Skill Levels

We are first and foremost a SOCIAL company. Pickleball is as SOCIAL as it gets! Yea there are some folks who are competitive no matter the game but the overall feel of the league is play hard, party harder!

Team Sizes

Pickleball teams average 2 players. There is no gender requirement.

  Auto Promo Size:  3  |  Full Team:  5

Roster Management

We allow individuals, small groups, and teams to all join our leagues. DC Fray reserves the right to add additional players to ANY team that is under the official roster size for the league. During registration, captains can pick up free agents or mark their group as ready to merge via commish. After registration closes DC Fray goes through and finalizes rosters by placing free agents, merging groups, and deleting unpaid players. Being a promoted team does not mean you may not receive additional players.

Our roster sizes tend to allow for more players as our goal is to avoid forfeits at all costs.

1. They are LAME.

2. It’s not fair to the other teams in the league who expect to play each week if a smaller team cannot field a team week to week. Free agent teams (merged small groups or all FAs made into teams) tend to have larger rosters as the players typically do not know one another and everyone’s schedule varies from week to week.

Pickleball Rules

Download + Print Rules

// PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

1. All Players must be at least 21 years of age and have current, adequate health insurance.
2. All players must be properly registered on a team during the season for which they are playing.
   1. If a player is registered on more than one team within the league, they may only play for one team in the playoffs.
   2. All players must agree to the Fray Liability Waiver as described in the Fray Terms and Conditions section of Player Registration.
3. Any use of an ineligible player will result in a forfeit for the team. 

// GAME PLAY

1. 1 match against 1 team, playing the best of 3 games. Each game is played to 11 points, win by 2.
2. Matches during the regular season are played to a 45-minute time limit. Playoffs may have a slightly different format.
3. Switch to rally scoring at the 10-minute warning, which is at 35 minutes of play. (Rallying scoring means that you can score even when it is not your serve.)
4. At least 2 games need to be played for the match to be official. 
   1. During the regular season, matches can end in a 1-1 tie if the time limit is surpassed. 

// GOLDEN RULE

First and foremost, all Fray leagues are 50% Social and 50% Sport. While we have staff // officials, we expect individuals to respect the league’s culture of fair and fun play. Foul language and rough play will not be tolerated. Individuals who cannot adhere to our standards of fair play and sportsmanship may be asked to leave the league. We want everyone to have fun and be social while enjoying a great sport. We will do whatever we can to make sure all players are having fun!

// SHIRT NOTICE

During week 2 of the season, all players will be given DC Fray shirts for their team that must be worn for the duration of the season. Failure to wear the DC Fray team shirt for a game will result in a player being unable to play in that week’s game. Wearing the designated season’s team shirt will be required during the regular season and playoffs to participate in the game.

// GENERAL POLICIES

Fray is proud to relieve captains of the burden of paying for full teams. We accept individual player payments and allow prepayment for additional players and/or full teams. We are also proud to welcome those who do not have a full team (small groups and free agents) to participate in our league.

Because our mission is to make fun possible, these policies make it easier for people to get involved with and build community through social sports. 

All registrations are on a first-come, first-served basis. Any roster that does not reach our official size (based on each sport) is eligible to receive free agents and/or small groups. Rosters made up of primarily free agents and/or a collection of small groups may have more players than the standard roster size. This policy is in place to help ensure free agent teams are able to consistently field a team each week.

// Roster Size Chart

// Teams & Substitutions

1. Teams must have the required 2-player minimum to start the game. 
2. Teams have until 10 minutes past the designated start time to field the minimum number of players. The 10-minute grace period is considered part of the overall game time. If a team is unable to reach the minimum number of players, the game will be deemed a forfeit.
3. Substitute players (players not on the roster) may be used at any time in the regular season. Substitutes are not permitted during playoffs.
   1. All substitutes must be registered players on another team and/or in another Fray league that is currently in play.
   2. Teams may use additional substitute players above the player minimum with the opposing team’s consent. Teams who agree to play under these conditions must notify the Host before the start of the game and the outcome of the game will stand as is

// START OF PLAY

1. Team captains will play rock, paper, scissors. The winner can choose to serve first or/choose the side of the court they prefer. 

// ROSTER

1. Teams with more than two players on their roster, they will rotate out between each game of the match. You may not switch players mid-game. 

// SERVING

1. The ball is served underhand and diagonally to the opponent’s service court.
2. Player A serves – If Team AB wins the point, Player A switches positions with Player B and serves. This continues until Player A Faults. After Player A Faults, Player B serves. After Player B faults, The serve goes to the other team. 
3. The serve CAN bounce before making contact on the serve. 
4. Serves must cross the non-volley line on the opponent’s side. 
5. If the serve lands in the non-volley zone or on the non-volley line, it is considered a fault, and the other team sheets the ball. 
6. Serves must be made underhand and below the waist.
7. The server must be positioned behind the baseline and the quadrant of the court.
8. Only one serve attempt is allowed.
9. The Double-Bounce Rule:
   1. When the ball is served, the receiving team must let it bounce before returning, and then the serving team must let it bounce on the return, thus two bounces. 
      1. After the ball has bounced once in each team’s court, both teams may hit it before it bounces or play it off a bounce.
10. Any ball that lands on the line is considered in.

