Keeping score in Pickleball is not difficult. Compared to other racquet sports like tennis, pickleball has a unique scoring system that may take some getting used to. We’ll go over the basics of keeping score in pickleball.
Scoring
First, let’s go over the basic rules of the game. Pickleball is played on a court that is 20 ft by 44 ft, with a net that is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches high at the center. The game is typically played in doubles format, with two players on each side of the net. The objective is to win points by hitting the ball over the net and into the opponent’s court without them being able to return it.
Points are scored only when the serving side wins the rally. The game is played until one side reaches 11 points, but the winning team must be ahead by at least two points. For example, if the score is 10-10, the game will continue until one team wins by two points, such as 12-10 or 14-12.
Serving In Pickleball
Now, let’s talk about serving. In pickleball, the serve must be made underhand and diagonally crosscourt, starting with the right-hand service square. The serve must also clear the net and land in the opponent’s service court.
The player who serves first is determined by a coin toss or some other random means. The serving team continues to serve until they lose the rally, at which point the serve goes to the other team. The player who starts serving in the first game will also serve first in the next game.
Faults In Pickleball
There are a few rules to keep in mind when playing pickleball. A fault occurs if:
- The serve lands out of bounds
- The serve does not clear the net
- The ball is hit out of bounds
- The ball is hit into the net
- The ball is volleyed (hit in the air) from the non-volley zone (the area within 7 feet of the net)
When a fault occurs, the opposing team scores a point and takes over the serve. Players can also commit foot faults if they step on the non-volley line while volleying the ball. This is also considered a fault and results in the opposing team scoring a point.
Alternate Serving
Once the game has started, the receiving team will alternate serving with the serving team until the game is over. If you are playing doubles, this means that both players on each team will serve, and the team will switch servers after each point. If the team that is serving wins the rally, the player who served last will serve again. If the team that is receiving wins the rally, the other team will serve.
Scorekeeping
Scorekeeping in pickleball is similar to its cousin sport, tennis. The person serving announces the score. When starting a new game, the player serving also announces the overall record for that match. Such a score might sound like, “Four games to Two, zero zero” When announcing the score, the server says the score of their team first.
Conclusion
Keeping score in pickleball is easy once you understand the rules of the game. Remember, points are scored only when the serving team wins the rally, and the game is played until one side reaches 11 points, but the winning team must be ahead by at least two points. By following these basic guidelines you’ll be able to enjoy the game of pickleball and compete with your friends and family.
Obviously, there will not be a trophy or other token of victory for every game, but if you fire up a league, calligraphy is a good way to make certificates more polished and meaningful. Good luck and have fun!
