Give ‘N Take is a fluid competitive system with no requirements on how often you are required to play.  Try it, your points will be tracked from your first Give ‘N Take match, and those points will affect who you play against if you choose to continue to compete.

For most Club organized events, yes.  But, you do not need to stick with your doubles partner for each event. Each player’s balance is calculated on an individual basis.  We do plan to add events in the future that allow players to register without a partner.

Sign up for a Give ‘N Take event on our CourtReserve calendar OR setup a private match and submit your scores through the Give ‘N Take app.

No! While many of our events do fill up quickly, our flex-league format ensures that you can still be part of the league even if you can’t make every event. We’re constantly refining our league schedule to accommodate players who haven’t had the chance to participate in previous events. Additionally, our web-app allows you to set up your own matches and report scores independently.

Our league is very popular, and we’re committed to enhancing the experience for all players. As we continue to grow and adapt, we strive to make it easier for more participants to enjoy and get the most out of the league.

1. Figure out your foursome (or, you can organize multiple courts).
2. Make a private court reservation through CourtReserve.
3. Make sure each player has a Give ‘N Take account in the web-app.
4. See this video for how to post the score of each game in the app.

Give ‘N Take is a web-app, accessible via app.nepclub.com.  It isn’t on the Apple or Android mobile app store.  You can get the icon onto your phone’s homescreen by following this tutorial.

Yes, you can setup a private Give ‘N Take match any way you want: mixed team vs mixed team, 3 women and 1 man foursome.  All Give ‘N Take matches are kept track under the same +/- system.

Give ‘N Take is a separate account from CourtReserve.  If you are participating in your first Give ‘N Take event, the club will create an account for you (if you haven’t already created one).  The Give ‘N Take account must be under the same email as your CourtReserve account.  If you are setting up a private match to report scores on your own, you will need to create your own Give ‘N Take account.

Nonmembers can compete in Give ‘N Take, yes!

Give ‘N Take has some pro level players competing in the league: yes, pros can compete!  If you’re interested in watching many of the top pros in New England compete against each other, add your email to the Give ‘N Take newsletter below.  The Give ‘N Take guarantee may not apply to national pro level players competing in the league (depending on their level relative to the other pros competing in the league).

Right now, Give ‘N Take doesn’t cost anything additional beyond NEPC’s normal court fees, so get out there and try it!

Your +/- Balance never resets: Give ‘N Take is a never-ending league: the type of events and matchmaking available will evolve over time, but the core of the system, each player’s +/- Balance gravitating toward zero, will never change.

No. All Give ‘N Take matches must take place at New England Pickleball Club.

Specific rules and procedures will be put into place over time, and NEPC staff will “assist” players whose balance strays too far from zero.  For example, if the club sets up a match with you and your doubles partner with the intention of bringing your Give ‘N Take balance back towards, zero, you are required to accept that challenge as your schedule allows (similar to how a traditional ladder-league works where teams are required to accept pre-qualified challenges).  If the club sees a team that is dominating and accruing a large positive balance, the club will match that team against strong teams to bring their balance back down towards zero, per our Give ‘N Take guarantee!  All players agree to participate in the league with the etiquette of not letting their Give ‘N Take balance stray too far from zero so that the system is fair for all players: this will be achieved by both the players and the club being proactive in setting up matches that are competitive and maintain a fair balance for all players.

NEPC considers ALL information to make the most accurate and fair skill level decision possible.  This includes outside tournaments and other outside competitive play (which the staff regularly reviews), and all events at NEPC: blue square, academy, and Give ‘N Take.

If you’re participating in a Give ‘N Take event, all games (and all points won) will count towards your Give ‘N Take balance.  If you’ve setup a private Give ‘N Take foursome to report your own scores, all players in your foursome must be clear before each game starts whether or not it will count towards Give ‘N Take.

If you run out of time, submit the final score, regardless of what the final score is. For example, you can submit a score of 8-8 or 5-2.

Yes!  Anyone you choose can be your partner, and you can setup a private Give ‘N Take match with any players: all must create accounts via the web-app so that all four players’ scores are tracked.

No, Give ‘N Take is intentionally not a rating system. It’s engineered to guarantee precise fairness in the level of play you get, based on your +/- point differential balance. The entire league is being optimized with this focus in mind, because this is what players care about most.

Absolutely.  NEPC believes to get the most out of the sport entails players devoting some of their time to A) recreational play where scores aren’t tracked, allowing for a fun and social experience while affording an opportunity to practice new, unfamiliar shots in preparation for B) competitive league or tournament play, where players can assess their competitive abilities, determine their position on the ladder relative to other players, identify and target areas of weakness, and get their competitive juices flowing! 

No.  For example, a 3.5 player can signup for a 3.5-4.0 Give ‘N Take event and invite a 3.0 to be his/her partner.

All games are governed by the USAPA rulebook.

No.  Paddle delamination is a situation where the material layers of a paddle separate due to wear or manufacturing defects.

A delaminated paddle, having diverged from its original specifications, can substantially exceed USAPA power limits. Hence, any player found using a delaminated paddle during competition will be asked to switch it out, in line with current USAPA sanctioned event procedure.  This will be enforced both to maintain a fair competitive environment with all paddles abiding by USAPA requirements, and, for safety reasons as the extreme power of delaminated paddles creates a safety issue, for example with volleys from the kitchen line.

Thank you for your understanding and compliance.

Timeouts are not allowed during Give ‘N Take matches, with the only exception being in private matches if both teams agree.