All you need to know about Flex Leagues is included below...

Registration Information:

League Offerings:

• This season will include a Men's Doubles league and a Women's Doubles league.

DUPR Score Reporting:

• All match results from this event will be submitted to DUPR.
• All player must have a DUPR account prior to registering for the event.

Getting Ready to Register?

• You are ready to move through this registration process if you already: 
  • Have a DUPR account.  Don't have a DUPR account?  Click HERE to sign up.
  • Have another member lined up to play with you that has a DUPR account 
  • Know what Skill Level/Age Group you intend to register for
• Only one member of the 2-person team needs to go through the registration process 
  • Both players will receive a confirmation notice after the registration process is completed.
• If you DO NOT have a defined partner and would like assistance finding a partner, please use the Find a Partner option within the registration process to let others know you are looking for a partner or to find a someone else who is also looking for a partner at your level.

Choosing a Skill Level:

• Players can register for the Skill Level that they feel is most appropriate for them
  • 2.5 - Beginnner
  • 3.0 - Intermediate
  • 3.5 - Intermediate Plus
  • 4.0 - Advanced
  • 4.5 - Advanced Plus
  • 5.0+ - Open
• All members with a DUPR or UTPR score of 5.0 or higher are required to play in the OPEN Division.
• Tournament Directors will review all team registrations and reserve the right to move teams up/down Skill Levels based on objective data (DUPR/UTRP/USAP ratings, prior external tournament experience, prior APC event experience) and their knowledge of individual player abilities to ensure fair and competitive play.  Teams that are adjusted will be notified during or immediately following the event registration period.
• Teams will play at the Skill Level of the highest skilled player on the team
  • For example, teams with a 3.5 player and a 3.0 player will be required to play at the 3.5 level.

Editing your Registration:

• You can edit your partner information, change your partner to a new person, edit your team's Skill Level/Age Group entry, and delete/withdraw your team from the league by accessing the "Registration" tab above and following the instructions there.

Waitlist Process

• If all of the available spots for your Skill Level/Age group have already been filled, you will have the option of placing your team on the Waitlist.  The Waitlist will be managed by the software and your team will be notified via email if/when your team is moved off the Waitlist based on cancellations/withdrawals.  Teams will be moved off the waitlist to confirmed status in chronological order based on each team's registration date/time.

Flex League Information:

What is a Flex League?

• Leagues that allow members to play pickleball matches on the dates/times that fit best within their personal schedule

What puts the “flex” in a Flex League?

• Opponents work together to determine when the most convenient date/time is to play the match.
• Flex Leagues are the opposite of Fixed Leagues, where league matches are played at a specific date/time each week (i.e., every Tuesday at 7pm)
• Flex leagues are great for members who want the “flexibility” to schedule their league play around their day-to-day schedule.
• Scheduled opponents are set for the season, and all match results are scored and tracked leading to a league playoff system and eventual league champion.

What is the Flex League Season Schedule?

• 6 weeks of regular season matches are scheduled for each team.
• Each regular season match has a defined two week timeframe to be completed.
• Matches can be scheduled and played early, but can't be played after the last date of the match timeframe.
• Default match times are set on Tuesday evenings at 7pm.  These are to be used if teams are unable to find a mutually agreeable time to play during the defined timeframe.
• Season Schedule:
  • 1st Match timeframe = Wednesday 2/25 – Tuesday 3/10 
  • 2nd Match timeframe = Wednesday 3/4 – Tuesday 3/17 (yes, there is a 1 week overlap among regular season match timeframes)
  • 3rd Match timeframe = Wednesday 3/11 – Tuesday 3/24
  • 4th Match timeframe = Wednesday 3/18 – Tuesday 3/31
  • 5th Match timeframe = Wednesday 3/25 – Tuesday 4/7
  • 6th Match timeframe = Wednesday 4/1 – Tuesday 4/14
  • Playoff Week #1 needs to take place between = Friday 4/17 – Tuesday 4/28 
  • Playoff Week #2 needs to take place between = Wednesday 4/29 – Tuesday 5/3

When/Where/How can the matches be played?

• Matches can be played any day/time.  
• Matches are expected to be played at APC but can also be played at any other agreed upon location.
• Teams can reserve a court at APC through the standard Reserved Court process and play their match on that reserved court
• Teams can play their matches on Open Play courts at any time while adhering to the Flex League Open Play rules (see below)

What is the match format for this flex league?

• All matches for this flex league will be best 2/3 games to 11, win by 2

How does a Flex League match get played within Open Play?

• Players meet at the club at the date/time they have scheduled among themselves and follow these steps to complete their match during Open Play:
  • Step 1: Players stack their 4 paddles on an Open Play court and wait their turn to play Game 1 of their match
  • Step 2: At the conclusion of a game, two scenarios can play out:
    • Scenario 1 – if no paddles are stacked at their current court, they can proceed to play the next game of their match on the same court
    • Scenario 2 – if paddles are stacked on their current court, the four players step off the court and allow the players with stacked paddles to take the court
      • Note – flex league players should let other players that are stacking their paddles know that all 4 of them are going to leave after this game so stacked players can recruit others to join them on that court for the next game.
  • Step 3: Players repeat Steps 1 and 2 until they have played all of the games needed to complete their match

How do players schedule their matches with opposing teams on their schedule?

• Players can use the online MatchFlex tool in the APC App to facilitate the scheduling of their match with their opponents
  • Players individually input their date/time availability into MatchFlex
  • All Player availability is consolidated within MatchFlex, and all players can see the overlapping good times to play the match
  • MatchFlex will send a proposed match time to all players based on all players overlapping availability
  • Players can agree/confirm/reschedule a match time using MatchFlex
• MatchFlex is not required, but can be very helpful. Opponents can also contact each other directly to schedule a match (email, phone numbers, etc. available to players)
• If both teams are unable to agree on a convenient time to play the match, then the Default day/time for the match to be played will be the last day of the 2-week match time period at 7pm.
• If one team is unable to play at the default match time or does not show up for the default match time, the other team wins the match by forfeit
• If both teams no-show for the default time, the match is considered a tie and neither team gets credit for a win

How will the scores from these matches be recorded?

• Teams will use MatchFlex to record/score their matches online.
• Each team will have to review/confirm the recorded score in MatchFlex before it is registered into the system and results are reflected on the Leaderboard.

Will match scores be reported to DUPR?

• Yes, all matches played within Flex Leagues will be reported to DUPR.

How many teams need to sign up for there to be a league at any single Skill/Age level?

• A minimum of 4 teams need to register for there to be a league at any single Skill/Age level

Can replacement players or substitute players be used in the flex league if a player can't make a match?

• No.  Replacement players are not permitted.  
  • If a player/team can't make a match during a given timeframe, they will forfeit the match to the opposing team.  
  • If a partner gets injured or leaves the club, that team will be withdrawn from the league.