Running a Night with the Volunteer Link
A step-by-step guide for scoring a league or ladder night.
1 · Getting the link & what it is
The organizer turns on a durable share link from their League Home (or Ladder Home) page and sends it to you by text or email. You only get it once — it always points to this week's session, so you don't need a new link each week.
- League link looks like pickleleagues.pro/v/your-league/abc123…
- Ladder link looks like pickleleagues.pro/lv/your-ladder/abc123…
Open it on any phone, tablet, or laptop. The page is built for phones first — big buttons, no zooming.
2 · First-time sign-in
The very first time you open the link, you'll be asked to sign in — a one-time step so your entries are attributed to you.
- Enter your email + password (or use single sign-on if your group has it).
- No account yet? Tap Sign Up and create one — takes under a minute.
After you sign in, the browser remembers you on that device.
3 · The landing page — the 3 steps
Once signed in, the link drops you on the volunteer landing page for tonight's session. A header tells you which session you're on (e.g. "Session 4 — Jul 23"), and you'll see a numbered workflow:
- Check in players
- Generate games
- Enter scores
The buttons light up in order — just work top to bottom.
4 · Step 1 — check in players
Tap Check in players. You'll see everyone on the roster, each with a Present / Absent choice, and a live count at the top.
Substitutes / drop-ins
If someone shows up who isn't on the roster, tap Add Substitute at the bottom. Subs play normally, but their wins/losses don't count toward the season standings.
When you're done
Tap Save Check-In. You'll bounce back to the landing page, and Generate games is now active.
5 · Step 2 — generate games
Tap Generate games. The system creates all of tonight's matchups from the players you just checked in, using the event's settings. Nothing to configure — it takes a second or two. When it finishes, Enter scores becomes active.
6 · Step 3 — enter scores
Tap Enter scores. You'll see every game grouped by round (or by court, on a ladder), each on its own card with a score box for each side.
Scoring a game
- When a game finishes courtside, find its card.
- Type the first team's score (e.g. 11).
- Type the second team's score (e.g. 7).
- Tap Save (some devices auto-save once both boxes are filled).
The card flips to a Winner badge and standings update automatically.
Rules the system enforces
- No ties — a game like 11-11 is rejected.
- Minimum winning score is 11 (some events set higher — it'll tell you).
- One side must win by the event's margin (usually win-by-1 or win-by-2).
Fixing a wrong score
Typo? Tap the pencil / edit icon on the game card, change the numbers, and save again.
Handling a forfeit
If someone no-shows mid-night, tap the game card and choose Forfeit, then pick the winning side. The system records a default 11-0 and tags it as a forfeit.
7 · Finishing the night
When every game card has a score, scroll to the bottom of the scoring page:
- League: tap Finish session.
- Ladder: tap Complete Session & Update Rankings.
The system confirms every game is scored, marks the session complete, sends the recap email (if enabled), and rolls your link forward to next week. On a ladder it also moves everyone up or down the rankings.
8 · Ladder differences
- Courts by rank. From Week 2 on, players are placed on courts by their current rank — Court 1 has the top players. "Generate games" does this for you.
- Week 1 "scramble." If scramble seeding is on, Week 1 is a mixer that sets the starting ranks but doesn't move anyone — that's normal, movement starts Week 2.
- Rank movement on Complete. Completing a session promotes the top of each court and relegates the bottom.
- "Provisional" players haven't met the minimum number of nights to count in the official standings yet — nothing for you to do.
9 · Two kinds of link
| Link | Who gets it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Volunteer setup link | One trusted helper (you) | Full control of the night — check in players, generate games, and enter scores. This guide is about this link. |
| Player score link | Safe to share with all players | Players enter their own game's score; the opponent confirms it. Can't check people in or generate games. |
10 · Common questions
The link won't open / says "Not Found."
The organizer hasn't enabled it yet or has turned it off. Text them — it's one button on their side.
Can two of us score at once?
Yes. Each save commits immediately; if you both touch the same game, the last save wins. Agree up front: "You take Courts 1–2, I'll take 3–4."
A player disputes a score I entered.
If it's a typo, edit it (Section 6). If it's a bigger disagreement, leave it and tell the organizer — they can override anything.
I tapped Finish / Complete too early.
The organizer can re-open the session. On a ladder that also undoes the rank movement. Text them.
Am I supposed to see the standings?
No — volunteers only see the scoring screens. Standings live on the public event page.
11 · Quick reference
| You want to… | Where |
|---|---|
| Open tonight's session | The share link — same every week |
| Mark who's here | Landing → Check in players → Save Check-In |
| Create the matchups | Landing → Generate games |
| Enter a score | Enter scores → game card → type both scores → Save |
| Fix a score | Game card → pencil icon → edit → Save |
| Forfeit a game | Game card → Forfeit → pick winner |
| End a league night | Scoring page → Finish session |
| End a ladder night | Scoring page → Complete Session & Update Rankings |
