The Koru Games Pickleball competitions will be played under the following rules: 

Points are scored by the serving team. For pool play, it will be the first team to reach 15 points that wins the game and for the medal matches it will be the best of 3 games up to 11 points. A team must win by two points.

Serving

1. When you serve the ball, the serve must be underhand, the paddle must be below your wrist, you must make contact with the ball below your waist with an upwards movement.
   
2. The serve must be diagonally cross-court and the serve must clear the kitchen (non-volley zone) area and the kitchen (non-volley zone) line and be inside the baseline.
   
3. While serving, you must keep your feet from touching the court or the sideline area and keep at least one foot behind the baseline.
   
4. The first serve is made from the right side of the court each time the ball changes sides (called side out), and if the server scores a point, that player then serves from the left side. The server will continue to alternate sides of the court they serve from until they lose a point.
   
5. Players are only allowed one attempted serve.
   
6. The game score starts a 00-2, the first team only get one chance to serve (until they commit a fault) then it’s side out and the ball goes over to the opposition.
   
7. After that the opposing team then gets a chance for both players to serve, first the player on the right serves until that team lose a point then the second player serves until that team lose another point then the ball goes across the other team, called a side out (meaning that team makes two faults).

Game Play

1. The server calls the score before serving the ball, the caller states their team score first, then the receiving team’s score and whether then 1 or 2, depending on whether they are the first server or the second server for their team.
   
2. There is a two-bounce rule which means that after the serve each side must let the ball bounce once before returning it. After the two bounces, you can either hit the ball before it bounces (a volley), or after it bounces once.
   
3. There is a zone called “the kitchen” within seven feet on both sides of the net. This is the “no-volley” zone — meaning you can only hit a ball from this zone if it bounces first. If you hit a volley when standing in the kitchen, it is considered a fault. It is also a fault if you accidentally step into the kitchen after hitting a volley, even if it’s just momentum that sends you there.
   
4. A ball touching any part of the line is in, pickleballs don’t compress like a tennis ball, if you can’t say the ball was out then it should be called it. It is up to the side where the ball lands to make the in / out line call.

Boys and Girls tournaments will be held separately. Each school can only enter 1 team in each competition.

The Pickleball competition will consist of separate boys and girls competitions. The total number of players will be capped at 24 teams playing doubles games. Students can register as individuals and you will play with other players of similar abilities.

On Day 1, Canterbury Pickleball will deliver a training day for all the players to teach them how to play the game and some practice games will be organised. The session will start at approximately 10:30am after the Opening Ceremony. 

Day 2 and Day 3 will be game play based on the draw on the website/app.

Please see linked memo below for further detail on competition format for each sport

Competition Formats (All sports)

All schools/teams must be accompanied by an accredited coach/manager (teacher, parent, senior student).

We are committed to using this tournament as a development for youth officials.  Each team will need their own referee and whistle, we encourage you to use senior student referees from your School or a Highschool near you.  Otherwise a parent/caregiver/coach will be great. Upskilling can happen prior to the tournament for those that need it.

All teams/schools need to have first aid support onsite.

Habit Health will be at the Lincoln Hub to support competitors throughout the Games.

Lincoln Hub 

• Bean There Coffee
• Pretzel Box 
• Selwyn Netball Centre Tuck Shop 

Canterbury Pickleball will supply all the gear you need – you only need to bring along some indoor sports shoes.