FROM THE USAPA
That’s the Way the Ball Bounces
SUBMITTED BY CHRISTINE BARKSDALE
M
any people see there are four seasons marking the
passing of a year: winter, spring, summer, and fall. While
yes, that is true, if you ask me how many seasons there are, I
often reply with “wet or dry” since my residence is in the Pacific
Northwest, commonly known for its rainy climate. If, however,
I am thinking about pickleball, my reply would be “indoor and
outdoor.” And with “indoor season” fast approaching in many
sections of the United States, I thought now would be a great
time to provide an update on the October 1, 2016, deadline for
the new ball specifications to go into effect.
If you are wondering why this change is needed, one of
the many objectives of the USAPA is to interpret the rules
in a manner that will preserve the tradition al nature and
character of the sport including the skills traditionally
required to play the sport as it was originally laid out by the
founders. This objective is constantly challenged by everchanging manufacturing technologies and highly motivated
manufacturers to find a competitive edge.
In order for the USAPA/IFP to maintain the traditional
nature of the sport, it has modified the rules and specifications
for paddles and balls over time. In this case, forgive me for
being technical, we are discussing rule 2.D.4 which states “The
ball shall have a bounce of 30”- 34” when dropped from a height
of 78” to the top of the ball onto a granite surface plate.” After
reading that, your eyes may have glazed over or you have asked
yourself, “Where did 30-34 come from?” or “What is significant
about 78?” or even “Why a granite surface plate?” While these
testing environments may seem a bit strange, I am here to help
you better understand.
It was determined that the ball should not bounce higher
than the net for the average pickleball shot, which means it
could not go over 34 inches. We all know that how the ball is
struck can impact how high it bounces, so a range was identified
that would take into account an average variety of shots. That
10
is where 30-34 inches
came from. It is the best
option for providing
consistent playability
and for giving
the manufacturer
something they can
re-create.
Making sense so
far? I thought so too
until I read “granite surface plate.” Why wouldn’t you drop it on
the surface that we actually play on? That was a head scratcher
for me until someone answered with, “Have you stopped to
consider all the variations in playing surfaces?” Concrete,
asphalt, hardwood floors, hardwood over concrete, hardwood
with cushioning... and the list goes on, with variations even in
how the floor is installed and what is used to coat it.
Between you and I, I don’t know the answer to how each
surface impacts the bounce of the ball. I would need to do some
testing on every surface. Regardless of those results, I realized
it would be impossible to test every ball on every surface and
come up with anything that would be consistent for both
players and manufacturers. Hence the granite surface plate
that provides a consistent bounce pattern, and thus became the
surface for testing.
Have we perfected the rule? Likely not. There are many
factors involved, but we are committed to working with players
and manufacturers to identify improvements and changes to
the rule so that we can keep pickleball as the fastest growing
sport in America.
For information on balls that will be approved after
October 1, please visit the USAPA website – Rules and Ball
Specifications. •
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