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Adult Pickleball

Join a summer league, tournament, or group lesson!

Armstrong Pickleball Courts are now open!

What is Pickleball?

Outdoor Courts

Armstrong Park

  • 8:00am-9:00pm daily
  • 391 Illini Drive – park in south lot

Walter Park

  • 8:00am-dusk daily
  • 970 High Ridge Pass

Reserve a court to guarantee availability during your preferred playing time!

If there are no reservations, free play is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

More Info & Reserve a Court

Pickleball Group Lessons

Join us for beginner or intermediate lessons. New classes each season.

Register for Lessons

Pickleball Open Gym

Sundays – 12-2pm

Register weekly for two hours of open gym pickleball.

Follow registration link to review dates open gym is not offered.

Register for Open Gym

Pickleball Leagues

League Information

  • Players register individually but note their partner and team name or if they are looking for a partner.
  • Games are self officiated.
  • Champions receive prizes/awards.
  • Fee: $50/player.

Schedules

  • Season consists of a six game season followed by a double elimination tournament.
  • Games are scheduled within the time frame listed when registering.
  • Location: Simkus Recreation Center
  • Winter Leagues – Tuesdays or Thursdays
    • Session I – January-February
    • Session II – March-April
  • Spring Leagues – Tuesdays or Thursdays
    • May-June
  • Summer Leagues – Tuesdays or Thursdays
    • June-August
  • Fall Leagues – Tuesdays or Thursdays
    • Session I – August-October
    • Session II –

Join a League

Pickleball Tournaments

Check out our seasonal pickleball tournaments. Register individually and note your team name and partner (or free agency). Games are self-officiated. Prizes for the winners.

Register for a Tournament

Want to play on a league but don’t have a team?

No Team? No Problem!

Sign up as a Free Agent

Schedule & Standings

SeasonSessionLeagueDivisionSchedule & Standings
WinterSession ITuesdayRecreationalSchedule
Winter Session IThursdayCompetitive Schedule
WinterSession IThursdayRedSchedule
WinterSession IThursdayBlue Schedule
WinterSession IThursdayBlackSchedule
WinterSession IITuesdayRecreational
WinterSession IIThursdayRecreational
SpringSession ITuesdayRecreational
SpringSession IThursdayRecreational
SummerSession ITuesdayRecreational
SummerSession IThursdayRecreational
SummerSession IITuesdayRecreational
SummerSession IIThursdayRecreational
FallSession IThursdayRecreational
FallSession IThursdayIntermediate/Competitive
FallSession ITuesdayRecreational

Pickleball Rules

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.

League Format

  • Games are played as doubles.
  • All games are self-officiated
  • Teams play 4 games over a 4 week season.
  • Games play 3 matches in a game.

Line Calls

  • A ball contacting any part of 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.

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 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.”

Scoring

  • The score is kept.
  • Points are scored only from the serving team.
  • Games are played to 11 points and must win by 2.
  • When the serving team’s score is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10…) the player who was the first server in the game for that team goes to the right-side court when serving or receiving; when odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9…) that player is in the left-side court when serving or receiving.

Service Sequence

  • Both players on the serving doubles team have the opportunity to serve and score points until they commit a fault *(except for the first service sequence of each new game).
  • The first serve of each side-out is made from the right or even court.
  • If a point is scored, the server switches sides and the server initiates the next serve from the left or 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 or even court and both players on that team have the opportunity to serve and score points until their team commits two faults.
  • In singles, the server serves from the right or even court when his or her score is even and from the left or odd when the score is odd. 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.

Serving

  • The server’s arm must be moving in an upward arc when the ball is struck.
  • Paddle contact with the ball must not be made above the waist level.
  • The head of the paddle must not be above the highest part of the wrist at contact.
  • A ‘drop serve’ is also permitted in which case none of the elements above apply.
  • At the time the ball is struck, the server’s feet may not touch the court or outside the imaginary extension of the sideline or centerline and at least one foot must be behind the baseline on the playing surface or the ground behind the baseline.
  • The serve is made diagonally crosscourt and must land within the confines of the opposite diagonal court.
  • Only one serve attempt is allowed per server.

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 off a bounce (ground stroke).
  • The two-bounce rule eliminates the serve and volley advantage and extends rallies.

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