scene on the court
Spotlight on Sportsmanship
By Craig Laughlin
A . K . A . “ THE PICKLEBALL CURMUDGEON ”
‘ Yeah , but it ’ s not illegal , is it ?’
The Oxford English Dictionary defines sportsmanship as “ fair and generous behavior or treatment of others , especially in a sports contest .” In its Sportsmanship Guide , USA Pickleball identifies respect , fair play , and graciousness as foundational values of our sport . Players who exhibit a commitment to fair play , ethical behavior , and integrity are the ones who promote goodwill on the pickleball court and make the game fun for everyone . Players who seek an advantage that has nothing to do with their playing ability accomplish exactly the opposite .
For example , I occasionally hear complaints about players who wear clothing that matches the color of the ball , which can delay their opponents ’ ability to see the ball as it approaches . In sanctioned tournaments , tournament directors are required to let participants know when they register which ball will be used , specifically so players can avoid wearing clothing that matches the color of the tournament ball . Unfortunately , as Mark Peifer , USA Pickleball director of officiating and chairman of the USAP Rules Committee , explains , “ the reality is that some player will always try to be ‘ that guy ’ or ‘ that gal ’ who purposely wears the same color to try to camouflage the ball .”
Because there is no rule prohibiting samecolor clothing , I ’ ve heard the justification , “ Yeah , but it ’ s not illegal , is it ?”
Mark responds , “ While not specifically stated ( as trying to ban specific colors was a rabbit hole we didn ’ t want to go down ), the most obvious potential for distracting apparel is colored garments that closely match the color of a tournament ball .” A tournament director ’ s authority to deal with this situation is granted by two rules : 2 . G . 1 : Safety and Distraction . A player may be required to change garments that are inappropriate .
2 . G . 4 : Violation . The Tournament Director has the authority to enforce apparel changes . If the player refuses to comply with the apparel rules , the Tournament Director may declare a forfeit of the match .
So , if you ’ re that player who intentionally wears apparel to “ hide ” the ball , you ’ re right : we don ’ t currently have a same-color clothing rule . However , realize that such behavior violates our sport ’ s foundational values and can be forbidden by tournament directors . Rather than spending time plotting your wardrobe strategy , maybe you should just practice a little more .
Here ’ s another example from a recent Pickleball Forum post : “ I have someone harassing me every time I play against him during social play because of my serve . He says my serve is illegal because I say the score during my service motion , but the complete score is said prior to my hitting the ball . My husband looked it up in the 2022 Rulebook and found a rule , 4 . M . 11 under Service Faults , that states : ‘ A fault occurs when the server hits the ball to make the serve while the score is being called .’ Since I am bouncing the ball and say the score into my swing , but before I hit the ball , I don ’ t believe I ’ m breaking any rules . Any thoughts ?” I can think of only two reasons for trying to justify this behavior : 1 ) The server thinks she is gaining some kind of advantage with her serving routine , or 2 ) The server enjoys confrontation . I ’ m inclined to think it ’ s # 1 , but if it ’ s neither , why wouldn ’ t the server simply say the score and then start the service routine ? Of course it takes two to tango , but why not be the bigger person , and avoid the heartburn and hard feelings altogether ? Plus , giving opponents time to disagree with the score before the serve would be the gracious approach . As I ’ ve said before , good sportsmanship starts in your court . •