Pickleball

The following schedule for each individual facility lists Open Play and Reserved Play times. Reserved Play times are in red. For more information on how to make a reservation, please see the "Open Play vs Reserved Play vs First-Come First-Play" section below.

Indoor Courts

Indoor courts have specific hours available listed below for Open Play and Reserved Play. Indoor facilities do not offer First-Come First-Play.

Jack L. McLean Jr. Community Center
700 Paul Russell Road | 850-891-2505

Lawrence-Gregory Community Center at Dade Street
1115 Dade Street | 850-891-3910

Lincoln Neighborhood Center
438 West Brevard Street | 850-891-4180

Sue Herndon McCollum Community Center
501 Ingleside Avenue | 850-891-3946

Tallahassee Senior Center
1400 North Monroe Street | 850-891-4000 | $2 Donation Encouraged

Walker-Ford Community Center
2301 Pasco Street | 850-891-3970

Outdoor Open Play and Reserved Play Courts

The following outdoor courts have specific times set aside for Open Play and Reserved Play sessions. Reserved Play times are in red. However, outside of these times, they are First-Come First-Play.

LeVerne Payne Community Center
450 West 4th Avenue | 850-891-3930
2 courts with adjustable net straps, 4 courts with portable nets if needed and all have painted lines

Tom Brown Park
Call 850-891-4940 between 9:00am - 1:00pm for reservations
4 courts

Winthrop Park
Call 850-891-4940 between 9:00am - 1:00pm for reservations
6 courts

Outdoor First-Come First-Play Courts

Come on out and, if a court is open, grab it and play! Be sure to bring your own paddles and balls - we have provided specific amenities as noted.

Jack L. McLean Jr. Community Center
700 Paul Russell Road
2 courts with adjustable net straps and painted lines

Jake Gaither Community Center
801 Bragg Drive
2 courts

Lafayette Park
501 Ingleside Drive
2 courts with net tie-downs - paddles and balls available inside the Sue McCollum Community Center only during regular office hours

Walker-Ford Community Center
2301 Pasco Street
3 courts - night play is available

Open Play vs Reserved Play vs First-Come First-Play

Open Play is a Drop-In session in which players simply drop-in, without advanced reservations, to play other drop-in players. These sessions do not require a fee.

The term "Open Play" is used in pickleball to designate playing times that are open for players of all skill levels and years of experience to mix together to have fun playing pickleball, In Open Play, competition takes a back seat to the social aspects of meeting people, making everyone feel welcome.

A Few Guidelines for Open Play:

• Open play is generally played with doubles.
• Players will use the "RACK" to identify what order each person will go on the court.
• Players will play up to 11 points and win by 2 if less than 6 players are waiting to play.
• Once the courts are full, the players will continue to use the "RACK" to make sure the next game moves into position quickly.
• If 6 players are waiting, players will play 9 points instead of 11 points. After a game is over, all 4 playing players will switch out to allow 4 new players a game.

Reserved Play is a court reservation that must be scheduled for a specific time and can be used for both casual and competitive play. All Reserved Play sessions require a fee payment.

Court Reservations and Fees

• Singles - $5.75
• Singles Senior* - $4.75
• Doubles - $4.25
• Doubles Senior* - $3.50
• To qualify for the senior rate, you must be at least 62 years of age

Court reservations can only be made for Reserved Play sessions, as all Open Play sessions are drop-in and free.

In order to make a reservation for Tom Brown Park or Winthrop Park, call 850-891-4940 between 9:00am - 1:00pm. For all other locations that have Reserved Play sessions, please contact that facility directly.

First Come First Play just means that the court is open and people can play any way they would like. If other folks are waiting to use the court, we would sure like you to be a good neighbor but it isn't a requirement like it is for Open Play or Reserved Play.

For more information, please contact Lenin Mongerie.

Rules and Format
The format of the ladder league is designed for participants to play with others of similar skill levels. Ranking on the ladder is based upon points won weekly. Each week players will either stay, move up, or down a court based upon their point totals.