// SCORING

1. Serve to score. (This means you may only score on volleys in which your team started the serve.)
2. A point is scored if the returning team fails to return the ball or if the returning team commits a fault.
3. Each game is played to 11 points, and teams must win by 2. 
4. The score must be announced before each Serve in the following manner:
   1. (Servers Team Score – Opponents Score – Serving # [1 or 2]) Example: 9-7-1

// FAULTS

1. A fault is any action that stops play because of a rule violation.
2. The ball is hit into the net on the serve or any return.
3. The ball is volleyed before a bounce has occurred on each side.
4. The ball is hit out of bounds.
5. A ball is volleyed from the non-volley zone.
6. A ball bounces twice before being struck by the receiver.
7. A player, player’s clothing, or any part of a player’s paddle touches the net or the net post when the ball is in play. 
8. There is a violation of a service rule.
9. A ball in play strikes a player or anything the player is wearing or carrying.
10. A ball in play strikes any object outside of the court before bouncing back onto the court. 

// NON-VOLLEY ZONE aka “THE KITCHEN”

1. The non-volley zone is the court area within 7 feet of both sides of the net.
2. Volleying is prohibited within the non-volley zone. This rule prevents players from executing smashes from a position within the zone.
3. It is a fault if, when volleying a ball, the player steps in 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.
4. 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.
5. A player may legally be in the non-volley zone any time other than when volleying a ball

// GAME DURATION

1. Matches will be played in a Best-of-3 format with a 45-minute time limit. Game times may vary based on a specific location. 
2. No new game may be started after the 35-minute point of the match during the regular season. If during playoffs, all games will be played in full as a Best-of-Series.
   1. Playoffs: If time expires in the middle of a game, the team with the most points will be declared the winner of that game. If less than a two (2) point difference exists between scores then teams will play a tiebreaker. Teams will play to 7 points with points being won by rally scoring.  
3. Rally scoring will be used and a team must win by 2 unless tied at the point cap. If the score is tied at the point cap, the winner of the next point wins. 
4. Scores should be called out loudly before each serve. 
5. The referee or league host will have a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors with the winning team captain to determine the choice of serving first or choosing a side for the first game. 
6. Teams will switch sides for each game. The team that serves to start each game will alternate throughout the Match.

// REFEREES & SPORTINGLIKE CONDUCT

General Standard Pickleball Rules will be followed.

1. Pickleball is a self-regulated game that relies on the Honor System. Teams and players are responsible for calling their own faults during play. If a fault occurs, you are expected to call it as such. While referees may call a fault, a lack of a call by a referee does not remove your obligation to abide by the Honor System. 
2. League officials can eject anyone before, during, and immediately after any match if they feel it is warranted.
3. All decisions made by the host are final. 

// EQUIPMENT, UNIFORMS & FACILITY USE

1. DC Fray will provide the necessary nets, balls, and some paddles. Players are encouraged to bring their own paddles if they have them. Players should make every effort to wear the official Fray shirt. 
2. Players must wear athletic, closed-toed shoes. 
3. If an individual or team violates the facility’s Code of Conduct, they may be asked to leave and a refund will not be issued. 

// PLAYOFFS & STANDINGS

1. Playoffs are determined after the regular season has occurred and are based on scheduling and other league logistics. Playoffs are not guaranteed.
2. Standings are sorted based on the teams’ Win-Loss-Tie record. If there is a tie in the standings, we sort based on the following information in order until the tie is resolved:
   1. Head-to-head matchups
   2. Score differential
   3. Points for
   4. Points against
   5. Coin Flip

// FORFEITS

1. Teams have until 10 minutes past the designated start time to field the minimum number of players. The 10-minute grace period is considered part of the overall game time. If a team is unable to reach the minimum number of players, the game will be deemed a forfeit.
   1. First Forfeit – Loss of game and warning issued
   2. Second Forfeit – Loss of game and Fray reserves the right to remove the team from the playoffs.
   3. Third Forfeit – Loss of game and removal from the league with no refund
2. In the case of a forfeit, the final score is recorded as 3-0.

// WEATHER CANCELLATIONS

1. One week is built into the end of each season.
2. All players will be notified via email if games are canceled.
3. If more than one weather cancellation occurs, Fray will try to find another week if possible to make up the games, but it is not guaranteed.
4. Should inclement weather or other factors limit the normally scheduled game duration and more than half the game has been played, the game shall count as the full game.