LATE SUMMER 2024 pickleball league

League Play: There will be a 7-week evening doubles league held on Tuesdays, beginning Tuesday, August 15 and concluding September 26. Game times will be between 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm. As part of the league registration, a season-culminating tournament will be offered for each skill level.

New for 2024: Rain dates will no longer be held on Wednesdays. Instead, teams will be given the opportunity to reschedule the games during the final week of the season or another mutually agreed to date/time. 

New for Late Summer 2024:  Once team registration closes, we will place teams in divisions based on skill levels. The first week's games will not count in the final standings, but will be "Friendly Matches" for all teams.  This will allow teams to determine whether the division they have been placed in fits their skill level.  Once week 1 games are completed, any teams wishing to change divisions must contact us no later than Thursday, August 17th to allow us adequate time to adjust the schedule. 

Note: Teams that include one or more HCPSS Students, HCPSS Staff Members, and/or current (2024-2025) Viking Backers members are eligible for a team discount!  Scroll down to COSTS section for more details! 

• Program play is open to players of all ages.  Players under age 14 must have adult supervision on-site at all times.  
• Teams will be split into divisions based on skill level:  We anticipate having 3 divisions (Beginner/Advanced Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced), which will be formed based on the number of registering teams.
• We recommend anyone who has never played Pickleball or any other paddle or racquet sports before, or who has only played once or twice, or who is physically limited, to join our Beginner Division. 
• To determine your team’s skill level, here’s a quick summary of the levels used in our league:
  • Skill level 2.0 and under: Team is just starting to play and has no other sports background. Minimal understanding of rules.
  • Skill Level 2.5: Team has limited experience. Can sustain a short rally with players of equal ability. Basic ability to keep score.
  • Skill Level 3.0: Team has additional experience. Hits medium paced shots but inconsistently. Understands fundamental strategies.
  • Skill Level 3.5 and over: Team is intermediate / advanced with consistent medium and faster play. Familiar with advanced concepts such as court position strategies.
• Should you register for one division and find during the first week's play that it’s not the best fit for you, contact our volunteers as soon as possible, but no later than Thursday, August 17. We will do our best to move your team to a more competitive division.  
• If you are a single player and wish to be paired with a teammate, please visit the substitute player page here.  

• League play runs for 7 weeks beginning each Tuesday, starting August 15th through September 26th, and culminating with a season-ending tournament.  Click link button below to jump to the schedule.
• NEW: Rain dates will no longer be on Wednesdays. Instead, teams will be given the opportunity to reschedule the matches the final week of the season or another mutually agreed to date/time. Please be sure to see our notes on weather policy.
• Teams will typically have 3 or more scheduled games each week between 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm. Games are to 15 points, but are limited to no more than 13 minutes.

$200 per team (2 people) and includes two Viking Backers Pickleball t-shirts.

Team Discounts:

If one or more players on a team is a current HCPSS student, the team is eligible for a 20% discount. Use promo code "20PICKLE" at checkout during team registration.

If one or more players on a team is a current HCPSS employee, the team is eligible for a 10% discount. Use promo code "10PICKLE" at checkout during team registration.

If one or more players on a team is a paid 2022-2023 or 2023-2024 Viking Backers member, the team is eligible for a 10% discount on the team registration. Use promo code "10PICKLE" at checkout during team registration. 

Want to use the 10PICKLE discount but not yet a member? Click here to be taken to our membership purchase page.  Once purchased, use code 10PICKLE at checkout to save!

All league players must:

1. Register online through the Viking Backers Website using this link or the button below.  Registrations are per 2-person team
2. Make payment at time of registration
3. Submit their signed waiver online

Payment Options, Paperwork, and Refunds

• Payment is due once registration opens; all payments are through this website's store. Teams may not start to play without an online payment, and completed waivers from both players.
• 90% Refunds will be offered if requested by August 8th.
• 50% Refunds will be offered if requested August 9th through August 28th.
• No refunds will be offered after August 28th.
• Refunds can take up to 4 weeks to process.

Revised 08/20/2023

A. The USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) rulebook will be used to govern all pickleball

play unless otherwise stated by the Mount Hebron Viking Backers Pickleball Program Team

(VBPP). Please refer to both the rules summary and detailed rules provided on the Viking

Backers website.

B. Pickleball is played on a court sized: 20’ x 44.’ Up to 8 courts will be lined and

numbered within the space of the Mt. Hebron tennis courts. Lines will be evident and laid out as

perfectly as possible. Court assignments for each match will be defined by the league schedule

and cannot be changed.

C. Players can determine who will serve first by coin toss or full consensus. Teams

should decide BEFORE PLAY whether or not to switch sides halfway through the game. Due to

the number of concurrent games being played during league night, this detail must be managed

between the teams without intervention by VBPP staff.

D. The VBPP league will be split into two or more divisions depending on enrollment:

Beginner and Intermediate / Advanced. Teams from each division will not normally play each

other but may be asked to do so to accommodate schedules, at the discretion of VBPP.

