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RULES GURU
By Christine Barksdale USAPA Managing Director of Athletic Competition
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Submit your questions to editors @ thepickleballmag. com.
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Q: Dear Guru, |
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Q: Dear Guru,
I hope this is a rare occasion and does not really need to be addressed. During a recent singles match, I attempted to hit the ball during my serve but completely missed. How embarrassing! Is that considered a side out or do I get another chance? In golf, if your intention was to hit the ball and you missed it, it is considered a stroke.
A: While it may seem rare to completely miss the ball during the service motion, it does happen! It occurs so often that 4. M. 3 specifically addresses this situation. Much like golf’ s rule, if the server misses the ball when trying to hit it, it is a fault. In your singles example, it would also be a side out. advice coaching?
“ go team”
“ use your lob”
“ nice shot”
I was playing in a match without referees. My opponent called the score“ 5-7” when they were really up 7-5. I raised my paddle to stop the point. My opponent did not notice and served the ball. I caught it, telling him that the score called was incorrect. He proceeded to tell me that he called“ 7-5” and that they were taking this point since I caught the ball. They said a returner cannot become“ unready.” Is this true?
A: While it is true that a player cannot become unready( Rule 4. C. 2.), the player was not committing a fault by catching the ball before returning it to correct the score IF the score was called incorrectly( Rule 4. K. 1.). However, in a match without a referee it is the server’ s word against the receiver’ s word. Without a referee present or other valid way to prove how the score was called, refer to Rule 4. E. 3.,“ A receiver who attempts to return a serve shall be considered to have been ready, whether or not contact with the ball was made.” Since no effort was made, and as a show of good sportsmanship, replaying the point is an appropriate solution. If, however, the receiver had returned the ball then decided to stop play, that would be a fault and a point issued to the server( Rule 4. K. 3.).
Q: Dear Guru,
I was at a tournament cheering on a friend. At one point, I yelled to her,“ Feet, feet, move your feet,” to encourage her, as she was very fatigued. The opposing team said,“ That’ s coaching.” When does encouragement become coaching? Would my comment be considered coaching?
A: Great question and, yes, sometimes it can be tricky to know what would constitute coaching. Giving advice, like“ Move your feet,”“ Use your lob,”“ Call a time-out,” would be considered coaching. Encouragement is more like cheering, e. g.,“ Nice shot,”“ Way to go,”“ Go team,” etc. See Rule 11. N. for details. •
JULY / AUGUST 2018 | MAGAZINE 23