Game-Based Drills

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Where Should I Hit the Ball?

RULES GURU

By Bob Unetich 

USAPA-CERTIFIED REFEREE 

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Q & A 

Q: Receiver Not Ready

 

Dear Guru, In a recent tournament match, the referee called the score once I was ready to serve. I served the ball, and my opponent claimed he was holding up his paddle indicating he was not ready. The referee warned me about serving before checking to see if he was ready. Was it correct for him to give me a warning?

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The rules for player readiness changed in early 2019 and again in 2020. The USAPA-IFP Rule 4.C. now states that “Any Player may indicate ‘not ready’ prior to the score being called.” In sub-paragraph 4.C.2., the Rule Book goes on to state that “After the start of the score being called, ‘not ready’ signals will be ignored, unless there is a hinder.” ​ In your scenario, a receiver becoming “not ready” was a fault last year, but in 2020, it can be ignored by a referee and a server, although the server does still have 10 seconds to actually serve the ball. Should, as you asked, the referee have given you a warning? Not in 2019 or in 2020. Last year, the referee could assign a fault to the receiving team and in 2020, the referee would simply ignore the receiver’s not ready signal.

ANSWER​

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More Questions 

Partners Delaying The Serve

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How To Change The Rule

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Hey Guru, Who writes the rules for pickleball and how do they get changed? 

Hey Guru, Can the partner of the receiver or the partner of the server delay the referee from calling the score? 

Touching The Net Post

Get Answer 

Hey Guru, At a recent non-officiated tournament, my opponent dinked a ball that bounced in the NVZ on my side of the net. After the ball bounced, I hit it hard enough that my opponent across the net could not get out of the way quick enough and the ball hit his arm. After the ball hit him, my momentum caused me to lose my balance. I was eventually able to steady myself by grabbing the net post. My opponent argued that I committed a fault because I touched the “net system.” Was my opponent correct? 

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