****$500 prize money for the winners of the 4.5 Open Event!****

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION WILL OPEN ON August 1, 8:00 AM - Register early to save $5 per player and ensure your place in the tournament.

This is the second annual Pickled Pink for Women’s Health Tournament at Armory Pickleball

Location: 525 N. State St. Bellingham, WA 98225

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE TOURNAMENT, OCTOBER 18, 19, and 20,

- If verified BEFORE registering, Armory Pickleball members get $15 off each registration. (See below.*)

- The registration fee includes one event. An second event is $25 more per player. There is a limit of one event per player per day. After September 16, if there is still space in an event, a player may PLAY UP in an addition event, but no more than 0.5 above the player's current level. A third event is $20 more per player.

- Regular registration begins September 1, 8:00 AM, and late registration begins Wednesday, October 5, 8:00 AM ($10 more than regular registration).

REGISTRATION CLOSES AT THE END OF THE DAY (MIDNIGHT) ON THURSDAY, October 10.

Here is our planned schedule:

FRIDAY AFTERNOON: Women's singles

FRIDAY EVENING: 5:30 PM 2.5 doubles,

SATURDAY: Women's doubles, 9 AM - 3.5, 11:30 AM - 3.0-3.25 59 and under, 2 PM - 3.25-3.49 59 and under, 5 PM - 4.5/Open (Prize Money Event!)

SUNDAY: Women's senior doubles (60+),

9 AM - 3.5, 11:30 AM - 3.0, 2 PM - 4.0, 4:30 PM - 3.25

Start times for each event will be finalized after registration closes and announced by Monday, October 14. We reserve the right to make changes due to unforeseen circumstances, but we will do our best to keep the tournament running on schedule and to let all players know as soon as possible about any changes.

**Important - When registration opens, ONLY 1 EVENT PER PLAYER PER DAY - this is because we are only using 4 courts. If we have room, we can open to multiple events per person**

**Start times listed here may change after registration closes**

**Once the event maximum event is hit, all new registrations will go to the wait list**

Format

Round-robin with playoffs for Gold / Silver / Bronze for the top 3 finishers in each bracket.

We play a maximum of 8 teams per event. With round-robin, this means a guarantee of 7 games per team. If fewer than 8 teams are registered for an event, 5 games will be guaranteed.

For pool play (before medal round) games are to 15, win by 1 with rally scoring.‡

If there are fewer than 8 teams in the pool, the tournament director may increase the number of points per match to 21 to maximize the number of rallies per player.

For medal round, games are to 15, win by 2 or first to 19 with rally scoring.‡

Standing is based on: games won, head to head, point differential, head to head point differential, and point differential against next highest team.

Concession and Swag

Water and some free concession snacks will be provided. There are also items for purchase and vending machine. Tournament and Armory Pickleball swag will be available for purchase. Will have some gear/paddles/wraps available for purchase.

Payment

Payment via credit card (Stripe) is due when you register. There is a non-refundable service fee of $10 per player. See refund policy below.

You and your partner register separately. Once you register, your partner must register within 3 days or YOU WILL BE MOVED TO THE WAITING LIST and your spot is no longer secure as the event may fill. For people who have registered and are still on the waiting list at the end of the tournament, a full refund will be issued, less $10.

Game Ball: Franklin yellow 40-X

NOTES:

* For the Armory Pickleball member discount, there are three things that need to happen:

1. Be or become a member of Armory Pickleball (go to https://armorypickleball.net) AND,

2. Have or create a free account with Pickleball Brackets (go to https://pickleballbrackets.com) AND,

3. THEN, once your account is set up and you are logged into Pickleball Brackets, click on "Clubs", and search for Armory Pickleball . If you are a current paid member of Armory Pickleball, select Armory Pickleball, click on "Become a member" and then, "Click Here Complete Your Request". Your membership will need to be verified. (It may take up to 24 hours.) Once you have been verified, your may register and your discount will be applied. This only need to happen once. If you have done this already for a previous tournament, your information will already be in the system.

- Pickleball Brackets charges a $5 service fee for registering for each of the first TWO events. To avoid paying an unnecessary service fee, if you are wanting to CHANGE events, be sure to drop the first event BEFORE adding the second event. If you add a second event first and then drop the first event, you will be charged the second event fee of $5. No extra fee is charged for signing up for more than two events.

