appeal.
PARTNER POLICY
Players may register WITH A PARTNER or register and select NEEDS A PARTNER.
• IF REGISTERING WITH A PARTNER: The selected partner must register within five (5) days of the first
player’s registration. Failure to do so will result in the team being placed on the waitlist. Once the partner
registers, the team will automatically move to the active list if space is available. Registration is not
guaranteed until both players are registered and paid.
• IF SELECTING “NEEDS A PARTNER”: Choosing this option does not guarantee the tournament will find you a partner. This feature is provided as a courtesy so players may connect with one another. It is ultimately the player’s responsibility to find a partner. Players without partners must withdraw according to the tournament refund-policy deadline to be eligible for any partial refund. See the full policy in the Refund Policy section below.
MATCH PLAY
• No referees
• All matches are self-monitored
GUIDELINES, RULES & PADDLES
This tournament will adhere to the guidelines set forth in the USA Pickleball Rulebook. All gameplay, officiating, and judgment decisions during our events are based on these rules to ensure consistency and fairness for all players. Southern Pickleball reserves the right to deviate from the USA Pickleball rules at the discretion of tournament management.
We encourage all participants to familiarize themselves with the USA Pickleball Rule book to understand the standards and expectations that govern our games.
In addition, we allow paddles that are on the official UPA-A Amateur and USA Pickleball approved paddle lists. It is the player’s responsibility to ensure their paddle is currently approved for amateur tournament play.
Players found to be playing with an unapproved paddle may be subject to forfeit at the discretion of the Tournament Director and/or tournament referee.
Additionally, players discovered to have two or more DUPR accounts may be subject to withdrawal from the tournament at the discretion of the Tournament Director.
Players with multiple DUPR accounts should contact
support@dupr.com to have their accounts merged.
Thank you for helping us uphold the integrity of the sport.
WITHDRAWAL & CANCELLATION POLICY
• Cancellation Deadline: March 28th at 11:55 PM CT
• Withdrawals before the deadline receive a refund minus a $20 processing fee
• All approved refunds will be issued the week following the conclusion of the tournament
• Pickleball tournament service fees are non-refundable
• Tournament entry may close at any time if daily capacity limits are reached
WEATHER & TOURNAMENT INSURANCE
Optional Weather & Tournament Insurance is available for $12 and may be purchased during registration.
TOURNAMENT INSURANCE COVERS:
• Weather-related cancellations
• Withdrawals due to injury or family emergency for the player or their partner
Players who purchase Tournament Insurance will receive a 100% refund of registration and event fees if they are unable to compete in at least one event during the tournament. Registration fees are non-transferable.
