WHAT DOES ‘ USA PICKLEBALL CERTIFIED ’ ACTUALLY MEAN ?
The mechanics of the process are driven by USA Pickleball ’ s Equipment Evaluation Committee — which was formed in 2016 — with the support of National Testing Systems , USA Pickleball ’ s independent third-party lab and testing facility in Baltimore , Maryland .
By Carl Schmits
USA PICKLEBALL MANAGING DIRECTOR ; EQUIPMENT STANDARDS & FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT
Although just 18 months have passed since we published the first edition of this article , the sport has both grown AND evolved at an extraordinary pace . The professional tier of pickleball continues to grow in events , participants , and prize pools . Recreational participation has skyrocketed , with the number of new facilities increasing weekly , working to meet this demand . The equipment side is seeing corresponding growth : USA Pickleball estimates that more than 600 new paddle models will be introduced this year , bringing the three-year total to more than 1,500 new products , with a total of 650 new brands / manufacturers entering the market in that period .
A question often heard is , “ What does it mean to be USA Pickleball Certified ?” In a nutshell , the certification process ensures that paddles and balls are manufactured to specifications that support one
of the USA Pickleball Board of Directors ’ objectives of maintaining the integrity and nature of the sport . The mechanics of this process are driven by USA Pickleball ’ s Equipment Evaluation Committee ( EEC )— formed in 2016 — with the support of National Testing Systems ( NTS ), USA Pickleball ’ s independent third-party lab and testing facility in Baltimore , Maryland .
The non-contact optical scan uses white light interferometry to collect thousands of data points in seconds , giving a detailed , extremely accurate view of a paddle ’ s surface texture .