VT Seva Minneapolis Pickleball Tournament 2025

VT SEVA Pickle Ball Tournament will be conducted on Saturday July 12th 2025 from 3 PM to 8 PM CST at LEGACY HOOPS, HOPKINS, MN.

A review of Pickleball rules are as follows:

PLAYERS AND ROSTERS

• Each team consists of 2 players.

o Men's - Two male players required

o Women's - Two female players required

o Mixed - One male and one female player required

• If, due to injuries, a player or doubles partner can no longer participate, the injured player and team will forfeit the game. It is up to the Supervisor to make any final decisions, if need be.

• Roster is limited to two (2) for doubles and mixed doubles.

COURT

• The doubles badminton court will be used for doubles play.

• The non-volley zone extends 7ft from the net on either side of the court.

• Lines are considered part of the area for which they enclose. During service, the baseline of the non-volley zone is considered part of the non-volley zone and will result in a fault if contacted.

• A court diagram is included at the end of this document

START OF PLAY

• Before starting the game, the participants toss a coin with the winner choosing:(a) to serve first/to receive first, or (b) the side.

• The loser of the toss shall have a choice of the remaining alternatives.

The Serve

• The serve must be made underhand.

• Paddle contact with the ball must be below the server’s waist (navel level).

• The serve is initiated with at least one foot behind the baseline; neither foot may contact the baseline or court until after the ball is struck.

• The serve is made diagonally crosscourt and must land within the confines of the opposite diagonal court.

• Only one serve attempt is allowed, except in the event of a let (the ball touches the net on the serve and lands on the proper service court; let serves are replayed).

SCORING

• Points are scored only by the serving team.

• The first team to reach 11 points wins the game. There is no win by 2 rule in ecect.

Service Sequence

• At the beginning of each new game only one partner on the serving team has the opportunity to serve before faulting, after which the service passes to the receiving team.

• Both players on the serving doubles team have the opportunity to serve and score points until they commit a fault

• The first serve of each side-out is made from the right/even court.

• If a point is scored, the server switches sides and the server initiates the next serve from the left/odd court.

• As subsequent points are scored, the server continues switching back and forth until a fault is committed, and the first server loses the serve.

• When the first server loses the serve the partner then serves from their correct side of the court (except for the first service sequence of the game*).

• The second server continues serving until his team commits a fault and loses the serve to the opposing team.

• Once the service goes to the opposition (at side out), the first serve is from the right/even court and both players on that team have the opportunity to serve and score points until their team commits two faults.

Two-Bounce Rule

• When the ball is served, the receiving team must let it bounce before returning, and then the serving team must let it bounce before returning, thus two bounces.

• After the ball has bounced once in each team’s court, both teams may either volley the ball (hit the ball before it bounces) or play it oc a bounce (ground stroke).

• The two-bounce rule eliminates the serve and volley advantage and extends rallies.

Non-Volley Zone

• The non-volley zone is the court area within 7 feet on both sides of the net.

• Volleying is prohibited within the non-volley zone. This rule prevents players from executing smashes from a position within the zone.

• It is a fault if, when volleying a ball, the player steps on the non-volley zone, including the line and/or when the player’s momentum causes them or anything they are wearing or carrying to touch the non-volley zone including the associated lines

• It is a fault if, after volleying, a player is carried by momentum into or touches the non-volley zone, even if the volleyed ball is declared dead before this happens.

• A player may legally be in the non-volley zone any time other than when volleying a

ball.

• The non-volley zone is commonly referred to as “the kitchen.”

Line Calls

• A ball contacting any line, except the non-volley zone line on a serve, is considered “in.”

• A serve contacting the non-volley zone line is short and a fault.

Faults

• A fault is any action that stops play because of a rule violation.

• A fault by the receiving team results in a point for the serving team.

• A fault by the serving team results in the server’s loss of serve or side out

How to play Pickleball: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTvPYdKZqO0

Tournament

• Based on the number of registrations, tournament will be either Double Elimination or Round Robin

• In case of Double Elimination, Participants are eliminated after two losses, ocering a second chance and reducing the impact of a single bad match

o Teams move to a losers' bracket after their first loss

o Teams compete against other teams in the losers' bracket

o Teams are eliminated after their second loss

• The VT Seva Supervisors will have the final decision on all discrepancies.

UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT

• Jerseys are not required for Pickleball.

• All players must wear non-marking court shoes. Cleats of any kind and open-heel and/or -toe shoes are prohibited.

• Medical alert jewelry is allowed to be worn, but it must be taped down with the medical alert tag exposed.

• If a participant is bleeding or has blood on their jersey they will be removed from the game until the bleeding is under control. Prior to any participants re-entering a game the bleeding must be stopped, cleaned and any cuts or lacerations must becovered. Participants will not be allowed to participate in any activity until the above conditions are met.

VT Seva assumes no responsibility for injuries; however basic, first aid will be available Pickleball is a self-ociciated sport.