E. Each game will be played to 15 points, or for a maximum of 13 minutes, whichever comes

first. Time permitting, the game will be win-by-two, but at the 13 minute mark, game play will

end regardless of score. The next game on the court will start as soon as possible when both

teams are available and the court is open. It is understood that at some point in the night an

opponent may still be playing another game. A team awaiting their opponent may choose to

practice on the court by themselves or invite another team to practice with them. As a courtesy,

each team will be allowed no more than 2 minutes of rest time between games to allow for

hydration and rest ahead of the next game.

F. A whistle will be blown to indicate the beginning and end of timed play. If teams are in the

middle of a point when the whistle is blown, the teams should complete the point and then

record the score. If no team has reached 15 points when the 13 minutes has expired, teams will

record the score as-is. Ties will be allowed in this league, no tie breaker point will be played.

One player from each team must sign the scoresheet to confirm the score.

G. Substitutes. Teams may use an infinite number of substitutes across the season. Two

players, however, must be defined and play an entire game. A team of three can rotate play

during a single night of play but cannot rotate play within a single game. Substitutes are

allowed to substitute for more than one team, but may only play on one team per division per

week.

H. Forfeits. In the event a team does not provide at least 2 players, each game not attended will

be counted as a forfeit; a win for the team present and a loss for the team absent. If neither

team attends, the game will be scored as a double forfeit, and neither team will be awarded

points.

I. Weekly Schedules and Standings will be posted online. In the standings, for each game, a win

is awarded five (5) points, a draw is awarded two (2) points, and a loss is awarded zero points.

J. Each court will be self-regulated by the players. Please do your best to ensure that you are

calling balls in and out of bounds fairly. Each team calls their own balls in or out on their own

side of the court. If your team is unsure or did not see the ball, then the opponent gets the

benefit of the doubt on the line calls made. All disputes must be settled within the two teams

competing and if no agreement can be made, a replay is allowed. Keep in mind, time in dispute

counts towards the time limit.

K. Teams are subject to disqualification for inappropriate behavior. The purpose of this league

is to provide fun, friendly competition and to promote enjoyment of the sport! Please report any

concerns to the VBPP Adult Supervisor immediately.

L. The VBPP takes the health and safety of its players very seriously. The VBPP Adult

Supervisor has full authority to ask a player to remove themselves from competition if exhibiting

symptoms of a concussion, heat related illness, or any other health risk to the player or those

around them. As a player, and a teammate, and a member of our community, all players share

responsibility to report any health concerns immediately and to act accordingly, as agreed to

when signing the playing waiver, and to abstain from attendance if they are not able to

participate as outlined in the various waivers including that related to COVID.

M. Weather and Cancellations. The VBPP has sole discretion in the decisions to postpone or

cancel play due to weather. The VBPP plans to communicate via email no later than 30

minutes ahead of the planned start time when a weather related cancellation is able to be

reasonably predicted. Canceled Tuesday night games will be postponed. Opportunities to

make-up canceled Tuesday night games will be offered on Monday (9/25), Wednesday (9/27),

and/or Thursday (9/28), and games may also be made up on mutually agreed upon dates and

times. For any make-up games, the winning team must report the score to the VBPP, so it can

be included in the standings.

During play, the on-site Adult Supervisor will act on behalf of the VBPP to make any similar

decision. Note:

● Play will not be allowed when the Accuweather “Real Feel” is 95 degrees or higher

● Play will not be allowed when the courts are wet from a prior or currently occurring rain

● Play will not be allowed when there is thunder or lightning – any observance of this will

result in game play stoppage of 30 minutes; participants must seek shelter indoors or in

a car and a decision will be made by the VBPP whether and how to proceed

The VBPP will be acting in good faith and consistent with HCPSS policies that govern outdoor

play for the other athletic programs taking place at the same time.

 Weekly League/Game Play

• Each week's league play is expected to take place in the 2 hours following the start time.
• Schedules will be posted ahead of time.
• If a team is absent and/or misses a game on a Tuesday league night, the opposing team(s) will be granted the win(s), and the absent team will receive a loss for each missed game. If neither team attends, the game will be scored as a double forfeit. 

Cancellations/Weather Impacts 

• VBPP Volunteers will make the best possible decisions regarding safe Pickleball play at our facility, considering existing and forecasted weather, and existing rules that govern school property. All decisions are final.
• Weather cancellations may occur and we will strive to communicate that by email to League participants no later than 60 minutes before start time. If League play must be canceled during games, the current game score should be recorded. These games will be eligible for make-up.
• New: Rain dates will no longer be held on Wednesdays. Instead, teams will be given the opportunity to reschedule the matches the final week of the season or another mutually agreed to date/time. Please be sure to see our notes on weather policy.

Substitutes

• Substitute players are allowed at no cost. Waivers MUST be in place prior to a player participating on Mt. Hebron courts.
• There is no limit to the number of substitutes used during a season, nor the number of times a team uses substitute(s).
• A Substitute player may not play for more than one team per division per day. 
• New: During the season-ending competition, a team may use no more than one substitute player.

Provided Equipment

• The Pickleball Program will provide nets and balls for program play.

Players Provide

• Players provide their own paddles, hydration, and appropriate footwear.