Elmwood Pickleball League Interest

Please Share Your Thoughts on the Elmwood Pickleball League

Let’s face it: we’ve all experienced the frustration of waiting to play at Mike Miley Pickleball on Wednesday and Thursday nights. But what if we could change that? I’m proposing a new Elmwood Pickleball League, a competitive and structured alternative that will not only give us more court time but also help thin out the crowds at our busiest local facility. This is our chance to build something great for the community, but it starts with you. Your feedback is what will bring this league to life.

To help with this, I’m proposing a competitive, paid league at Elmwood Pickleball (Adventure Quest) to offer a great alternative on one of those nights. This would not only provide a fun, well-structured environment but also help thin out the crowds at Mike Miley so more people can get on the court there.

League Details

Duration: 8 weeks (6 weeks regular play + 2 weeks playoffs)
Location: Elmwood Pickleball – 2 uncovered outdoor courts
Entry Fee: $100 per participant
Format: MLP-style (Major League Pickleball) with mixed-gender teams (2 males, 2 females). The league will use rally scoring, where a point can be won by either team, regardless of who served. Each session features four games: two gender doubles and two mixed doubles played to 15 points (Freeze at 14, win by 2).
Tiebreaker: A DreamBreaker decides the match if the games are tied 2-2. This is a special singles format where players from each team alternate after 4 points, playing for a cumulative score until one team reaches 21 points and wins by two.
Schedule: Each league night will feature four teams, with two teams playing at 6 PM and the other two teams playing at 8 PM.

Team Formation Options

I’m exploring two different ways to form the teams and would love your feedback on which you prefer.

Option A: Blind Draft – The top four DUPR-rated players who sign up would serve as captains. They will be provided with a list of all participants, including their DUPR rating and DUPR reliability rating, to help them make informed selections. Captains would then draft teams with two males and two females each. This ensures balanced teams.
Option B: DUPR 14 Team Cap – Teams are pre-formed and sign up together. The collective DUPR rating of all four players on a team cannot exceed 14 (an average of 3.5 per player). This allows you to play with people you already know while still maintaining competitive balance.

I’m also working with a few brands to potentially sponsor the league. Which could allow us to provide prizes for the winning teams. While this is still in the negotiation phase, I’m confident we can make it happen with enough interest.

Please let me know your thoughts in the comments and poll below!

Are you interested in joining a league like this?
Do you prefer Wednesdays or Thursdays?
Which team formation method do you prefer: Option A (Draft) or Option B (Choose your own team)?