Basic Info

• Leagues are “all gender” doubles. This means you don't need a specific gender mix on the court. There are two separate formats, which are covered after this section
• Most leagues operate under a form of pool play called “box ladder.” Typical pool play includes four games per night against rotating opponents with an “off” spot for each time slot. The off spot steps in if there's a no-show, which should virtually eliminate not being able to play due to forfeits. You can move up or down the ladder weekly based on results of pool play. This is designed to get everyone playing against others of similar skill after the first few weeks, although it's dependent upon the range of skill levels signed up. The format may be adjusted depending on the number of signups (small leagues may only have one pool and thus no ladder)
• Players supply their own paddles. Balls may be available from MSSC, although we recommend players bring their own. Some leagues may be unstaffed, and players also have different preferences for balls. Both teams must agree on any ball used
• Individual games are played for 15 minutes or to 11 points - whichever comes first. A standard schedule has four games per night with one off spot, for a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes on site
• Games are self-officiated and teams record their own scores
• Our rulebook is in the menu bar above. We largely follow USA Pickleball rules, but their rulebook is 96 pages, and we've tried to condense ours down to the most important points

Team (Fixed Partner) Format

• For those who already have teammates lined up. You'll have the same playing partners all season and will play against other registered teams
• We recommend more than two players on your roster to help avoid forfeits due to illness, injury, travel, etc. All players don't need to show up each week
• Teams will engage in pool play based on skill level. You can see an example here: box ladder example - teams. The format may be adjusted depending on the number of teams signed up.

Individual (Rotating Partner) Format

• You're registering yourself only and are not expecting to play with any other particular individuals. Don't register under this option if you have a friend (or friends) with whom you want to play. Register a team instead.
• This option is ideal for those who are new to town, don't know anyone in the pickleball community, and/or want to meet new people. You'll play with and against a lot of different people over the course of a season
• Registration will be “confirmed” immediately since there's no team assignment needed in the format we're using. There's no guarantee you'll have a spot though, as we need enough registrations to make a league work
• You'll be grouped based on your initial self-reported skill level and will have different teammates throughout the night and the season. You'll play several matches each night and can move up or down the ladder weekly based on game results. You can see an example here: box ladder example - Individuals. The format may be adjusted based on the number of signups

Resources

• Check out MSSC Pickleball or Madison Area Pickleball on Facebook to find a teammate or sub or ask any pickleball-related questions
• We switched to official pickleball skill levels as of late 2026. You can find these on USA Pickleball's skill level page. Use the info on that page in combination with this chart to gauge your skill level
• There are countless pickleball rules explanation and skill development videos on YouTube
• You'll need an account on the Pickleheads app. You don't need a paid plan, as MSSC has absorbed all costs. The app is available on both Apple and Android devices

Skill Level and Divisions

• Teams and individuals self-select their skill level during registration. We ask for DUPR ratings for those who have them. Anyone without a rating will enter a standard pickleball skill level, which you can find on USA Pickleball's skill level page. Use the info on that page in combination with this chart to gauge your skill level
• We expect leagues to be largely beginner and intermediate level players in the first few seasons as we grow our program
• We ask that players be patient with any large skill disparities that arise. Those should eventually level out as we grow our program 

Dates and Locations

• Late Summer/Fall 2026 outdoor leagues are offered at Tenney Park (east side) and Rennebohm Park (west side). Both locations have courts that are dual striped for tennis and pickleball and also have lights. The dual court structure means there's plenty of space to warm up outside of the playing area if you don't have the first game of the night. The Rennebohm courts were recently resurfaced and are in great shape
• Locations for any given league are not set in stone. They're subject to change at any time based on the whims of Madison Parks or any other facilities we use. We often have leagues that end up changing facilities for one reason or another, and players should be prepared to play wherever the league is located

Deadline and League Capacity

All leagues have a capacity. Registration for all leagues typically closes on the same day. Please check the league details below.

Scheduling

• This is an outdoor sport, so plan on it lasting several weeks longer than originally scheduled. Weather cancellations are usually made up after the initial seven dates posted, so plan on the season lasting nine weeks if there are two cancellations at some point during those first seven weeks
• We transitioned scheduling and score reporting over to the Pickleheads app in late 2026. It will make scheduling far more efficient and allow us to adjust for no-shows on site. You'll no longer have predetermined matchups listed on the MSSC site. Instead, your pool will have one designated start time, and matchups will be generated on site with those present at the start time
• Please find subs for any date you're unable to play. We may not be able to accommodate byes due to the structure of these leagues
• We don't play on major Federal holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, etc. See our scheduling page for more details

Other Info

Have a question you don't see answered here? It may be found in our Frequently Asked Questions and/or the rulebook linked in the grey menu bar toward the top of the page. General club policies can be found at the bottom of this page in the Info & Help section 

Site Monitors

Most outdoor leagues have site monitors. These are paid positions, and typical duties include bringing spare equipment to the site, answering questions from players, coordinating weather cancellations, etc. Read the full job description. You can apply on our jobs page.

Still have a question? Feel free to Contact Us.