RULES
GURU
We by BOB UNETICH
USA PICKLEBALL CERTIFIED REFEREE
’ d Like to Hear From You ! Send your questions to rules @ pickleballmagazine . com .
QQuestions About the 2024 Rules
Q . I read that under the new rules any player can ask for the head referee or tournament director if they think an opponent ’ s paddle may be illegal , but how would I ever determine that a paddle might be illegal ?
A Players don ’ t usually check the paddles of opponents before a match , although we could see that start to happen this year , so the only thing that might trigger you to question a paddle is its sound or appearance . Paddles can delaminate and that will usually result in the hit having an unusual sound . The usual sound might include a loud “ click ” when a ball is hit . You might also notice a paddle that has a highly reflective surface because a sticker or other material has been added to it , which is not permitted . If a paddle appears or sounds unusual , it is worth asking for a paddle check .
Q . Why did USA Pickleball designate a new type of paddle approval , which they term “ Quiet Category ,” since we can ’ t use those paddles in sanctioned tournaments ? Why not just let those paddles be deemed “ Not Approved ”?
A There are many ways to build a paddle , and some types of construction may significantly change the way a ball comes off the face of a paddle . As manufacturers seek methods of making some paddles quieter , there is a risk that this kind of performance change can happen .
Not only might that lead to major changes in spin , but it may also result in paddles that store more energy during contact — and that extra stored energy may be returned to the ball as an increase in speed . The technical term for this is “ coefficient of restitution ,” which is the ratio of the final velocity to the initial velocity between two objects after their collision . It uses the word restitution because it ’ s a measure of what the paddle gives back to the ball after it is struck .
While that may not seem very important , and it may even seem great if a paddle delivers more “ power ,” the problem is that the kinetic energy increases as the square of the velocity of the ball ( which can cause damage when it hits someone ). A 25 % increase in velocity over an ordinary pickleball hit , for instance , would mean 1.25 or 1.56 times as much energy ! USA Pickleball certainly does not want the sport to be less safe .
Also , the Quiet Category defines products that reduce the acoustic signature of the sport , whether it ’ s the equipment used by a player , or treatments such as architectural panels to reduce acoustics in facilities . Manufacturers are already working to deliver noise-reduced products that both meet the goals of the Quiet Category , but also meet USA Pickleball ’ s stringent certification standards for tournament play . •
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