How do flex leagues work?
Pickleball Flex Leagues run for a five-week period and start every six weeks. During the flex league, you will be paired with four opponents with whom you are responsible for scheduling and completing four matches over the five-week period. Matches completed within the league timeframes will count toward your Verified UTRP rating, League Standings, and possible season playoff qualification.
Once your league date has arrived, you will receive a message from your Flex League Manager with details on your opponents and specific league information. At that point, you can reach out to your opponents to schedule matches and start competing!
How do I search for Pickleball Flex League events?
You'll first need to sign onto UTRSports.net (If you don't already have an account, you'll need to create one and activate your profile.)
Pro Tip: Make sure you sign in using the account of the player you wish to register! For example, parents or guardians should make sure they're signed in with their child's account, rather than their own. (For more info, check out I'm Trying to Register My Child.)
Once you're signed in, you can search for events by clicking in the Search Bar found in the center of the homepage and choosing the black Flex Leagues button. You can narrow down your search by looking for Upcoming, Past, or Custom Dates for leagues.
How do I register for Pickleball Flex Leagues?
When you find a league you'd like to play in, click Register on the event page. Then, select the division or divisions that you would like to register for and continue to payment.
Pro Tip: If you are registering for the Doubles division you will need to register as a Team. In this case, one of the partners will register both team members and pay the total entry fee. Depending on whether your partner already has a UTRSports.net profile, you'll either find your partner or invite your partner if he or she is new to UTR Sports.
I can no longer play in the Flex League; how do I withdraw and get a refund?
If you are unable to complete your league matches and need to withdraw from a league, we ask that you reach out to your Flex League Manager at the email provided on the league session event page right away so they can find substitute matches for your scheduled opponents. Please note, no refund will be given once the league session has started and matchups have been sent out to players.
How do I contact my opponents?
Your opponent's preferred phone/email contact details are available on the match cards directly on the home page of UTRSports.net. You can also find it by going to the event page, Matchups tab while logged into your UTR Sports account, you will see a phone icon next to your opponent's names. If you click on that, you'll see their preferred phone/email contact for reaching out to.
Pro Tip: Be sure that you are logged into the UTR Sports account linked to your league registration - if you are viewing through any other account the phone icons will not be visible, as they are only available to the players in each event draw.
How do I post my Flex League scores?
You can post your Flex League scores directly from your Dashboard while logged into your UTR Sports profile! You can also post your scores on the home page of UTRSports.net. A third option for posting scores is to click on the '+' button near the top-right corner of the webpage. Choose the correct matchup or Flex League event. Enter the scores from your match, and click 'Post Score'. Once the score is posted, the opposing player has up to 7 days to confirm or deny the match score. If no action is taken, the match will be automatically confirmed at the end of 7 days. If a match is denied, an email to your Flex League Manager will be needed to explain why you denied the match. If the score is inaccurate, please reach out to your opponent. If you can't agree on the score please fill out our Match Protest Form.
Pro Tip: Scores should be posted by the winning player and we recommend having your opponent confirm the score on the UTR Sports site while still at the court together.
Can I ask for extra matches?
Yes! Challenge matches can be used to play more than the four guaranteed league matches, or in place of an unresponsive opponent after you have exhausted all methods of contact to set up a match. Keep in mind that, for a match to be considered competitive and count toward your Verified UTR, you must be within a 2.00 rating range of your opponent (in either direction).
To challenge another player to an extra match, reach out to them via the UTR Sports Message system or their preferred contacts listed on the league grouping. Once they have accepted, send an email to flex@universaltennis.com and our team will add the matchup to the 'Challenge Match' grouping for you to post the results once completed.
Challenge Match Rules:
- You may only challenge once you have completed all four matches or have exhausted all outlets to get in touch with your four original opponents.
- Challenge matches must be submitted to flex@universaltennis.com.
- Your Flex League Manager has the right to deny a challenge match if you have not completed at least two of your regularly scheduled matches or do not have proof of unresponsive opponents.
- Challenge matches do not count toward your division Standings or season playoff eligibility.
- Challenge matches must be played during the league dates listed on the event title.
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