Here’s your quick guide to Rule E (Doubles Partners) and Rule F (Teams), the two areas competitors ask about most. Clear rules keep events running smoothly for our 12,000+ athletes. Rules aside, remember what the Games are really about: health, community and proving you're never too old to set a new goal.
For all the details, check the full National Senior Games Rulebook.
Doubles partners who qualify together are not required to play together at the 2027 National Senior Games. All participants must have qualified for the SPORT (ex: Pickleball) in which they intend to participate, with one partner having qualified in the EVENT (ex: Pickleball mixed doubles) in which they intend to participate.
The NSGA WILL NOT assign partners at The Games. Badminton, Bowling, Pickleball, Table Tennis and Tennis doubles partners must be of the same gender. Note: Badminton, Bowling, Pickleball, Table Tennis and Tennis also have a separate mixed doubles event. Shuffleboard, Bocce and Billiards open doubles may be of mixed gender. All doubles and mixed doubles pairs will compete in the age division of the younger partner as of December 31, 2027. You cannot compete in an age division younger than the youngest partner.
Athletes may compete with only one partner per event. At a NSGA Qualifier, you may partner with someone who has already qualified at another NSGA Qualifier.
All Doubles teams made up of one in-state and one out-of-state athlete will be designated as an out-of-state team.
Athletes whose doubles partners are unable to compete may be replaced after the official registration deadline for valid medical reasons only. Determining valid change requests are at the discretion of the NSGA and may be made after the advertised registration deadline. The new partner must have qualified in the sport they wish to enter, at a qualifying state games.
A maximum number of players may be added to team rosters following qualification in accordance with the chart below:
Basketball: 3 ---- Volleyball: 4 ---- Softball: 5
Any player or any player/coach must have been listed on the roster of a team as a player that participated in a NSGA qualifying games in that sport to be eligible for addition to a roster (excluding Open Sports). Documentation of player registration must be provided by the State Coordinator to the NSGA. All other team and qualifying rules apply. Non-player(s) added to a roster are not subject to player addition limits, but the total number of team members may not exceed the roster limit for the sport.
The captain will declare the state represented for teams with players from multiple states. If the captain does not declare, the captain’s state of residence will be used as the represented state.
Team roster participants who are unable to compete may be replaced after the official registration deadline for valid medical reasons only. Determining valid change requests are at the discretion of the NSGA and may be made after the advertised registration deadline. The new team member or partner must have participated in the sport they wish to enter at a qualifying state game.
All registration and team rules apply to non-playing coaches, non-playing captains and non-playing bench personnel with the following exceptions:
- Non-playing coaches, non-playing captains or non-playing bench personnel may represent more than one team in the same sport, each of which must be in different age divisions.
- Non-playing coaches, non-playing captains or non-playing bench personnel are not subject to age and gender requirements.
- At the National Senior Games, athletes may compete on up to two teams per sport providing that the teams are in different age divisions that are scheduled to play in completely separate sessions. This rule applies only for basketball, softball and volleyball. Athletes who compete in a team sport may serve as a non-playing coach, non-playing captain or non-playing bench representative for additional teams in the same sport, provided the teams are in different age divisions. The athlete may not serve as a non-playing coach, non-playing captain or non-playing bench representative for a team in the same age division.
- Non-playing coaches, non-playing captains or non-playing bench personnel are not required to meet qualifying standards for their sport. However, they must be listed on a team roster at the state level.
Age divisions for all team competition will be determined by the age of the youngest team player as of December 31, 2027.