- A player may play at a higher level (play up), but may not play down (sand bag). Pickleball Brackets uses self rating. If you have a DUPR or 3.43, you could put down that you are a 3.0 and play against players who are 3.0 and lower, but we encourage you to put down 3.5 and play with people who are, like you, challenging themselves. This is in keeping with the spirit of pickleball. 2.5 events are for players 2.5 and under. 3.0 events are 3.0 and under, etc. Armory Pickleball reserves the right to move players to another event if they are known to be playing down.

- A minimum of 5 games are guaranteed. Number of games played and points per game will depend on registration. Our goal is to maximize the number of rallies each team gets to play, and the number of other teams each team gets to play, while staying on schedule to ensure that each event starts on time. Pool play will be round-robin (each team plays every other team in your pool). Under special circumstances and with advanced notice, we may use waterfall format (playing 4 best matches before the medals round).

- Depending on registration numbers, we may split events by age (under 40, 40+), and we may combine teams to make for the best player experience. Your age will be based on your age by December 31st of this year.

- Pool play (non-medal) matches will be played with rally scoring‡. For 7 or 8 team pools, games are to 15 points, win by 1, and for 5 or 6 team pools, games are to 21, win by 1. For fewer than 5 team pools, the event will be a double round robin so ensure a maximum number of rallies. All playoff matches are win-by-2 except that there will be a cap of 19 points, if necessary to keep the events on schedule.

- One event per day is included with your registration. You may only register for one event per day before September 15. On September 15, if there is space in a second event, you may register for any event you are qualified to enter. Pickleball Brackets charges a $5 service fee for each of the first two events.

- Based on feedback we have received, many players aren't interested in taking home medals. Winners will have their pictures taken and will receive gifts that are unique to Armory Pickleball and that we believe are more fun than a medal.

- All Saturday events are available and open to all ages. For the sharp-eyed among you, you may notice your age is one year off. The is because, after you register, your age is shown as of December 31, 2024, Sunday events are available to anyone is $10 who is 60 or older by December 31, 2024.

‡ Rally scoring is different from traditional scoring in several ways. The key difference is that a point is awarded for every rally, "one point per serve", without regard to who served the ball. Here are the other differences:

- Before each game begins, players on each team choose to be on either the left side or the right side for serving and receiving. Players do not change sides for serving or receiving. After the ball is served and received, players may move just as with traditional scoring. (Thus stacking is still completely acceptable, but not as necessary as players may choose their preferred position at the start.)

- The team that wins each rally will get a point and will serve. When the score is even for the team that just won the rally, the player on the right side of the court will serve. When the score is odd for the team that just won the rally, the player on the left side of the court will serve.

- The one exception to "one point per serve" is that a team must serve the winning point. So when playing to 15, if the score is 13 to 14, and the team with 13 points is serving but loses that rally, the score remains 13 to 14. If the score is 13 to 14 and the team with 14 points is serving, but loses that rally, the other team will get a point and the score will then be 14 to 14 with the serve going to the team that won the rally.

- There are three times with rally scoring when a team may change sides with their partner. A team may choose to change sides during their time out, their opponent's time out, or at a change of ends halfway through a game. This only relates to the starting server position. Changing sides once the ball has been served or received is always acceptable play (as in stacking).

Many players like rally scoring because it simplifies scoring and play, and it changes the pace of the game. It can also be helpful for tournament play because it keeps games progressing and a tournament schedule on time.

All refunds have a $10 admin fee

Before September 15, full refund less $10.

From September 15 through October 11, 50% refund less $10.

No refunds after October 11.

Because Armory Pickleball is an indoor venue, weather is not an issue. If you aren't playing, it can be cold. Please have warm clothes available.

- Whenever a ball is entering another court, "ball" should loudly be called, and that rally replayed. Play safely, we want to see you at future events.

- In case a player becomes ill or is injured, another registered player may serve as a replacement, if available, to cover if the replacement player is a level that is appropriate for the event. If a higher level player plays in a lower level event, then no medal will be given that team.

- AED and First Aid kit on site.