HRH MiLP-Style Team Tournament
Advanced Intermediate | 3.40–4.20 Skill Level
Four players. One team. Every rally counts.
Join us at Hatfield Rally House for a team tournament featuring women’s doubles, men’s doubles, mixed doubles, and a rotating singles tiebreaker when needed. Bring your competitive spirit, support your teammates, and enjoy a day of great pickleball and friendly competition.
This is an independently organized HRH tournament using a MiLP-style format, rather than an official Minor League Pickleball event.
Teams & Skill Level
Each team consists of four players: two women and two men.
This tournament is intended for advanced-intermediate players at the general 3.5–4.0 skill level (3.40 to 4.2 leniency). Players should register based on their current playing ability. HRH may review team eligibility to keep competition appropriate for the advertised level.
Matching shirts, team colors, and creative team names are encouraged!
How Team Competition Works
A matchup is one team competing against another. Each matchup includes four doubles games, played in this order:
Women’s doubles
Men’s doubles
Mixed doubles
Mixed doubles
All four players participate in mixed doubles, with each player playing in one mixed doubles game.
Each game is played to 15 points, win by two, using the rally-scoring rules below.
If teams finish tied at 2–2, they play a rotating singles tiebreaker to determine the matchup winner.
During round-robin play, all four doubles games are played, regardless of the results of the earlier games. During playoffs, the fourth game is not played if one team wins the first three games.
Round-Robin Play & Playoffs
Teams begin with round-robin play, followed by playoffs. HRH will announce the round-robin groups, playoff advancement details, and bracket structure before play begins.
Any additional tiebreaking procedures will be announced by the Tournament Director before play begins.
Rally Scoring
A point is awarded after each rally to the team that wins it, with one exception: a team must win the game on its own serve.
Games are played to 15, win by two.
A team receiving serve cannot earn the game-winning point. Winning that rally gives the team the serve, but no point.
The trailing team continues to earn points on either serve.
At 15-15 or any later tied score, rally scoring continues until a team has a two-point lead and wins the final point on its serve.
Serving & Player Positions
Players remain on their assigned right or left side instead of switching sides after winning points.
The player on the right serves when the team’s score is even.
The player on the left serves when the team’s score is odd.
Players receive serve on their assigned sides.
Teammates may switch assigned sides during a timeout or the end change at 8 points. They must announce the change before play resumes.
Coin Toss & Home/Away Teams
Before each matchup, the captains meet for a coin toss or similar random selection.
The winner chooses one of these options:
Home or Away designation.
Serve or receive first.
Starting end for women’s doubles.
The other team chooses from the two remaining options. The coin-toss winner receives the final choice.
These choices apply throughout the matchup:
The same team serves first in every game, including the singles tiebreaker.
The Away team declares its mixed doubles pairings and playing order first. The Home team then declares its pairings and order.
For a singles tiebreaker, the Home team declares its full player order first, followed by the Away team.
Mixed doubles lineups are declared after men’s doubles is complete.
Changing Ends
Teams change ends when the first team reaches 8 points in each game.
Teams do not change ends between games. The end where a team finishes one game is where it starts the next.
Warmups & Keeping Play Moving
We want everyone to get plenty of court time and keep the day running smoothly.
Once both teams arrive on court, they have five minutes total to warm up, complete the coin toss, and begin women’s doubles.
Each remaining doubles game must begin within two minutes of the previous game ending.
Players may warm up during those two minutes but must be ready to play when time is up.
Players should use their time off court for water, restroom visits, and other breaks.
A team that is not ready within the two-minute transition period forfeits its timeout for the upcoming game.
For a singles tiebreaker, the Home team has one minute to submit its full lineup, followed by one minute for the Away team. The tiebreaker begins within five minutes of the final mixed doubles game ending.
Timeouts
Each team receives one timeout per game, including the singles tiebreaker.
There is also a one-minute break when teams change ends at 8 points.
Rotating Singles Tiebreaker
If the doubles games finish tied at 2–2, all four players participate in a rotating singles tiebreaker.
Play to 15 points, win by two, using the same rally-scoring and serve-to-win rules.
Each team submits a fixed order of all four players.
Players rotate after every four rallies, regardless of how many points are scored.
Player 1 plays four rallies, followed by Player 2, Player 3, and Player 4. That order repeats until the game ends.
Both teams rotate players at the same time.
The lineup order cannot change once play begins.
Teams change ends when the first team reaches 8 points.
Singles players serve from the right when their team’s score is even and from the left when it is odd.
Each team receives one timeout during the tiebreaker.
Team Captains
Each team must designate a captain who is also a player.
Captains are responsible for:
Sharing tournament information with teammates.
Checking in with the tournament desk.
Participating in the coin toss.
Declaring mixed doubles lineups and singles tiebreaker orders.
Bringing questions or concerns to the Tournament Director.
Confirming that scores are reported correctly.
If the captain cannot fulfill these responsibilities, the team must designate another player.
Substitutions & Injuries
All substitutions require HRH approval. Replacement players must meet the advertised skill level and team-composition requirements.
If an injured player is replaced during the tournament, the replacement must remain on the team for the rest of the event. The original player may not return later that day.
If a team cannot field the players required for a game, that game is recorded as a 15–0 forfeit.
If an injury prevents a player from finishing a game already underway, the retiring team keeps its earned points. The opposing team receives at least 15 points, or enough points to finish with a two-point lead.
Forfeits and injury retirements count toward tournament standings.
Coaching & Line Calls
Teammates may coach and encourage one another between rallies, provided they do not delay play or disrupt the opposing team.
Only the players participating in the current game may make line and fault calls. Teammates and spectators should not influence calls.
Make calls honestly, give opponents the benefit of the doubt, and bring unresolved disagreements to the Tournament Director.
Equipment
Damaged, altered, or delaminated paddles may not be used. The Tournament Director has final authority on equipment eligibility.
Sportsmanship
Compete hard, support your team, and treat opponents, staff, and spectators with respect.
Abusive language, intimidation, cheating, intentional misrepresentation of skill level, and unsafe behavior are not acceptable.
HRH may issue a warning, assess a game or matchup forfeiture, or remove a player or team from the tournament, depending on the conduct involved. Serious misconduct may result in immediate removal.
Questions & Rule Decisions
Bring questions or disputes to the Tournament Director before continuing play whenever possible.
The Tournament Director has final authority on rule interpretations, eligibility, scheduling adjustments, and situations not specifically covered here.
Bring your team, bring your energy, and we’ll see you on the courts!
