Pickleball

Location and Schedule
Clay County Festival
June 11-13, 2021
Ronnie Van Zant Memorial Park
2760 Sandridge Rd.
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043

Schedule
Friday, June 11 – Men’s and Women’s Singles, 8:00v a.m. start time
8:00 a.m.: Male 70-79 age groups
8:00 a.m.: Female 60-64 age group
8:00 a.m.: Female 65-79 age groups
10:30 a.m.: Female 50-59 age groups
11:30 a.m.: Male 60-69 age groups
12:00 Noon: Male 50-59 age groups

Saturday, June 12 – Men’s and Women’s Doubles, 8:00 a.m. start time
8:00 a.m.: Men’s 70-84 age groups
8:00 a.m.: Women’s 60-64 age group
8:00 a.m.: Women’s 65-79 age groups
9:15 a.m.: Women’s 50-59 age groups
10:30 a.m.: Men’s 60-69 age groups
11:00 a.m.: Men’s 50-59 age groups

Sunday, June 13 – Mixed Doubles, 8:00 a.m. start time
8:00 a.m.: Mixed 50-54 age group
8:00 a.m.: Mixed 55-59 age group
10:00 a.m.: Mixed 65-69 age group
10:30 a.m.: Mixed 70-84 age group
12:00 Noon: Mixed 60-64 age group

Event venue, dates, and location are subject to change. Format may be adjusted. Registration may close early if capacity is reached.

CLICK HERE for Registered Athletes as of June 2 – PDF Document

Entrant Divisions
Singles
Men’s and Women’s Doubles
Mixed Doubles

Florida Senior Games Qualifying Rules
This event is a qualifier for the Florida Senior Games. Please visit FloridaSeniorGames.com for more information.

Format
1. Double elimination is planned. Event Director reserves the right to modify format based on number of tournament entries.
2. Matches in the winners bracket will be best two out of three games. Games are played to 11 points, but must continue until one player or team achieves a two-point margin.
3. Matches in the losers bracket will be one game to 15 points, but must continue until one player or team achieves a two-point margin.
4. Teams and players will not be seeded. Brackets will be determined by a random draw.
5. Any event (age class) that does not have at least two entries (teams or individuals) may be combined with another division or cancelled at the discretion of the Event Director.
6. Fourth place ribbons will be awarded in addition to Gold, Silver and Bronze medals for Florida residents. Gold, Silver and Bronze medals will be awarded to top overall athletes if non-residents are in contention for medals.

Entry Requirements and Fees
1. Pickleball entry fee is $25 for the first event and $5 for each additional event for residents. Entry fee is $30 for the first event and $5 for each additional event for non-residents. Entry fee includes an event t-shirt. T-shirts will be distributed on-site at designated competition check-in time.
2. All entries must be received by May 28, 2021 at http://sunshinestate.fusesport.com/registration/1466/. Late entries may be accepted at the discretion of the Event Director. Athletes registering after May 28, 2021 will not be guaranteed a t-shirt and may be subject to a $10 late fee.
3. The age division of competition for doubles and mixed doubles will be determined by the younger age of the two partners as of December 31 of the competition year.
4. Competitors must bring their own paddles. Pickleballs will be provided.
5. Franklin X balls will be used during competition.

Sport Rules
1. All matches will be conducted in accordance with USA Pickleball Association (USAPA)/International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) rules found online at www.usapa.org, except as modified.
2. A coin flip will determine first choice of service or side. If the winner chooses to serve or receive, the loser picks starting side. If the winner chooses starting side, the loser chooses to serve or receive. Sides and initial service will be switched upon completion of each game. Sides will be switched in a third game (if the match is 2 out of 3 games) after the first team reaches a score of 6 points. Serve remains with the player holding serve.
3. All questionable calls must be resolved in favor of the opponent.
4. Served balls clearing the non-volley zone and landing on any service court line except the non-volley zone line are good.
5. Balls in play landing on any side or back court line are good.
6. All serves must be made underhand at or below the servers waist (i.e. contact with the ball must be made at or below the server’s waist). Underhand is defined as the paddle head shall be below the hand when striking the ball.
7. Players will be responsible for calling their own lines up until at least the final match in each age class. Line officials may be provided for the final match in each age class at the discretion of the Event Director.
8. When net systems have a horizontal bar that may include a center base: If the ball hits the horizontal bar or the center base before going over the net, it is a fault. If the ball goes over the net and then hits the horizontal bar, IT IS A LET AND MUST BE REPLAYED. If the ball goes over the net and then hits center base or the ball gets caught between the net and the horizontal bar before touching the court, it is a let and must be replayed.
9. All matches will be played outdoors.
10. Format changes are at the discretion of the Event Director.

Hotel Information
CLICK HERE for Hotel information.

Registration
To register for the 2021 Sunshine State Games Pickleball tournament, click here.

Qualification for 2022 State Games of America
Sunshine State Games athletes are eligible to compete in the 2022 State Games of America, to be held in Ames-Des Moines, Iowa, July 27-31, 2022

2019 Sunshine State Games participants (after July 1): All gold, silver and bronze medalists qualify from National Congress of State Games (NCSG) Member State programs

2020: All athletes who participated in an NCSG Member State event, including the Sunshine State Games, qualify.

2021: All gold, silver, and bronze medalists qualify from NCSG Member State programs, including the Sunshine State Games.

2022 (before July 1): All gold, silver, and bronze medalists qualify from NCSG Member State programs, including the Sunshine State Games.

Any medalists from the 2019 State Games of America are eligible to compete in 2022 if they participate in a NCSG event in their state between July 1, 2019 – July 1, 2022. Note: Any athlete who has qualified in any event within a particular sport will be eligible to participate in all applicable events within said sport. i.e. A Track & Field athlete who only qualifies in one event in Track & Field, would be eligible to enter as many events within Track & Field at SGA 2022 as they like, or are allowed by the sport.

For more information on the 2022 State Games of America, visit https://www.stategamesofamerica.com/ All gold, silver, and bronze medalists qualify from NCSG Member State programs, including the Sunshine State Games.

For more information on the 2022 State Games of America, visit https://www.stategamesofamerica.com/

FSF Staff Contact
Karissa Pendleton
(850) 577-7211 or kpendleton@playinflorida.com

State Director
Andy Rubenstein
(954) 439-2900 or andyacr@aol.com