DCPL RULEBOOK

Dink Club Pickleball League (DCPL) – Rule Book

League Overview

This league operates on a season-long format where teams compete in scheduled matches. At the end of the regular season, the top 4 teams in each division advance to the playoffs to determine the league champion.

All games will be DUPR rated.

Team Structure
Roster Requirements
- Minimum of 4 players per team: 2 men and 2 women.
- No reserves are permitted.
- Once players are registered to a team, they are bound to that team for the entire season and cannot transfer mid-season.

Team Captain

- One player must be designated as the team captain to manage lineups and league communication.

Substitutions

- Substitutions are only permitted in the following cases:
- A player is injured and cannot continue for the remainder of the match day.
- A player is unavailable to participate on a given match day.
- In these cases, the team may bring in a replacement player approved by league officials.
- If an injury occurs during a game, that game will be forfeited. The approved replacement may substitute in for the following games.

Match Format

Each team match includes 4 games:

• Women’s Doubles
  
• Men’s Doubles
  
• Mixed Doubles #1
• Mixed Doubles #2
  The team that wins more games (best of 4) wins the match.

If tied 2–2, a Dreambreaker will be played:
- Format: Singles game to 21, win by 2.
- Players rotate every 4 points.
- Each team must cycle through all rostered players before repeating.

Scoring Rules
Side-Out Scoring
- Games to 11, win by 2. Only serving teams score.

Timeouts

- One timeout per team per game (60 seconds).

Side Switching

- Optional switch at 6 points, recommended for outdoor play.

Equipment

All paddles and balls must be USA Pickleball-approved.

Approved Equipment

- Paddles must be commercially manufactured and designed specifically for pickleball. - Paddles must be on the USA Pickleball-approved paddle list.

Surface and Materials

- Paddle surface must be smooth and non-spin-enhancing. - No holes, rough textures, or reflective surfaces.

Size and Weight

- Paddle length + width ≤ 24 inches; max length = 17 inches. - No weight restriction.

Alterations

- Lead tape and stickers allowed if not affecting surface performance. - Subject to approval by league officials.

Paddle Inspections

- League officials may inspect paddles at any time.
- Violations may result in forfeits or point deductions.

Sportsmanship Expectations

Players are expected to remain competitive while demonstrating respect, integrity, and good sportsmanship throughout the league. No formal penalties will be issued; however, league officials may intervene if conduct disrupts the spirit of fair play or the enjoyment of others.

Standings & Points System Team Standings

- Team standings will be determined by overall team record first, then total points scored. 

- Tiebreakers will follow the order of match differential, point differential, and head-to-head results if needed.

Individual Player Rankings
- In addition to team standings, there will be individual player rankings based on total points scored across all matches during the season.

Divisions

DCPL will consist of two competitive divisions:

• DUPR 12 Division
• DUPR 14 Division 

Each division will consist of 8 teams. Teams will play each other once, resulting in 7 total matches per team in the regular season. This round-robin structure determines standings for playoff qualification.

A team's DUPR level will be calculated using the average of the 4 highest-rated DUPR players on the roster.

Schedule Format & Finals Night

The season schedule is structured as follows:

Match Day 1:

• Player briefing to go over league rules, format, and expectations.
• Each team plays 1 match. 

Match Days 2–4:

• Each team plays 2 matches per day. 

At the end of the regular season, the top 4 teams in each division qualify for Finals Night, which includes:

• Semifinal Matchups
  - #1 seed vs. #4 seed
  - #2 seed vs. #3 seed
• Final Matches
• Championship Final: Winners of each semifinal
• Bronze Match: Losers of each semifinal 

Seeding is determined by regular-season standings, using match differential, point differential, and head- to-head as tiebreakers.

Rule Revisions

League officials may revise rules mid-season with majority team approval if necessary for fairness, scheduling, or safety.