This is going to be fun!
If you've watched any Major League Pickleball on TV, that is the format we are going to be using. Details below.
There are 3 groups .
The Expert is for people with DUPR or USAPA ratings over 4.01
The Advanced is for people with ratings of 3.51 - 4.0
The Intermediate is for people with ratings of 3.25-3.50
You'll be teamed with 3 others in your group and then play with that team for the month. Next month, that teaming will reset.
You play 2 matches each Sunday afternoon. The second week, you'll play 2 other teams, the third week 2 different teams. The fourth week, the team with the most wins will play the second place team. #3rd place will play 4th place, etc.
Here's how it works-
Each team will consist of four players, two (2) women and two (2) men
Each Match will consist of four Games to 21 (win by 2) with rally scoring. The four Games will be played in the following order: women’s doubles, men’s doubles, two mixed doubles. A singles tiebreaker DreamBreaker™ will be played to determine the winner of the Match if teams are tied at 2-2 in Games. This format and order are subject to change. For MLP 2023, if after Mixed Doubles Game 1, the match score is 3-0, the Match is over, and the 4th
For 2023, each Game will be played with rally scoring to 21 points (win by 2). Players will change ends when one team reaches the score of 11. This format and order are subject to change. Rally scoring will be played until a team reaches 20, at which time the team reaching 20 is subject to a freeze on rally scoring and must score all future points while serving. If the trailing team reaches 18, that team too will be subject to a freeze on rally scoring and must score all future points while serving. If both teams are tied 19-19, then both teams are immediately frozen when it becomes 20-19. All Games must be won by 2 points.
During rally scoring players do not switch sides after winning points. Player A for each team serves and receives on the right side when the score is even, and Player B serves and receives on the left side when the score is odd. A team may choose to switch player sides during a time-out or end change, and they must inform the referee of the switch before play resumes.
Teams will each be allotted 1 time-out per Game (up to 1 minute per time-out).
A DreamBreaker™ is a Game to 21 (win by 2) with rally scoring, where each team must rotate its 4 players for 4 singles rallies in a set order until the DreamBreaker™ is completed. Immediately following the completion of the second and final mixed doubles Game, the Home Team will have 1 minute to designate the first player selected in the order of rotation of its 4 singles players for the DreamBreaker
The Home Team’s #1 player will be disclosed to the Away Team. The Away Team will then have 1 minute to designate its opposing Player 1 to the referee and/or the Commissioner. This process will repeat until all 4 players on each team are declared
The DreamBreaker™ will use the same rally scoring used in Games as described above. All team members will rotate in 4-rally rotations until the DreamBreaker™ is concluded (Player 1 plays 4 rallies, then Player 2 plays 4 rallies, then Player 3 plays 4 rallies, then Player 4 plays 4 rallies, and then the rotation repeats in the same order). In terms of sides, singles players will serve from the side (left/right) of the court, based on their team score, as is typical in singles. The player will serve on the right side when that player’s team score is even, and when the team score is odd, the player on that team will serve from the left side of the court.
Coaching by non-playing team members is allowed at any time when the ball is not in play if it does not interfere with continuous play or unfairly disrupt the opposing team.
Non-playing team members are encouraged to sit/stand along the edge of the court and cheer their team on with enthusiasm!!!
