DUES AND DONATIONS
Annual Membership Dues, payable beginning in January of each year:
$40 per person
$60 per couple
These dues pay for:
• Liability insurance (required by the town)
• Equipment, including balls, loaner paddles, ball stops, replacement nets, bags, tubes, carts, first aid kits, brooms, squeegees, etc.
• Repairs to the ball machine
You can submit your payment in any of the following ways:
• Check payable to PVPickleball, Inc. (c/o Patty Dewes, 197 Paloma Road, Portola Valley, CA 94028)
• PayPal payable to PVPickleball1@gmail.com - Choose “For Friends or Family” NOT Products/Services. Be sure to include the digit “1” before the @.
• Zelle to PVPickleball1@gmail.com. Be sure to include the digit “1” before the @.
Please indicate that your payment is for “20XX Membership Dues.”
Donations
On occasion we hold fund raisers to purchase items that exceed our budget. For example, in 2024, we raised funds to purchase the 4 temporary nets for Court 2.
To make a cash donation, you can use any of the three methods listed above under Annual Membership Dues. Please indicate what your donation is for, either the General Fund or the specific fund raiser.
PORTOLA VALLEY PICKLEBALL ETIQUETTE AND GUIDELINES
In order to balance the needs of Tennis and Pickleball players, the Parks and Recreation Committee has adopted a court usage policy that gives Pickleball players have sole use of Court 1 at all times. Tennis has priority on Court 2 Monday – Friday and weekend afternoons. Court 3 is dedicated to Tennis and Basketball and may not be used for pickleball.
We have developed guidelines to help manage court usage during our priority times. The intent is to give equal time to types of play and equal time to various levels of players. We allow a small amount of reserved time as well. Note that Court 2 may be used whenever no tennis players are using it with or without a reservation. Tennis players may reserve ahead so always check the reservation system before you set up on Court 2.
We have defined 2 types of play with different guidelines for each:
• Drop-in: in which individual players may show up and find multiple games to join. To drop-in to a court put your paddle on the ground near the net of the court you wish to join. (See Scheduled Drop-in Description).
• Pre-arranged Group Play in which groups come with their prearranged group of four (or two for singles) players.
• We have specified times for welcoming new players and beginners and times for team practice.
General
• Everyone is responsible for welcoming newcomers and visitors.
• Games will be played to 11 points, won by 2.
• Do not always play to the weakest player. This is a recreational group, not a competition.
• If scores get very out of whack, (e.g. 8-1) because the levels aren't equal, adjust your playing to try to equalize the score.
• If all 4 pickleball courts are in use you may use a rolling net on Court 2 if there are no tennis players.
• If you are using a rolling or temporary net on Court 2, you must vacate the court within 10 minutes if a tennis player arrives.
• Parks and Recreation classes events and League matches have priority use.
• While waiting, do not stand in the area between the Pickleball courts or store gear there. Hang gear on the fence outside the court.
• Do not enter another court to retrieve a ball — say "Ball Please" and they will return it.
• If a ball rolls onto your court, return it after play has stopped - do not just throw it back.
• When you are leaving the car park, please do not turn on your headlights until ready to pull out. The lights blind the players.
Scheduled Drop-In Policy
• You are encouraged to play at or near your level most of the time.
• Courts are open to all levels on a first come first served basis.
• To indicate interest in playing in the next game, place your paddle or an article like a paddle cover, near the net.
4+ paddles on the court: all 4 players leave and next 4 come on.
3 paddles: one player from the winning team stays on.
2 paddles: the winning team stays on.
1 paddle: one player from the losing team leaves.
Note: Any player may volunteer to leave a court after a game has finished, if other players have paddled in.
• Once you start a game, you must finish before paddling in on another court.
• You may put your paddle on only 1 court at a time.
• Players need to warm-up before paddling onto a court. You can paddle onto a court but warm-up on another court. If no warm-up court is available, limit your warm-up to 5 minutes or less.
• If you arrive and a court needs one more player, you are encouraged to join that court for at least one game regardless of level of play.
• Only players present may paddle onto a court. You may not save a space for someone who has not arrived to play.
• Court F is designated as a DRILL/PRIVATE GAME court during drop-in play Monday thru Friday. Otherwise, there are NO private games during drop-in.
Drill/Private Play Policy
In order to give all people (especially those that work) drill time and/or private game time, one pickleball court on Court 2 (Court F) will be designated as a Drill Court during all drop-in times from Monday to Friday (excluding weekends). Specifically, the pickleball court closest to the net on the baseball field side (see diagram) will be the designated court. However, please be aware that tennis players have priority on Court 2 Monday-Friday and if they wish to play on Court 2, you must to defer to them.
The Drill Court:
• May be used for drills or private games.
• May not be reserved (it is first come, first served).
• Will be treated like Pre-arranged Group play (other players may not paddle in).
• Court times for play are 8:00 AM – Dark. Start and end on the hour to make keeping time easier (e.g. 10,11,12).
• If another group would like to use the court they may paddle in and your group must vacate.
Pre-Arranged Group Play
You can play with your friends without interruption for as long as you like unless the courts are full.
• When Court 1 is full you may bring in a net on Court 2.
• If all the courts are full, then other groups may paddle on to your court.
WhatsApp Community
We have created a PVPickleball WhatsApp community, which can host multiple purpose-based groups. The idea with the groups is not to replace the general use of the groups.io / email list. If there are announcements for the whole PV Pickleball community, the group.io should be used.
Competitive Open Play:
A group for players who like games that are competitive and intense. Generally, these players' capabilities trend to advanced-intermediate and advanced. The purpose of this group is to handle coordination issues, often for same day play, usually in the afternoons. For example, seeing if there will be a critical mass of players for open play at a given time. This group is not for reservations but for coordination.
Cooperative Open Play:
A group for players who seek games that are relaxed and cooperative vs. intense, aggressive, and competitive. Generally, these players' capabilities trend to novice and intermediate. The purpose of this group is to handle coordination issues, often for same day play, often in the mornings. This group is not for reservations.
Tennis Court Etiquette
It has come to our attention that some of our pickleball players might not know general Tennis Court Etiquette. The tennis players have asked us to educate our pickleball community on these customs.
For Tennis Courts -
• Enter at the gate closest to whichever court we are playing pickleball on. There should be no reason to enter the courts where tennis players are playing. There are 4 gates, all of them are unlocked. Use the gate that would least affect the tennis players.
• If a pickleball rolls unto a tennis court but is not a hazard, DO NOT follow it onto the tennis court. Wait until there is a break in THEIR play and say “Ball Please”.
• If a pickleball rolls onto a tennis court and is a hazard, call "Ball On" to warn them.
• Never enter a court unless invited by a gesture, but if they are resting then you may enter the court.
• Give the tennis court wide berth—they don't like to be crowded.
• If a tennis ball rolls onto your pickleball court, promptly return it.
For Pickleball Courts —
• Do not enter the pickleball courts while people are actively playing. Wait outside the gate until the point is over, ask if you may cross and cross quickly.
• If the court you need to pass through has players who are warming up or dinking, go ahead and cross behind the court quickly.
• First and foremost, safety is the concern. We don't want our balls to run under their feet and we don't want their balls to run under ours. USE GOOD JUDGEMENT and DO NOT enter or interfere in their play to get your ball back. They will return it at a convenient time.
Thanks for your cooperation!