Rules & Policies
About Flex Leagues
A pickleball flex league is a season of organized competitive match play, designed around your schedule.
Matches are arranged with your opponents at a mutually agreed upon day and time, and matches can be player in any order.
Flex Leagues Available
Men's & Women's Doubles, Mixed Doubles in the following flights: 3.0, 3.5, 4.0
The league you play in is based on your individual rating.
Player Rating
Players are asked to self-rate for their first season. Our league management software will keep a dynamic rating on all players after the first season.
League Dates
For league dates please refer to our league calendar.
Length of Season
Each season is 6-8 weeks long depending upon the number of teams registered.
Match Play
How to Schedule a Match
Matches can be played in any order, at any time, as long as they are completed by the season deadline.
The player listed on the team first (Captain), will be responsible for communicating for the team.
Give your opponents at least three times your team would be available to play.
Our match recording website has a page where players can notify their opponents where and when they prefer to play.
Try and be flexible, the goal is to play the match.
The home team is responsible for initial contact to schedule the match but both teams can make contact. It is highly recommended to contact all opponents once the schedules are posted to start the scheduling discussion. Schedule and play the most convenient matches first.
The home team should reserve the courts for their home matches and expect that the away team will travel to them.
The home team must communicate the dress code at facility, availability of water and restrooms, paddle or ball requirements, and anything else you feel pertinent to playing the match.
Round robin format is used, with a goal of playing one match assigned per week.
1-2 weeks are reserved at the end of each session to make up matches, if needed.
If a match is rained out, it should be rescheduled as soon as possible.
What constitutes a match?
Each match will consist of two lines of level based play.
Matches are 2 out of 3 games to 12 points.
After each game in the match, write down the score, to ensure all are in agreement.
One point is awarded for each game won. Play all three games, even if one team wins the first two games. Each game will count as one point toward the final point total.
Switch sides after each game. For the final game, any player may ask to switch sides, once one of the teams reaches a score of 6.
The winner of the match will report the score to Pickleballscores.com.
Where are the matches played?
A “home” team is assigned for each match. Matches will be played at that facility. Please make sure the court is reserved and has lights if needed.
Communicate with opponent any dress, paddle or ball requirements. Additionally, if there is water and rest rooms at the home facility.
The “home” team provides the match balls. There should be a minimum of at least 2 new balls.
Guest fees may apply, please check with your club. Most clubs recognize the flex league as part of league play, as such, there is no fee, but check with your club or facility first. If there is a guest fee, it is paid for by the “home” team.
Should there be a problem with the court, or inclement weather, the home team must call the opponents and reschedule.
Ball Requirements
The home team provides the balls.
Minimum of 2 balls are required for the match.
We recommend either the DuraFast 40 or FranklinX
Retired Matches
A retired match is when a match can’t continue due to injury, illness or personal reasons.
The score would be recorded with completed games played up to the point of the team retiring, with the balance of the match reported as 15-0 for the team not retiring.
Coaching
No coaching is allowed by any of the spectators or coach.
Spectators should not get involved in the match regarding line calls or rules.
How are the winners of a flight decided?
Winners should report the scores to Pickleballscores.com
Flight winners are determined by the Total Point Standing on the last day of the season. If there is a tie, the winning team is determined by:
Fewest numbers of sets lost
Fewest number of games lost
Winner of head-to-head matches
How do players move up to the next flight?
Teams are asked to self-rate for their first season.
The software will keep a dynamic rating on all players after the first season. Accordingly, after 2 seasons of ratings higher than the level the team is currently playing, they are moved up.
Causes to Default a Match
After 3 reports of a team not communicating with other teams, the team will be contacted. Remaining matches will be scored as default wins for their opponents, and the team is suspended from playing the next season.
Defaults are recorded as a win for the opposing team and recorded as such, 12-0, 12-0, 12-0.
It is a default to cancel a match 24 hours or less before it is scheduled. The team unable to play the match will default the match UNLESS the team receiving the default agrees to reschedule the match.
All players must arrive within 15 minutes of the scheduled match time. If a player is more than 15 minutes late, the team defaults the match, unless the opponents agree to play or reschedule the match.
Weather Delays
It is the responsibility of the home team to communicate weather issues or delays, before the match is scheduled.
If the match is delayed or interrupted by rain or wet courts, teams should follow the guidelines below:
The maximum wait time is 30 minutes (if court is available), for match to resume.
If all players agree (and court is available) to wait longer than the 30 minute rule, the match can be completed.
If neither of the opportunities to finish the match exists, teams should reschedule match.
If the match had begun, teams should make notes, with both teams agreeing as to side, scoreand resume the match at the exact game and point, when it is rescheduled.
If a match is rescheduled on the last date of play and it is rained out, the match will go unscored.
Withdraws
If a team withdraws from league, prior to playing a match, all the team’s matches will simply be deleted.
No refunds will be issues once schedules are posted.
If a team withdraws in the flight after playing a match, all teams in the group will receive a 15-0, 15-0 win against the withdrawing team. This rule attempts to credit teams who played the withdrawing team, without penalizing those who did not play the withdrawing team.
League Age
Mixed Doubles, Men's & Women's Doubles: All Ages
Sportsmanship
Players in the First Coast Pickle leagues must abide by fair play and good sportsmanlike behaviour.
All players are expected to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner, adhering to the USAPA code of conduct regarding good sportsmanship. Please review at: http://www.usapa.org/usapa-code-of-conduct
Players that repeatedly ignore fair play and good sportsmanlike behavior will be suspended from league. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis and at the discretion of the Flex League Administrator.
Players returning to the league after a suspension are subject to a zero tolerance policy. In other words, any further complaints on returning players are ground for permanent suspension form the league.
The league will not mediate matches or settle disputes between players regarding these types of conflicts, although players may file a grievance.
Waiver
Players, participants, and any spectators or individuals that are participating in the First Coast Pickle (FCP), acknowledges the risks associated with playing competitive pickleball and accept those risks voluntarily, and in consideration of their acceptance in FCP Flex League Program, assume all loss or damage, and any claim or demand therefore on account of injury and/or exposure to infectious syndromes or diseases to the person or property or resulting in illness and/or death arising out of or related to their participation, whether caused by negligence or otherwise. By participating or attending a league event the players, participants and any spectators assume all risks whether known or unknown. Furthermore, players, participants and spectators hold harmless Firstcoastpickle.com, the host facility and its employees, its affiliated company’s with respect to any injury or loss caused by negligence or otherwise to the fullest extent permitted by law. Players, participants, and spectators of FCP grant permission to use their likeness in a photograph, video or other medium in any and all of its publications, including website entries, or promotional materials without payment or any other consideration.
