TOURNAMENT RULES AND GUIDELINES
1. Each team will be entitled to two time-outs per game for the round robin and for the playoffs.
2. You will be allowed 2 minutes to warm up before the start of your games; we ask that you do not to exceed 2 minutes, as every minute is precious to enable us to move the games forward as quickly as possible.
3. Medical time-out: This must be approved by the Tournament Director and may last up to 15 minutes (timed). If, after these 15 minutes, you are unable to continue the match, you must abandon it. If you abandon a game, you do not need to forfeit all other games; you may play the remaining games if you are able to do so.
4. The international edition of the Pickleball USA 2023 rulebook will be applied. It is the responsibility of each player to become familiar with these rules.
5. If you forfeit the match, the points you have earned will be your score for that match and the opposing team will get the winning number of points.
6. You will receive a clipboard with a score sheet from the court manager. One player will select 1 or 2. The winner will have the choice to select side, serve, receive, or defer.
7. There is enough space behind each side of the courts. There will be no side changes at 6 or 8 points.
8. If you need to cross to the other side of the courts, you can do so by passing discreetly along the curtains. However, out of respect for the players, you must wait until they have completed their exchange. If a team has been distracted by passing players, THEY MUST STOP PLAYING IMMEDIATELY and resume service. You cannot resume service if you call the disturbance at the end of the rally.
9. Once your game is over, we ask you to fill in the results sheet, hand it to the court manager and leave the court as soon as possible. We have many teams and many games to play, and we ask for your cooperation.
10. Gold medal games will be refereed as much as possible. Some games may be refereed in the preliminary rounds to allow referees to practice. Any player may request a referee if he feels that a rule is being consistently violated or if the players are unable to resolve conflicts quickly and easily. If you feel you can't resolve your differences, please ask for a referee instead of arguing with your opponent. Don't let the situation escalate. However, the tournament committee cannot guarantee that a referee will always be available, except for medal matches.
11. It is forbidden to coach players during matches, and we ask you not to distract players during matches. A team has the right to request a restart if a player has been obviously distracted by a member of the public. A person may be asked to leave the building if they repeatedly distract the players. However, coaching is permitted during time-outs and downtime, at the players' discretion.
12. If your ball is thrown to another court, please yell BALL. If you hear BALL, please stop the play, and return the ball to the players by giving it directly and not rolling it on the floor. This is not only safer, but proper sportsmanship etiquette.
13. Be respectful of other players. No racist, sexist, or any other form of abusive comments (verbal or physical) will be tolerated; the tournament directors reserve the right to disqualify a team/player from the tournament for misconduct.