1. The ball of choice is Head Penn. Players may use a different ball if all 4 players agree.
2. The initial lineup for week 1 will be based upon alphabetic order of your last name.
3. Each week, players will be placed in groups of 4 in the order of their ranking on the ladder for match play. All players will play three doubles games to 15, win by 1. Each player will play one game with the other three players of the foursome. Partner assignments will be on the scoresheet. It is recommended that the players change ends of the court when one of the teams has reached 8 points.
4. Please try to attend all weekly matches. If you cannot attend, contact a sub of the same skill level and gender. If you are unable to secure a sub from the list, contact the other 3 players in your group to help.
5. Missed matches will not be made up.
6. One player on each court will text a screen shot of the scoresheet to the league points coordinator. (Tom Saxton 813-966-4662) Each week there will be winner with the highest points won. If there is a tie, the winner will be the player with the most points earned the previous week.
7. If a player cannot play a scheduled match, their point total will be zero.
8. All matches will begin 15 minutes after the scheduled match start time.

General Information
Ladder League format and rules are defined by the City of Tallahassee and USA Pickleball Association. Format and rules may be subject to change if necessary.

1. All players must be 18 years of age and older to participate.
2. Players are self-rated, and all matches are doubles format. Games are based upon rankings.
3. The league has 4 skill levels/divisions. Beginner, Advanced Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.
4. Players are permitted to play both the morning and evening leagues within their skill level.
5. Substitutes may be used. Similar skill level is required.
6. Please find a substitute as soon as you are aware of your absence.
7. The ladder league is limited to 16 players per skill level
8. Players are responsible to bring their own paddles, pickleballs and water.
9. Players at the end of each match should record the score, using the scoresheet provided. All players must sign the scoresheet acknowledging the score is correctly recorded.  A screen shot of the match score will be sent by one of the players to the points coordinator (Tom Saxton 813-966-4662). Please include your full name with text.

Publishing the Players Schedule
The weekly playing schedule and court assignments will be posted online.

Interruption of a Match (Recording of Scores)
Scoring for interrupted matches due to weather or injury should be handled as follows:

1. If the match is terminated before the start of the third game, scores will be recorded.
2. If the match is terminated sometime during the third game, points for the third game will be assumed to be the final score. For example, if the score was 9 to 7 at termination, the winning team would get the 9 points and losing team will receive 7 points.
3. If the match is terminated before play starts players can decide to complete match on their own time but before match results are posted. If 3 people in the group can agree to a make up match and the 4th can not "Skinny Singles" rule will be played.

For league questions, please contact one of the following people:

• Barbara Cairns (league coordinator)
  barbcairns@yahoo.com
• Thomas Saxton (league points coordinator)
  tsaxton17@gmail.com
• Lenin Mongerie (pickleball coordinator)
  lenin.mongerie@talgov.com
• Anne Davis (pickleball instructor)
  amdtennisz@comcast.net

Have a Question?
We may have already answered it once or twice! Be sure to check out the FAQ for the 2023 Spring Pickleball Ladder League

Skill Ratings

Ever wanted to know how well your skills stack up against other players? Want to make sure you aren't taking on a game against others who are much more or less better than you are? That's where Skill Ratings come in.

Skill Ratings allow you to determine how advanced your playing skill happens to be - without the need of someone else evaluating your skills. With a simple number, you can determine if you want to get involved in a certain game based on your opponent's skill level.

Definitions for Each Skill Level (PDF)

This area will be regularly updated to share the latest in court enhancements, repairs, policy changes, and new sites. If there are any other specific questions, let us know!

• March 16, 2022
  Reserved times in the evening at the newly resurfaced courts at Winthrop begin on March 17.
• March 16, 2022
  One of the nets at Lafayette has been taken down due to a pavement heave. The City is looking into a solution.
• March 16, 2022
  We anticipate renovating Forestmeadows clay courts numbered 6-13 to hydro-courts in the fall.
• March 16, 2022
  Southeast Park is anticipating use of the six new pickleball courts at the end of summer.
• March 25, 2022
  We have added permanent pickleball lines at 4th Ave tennis courts. This will accommodate four PB courts on two tennis courts
• April 15, 2022
  The tennis courts at Lafayette, 4th Ave, and Jake Gaither will be repaired in the next couple months. The cracks will be filled and Riteway crack repair will be placed over the areas. In addition, all three court site will be resurfaced.
• April 15, 2022
  A battery backup has been installed at Winthrop tennis courts that will keep the light timers correct if there is a power outage.
• May 18, 2022
  A safety fence bottom rail has been installed around the perimeter of 4th Ave. courts.
• June 6, 2022
  Glare guards have been installed on the pickleball lights for the tennis courts at Tom Brown.