RULES
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Q . I recently watched a rally scoring singles match that was being streamed and I heard the referee tell a player his score was frozen at 20 . What is a frozen score ?
A In rally scoring , a point is awarded to the team that won the last rally , regardless of which team was serving . Rally scoring is used in several sports , usually to shorten the time required for a game or a match . This format is used in some pickleball tournaments in “ qualifier ” rounds when many players have registered for a standard bracket .
Although it is not currently “ sanctioned ,” the USA Pickleball Board is currently studying rally scoring and will decide whether to adopt a rally scoring system , and if so , what the details of the system will include . It is a good option for shortening the time needed for recreational play games , when too few courts are available for the number of players present . In rec play , it can be used now .
A team ’ s score is “ frozen ” when it reaches a predetermined point , such as game point or match point , at which time that team can only score when serving . It may happen that the two teams might then end up with a tie score , in which case both teams can only score when serving .
In the match you watched , the format was probably single games to 21 , win by two . Rally scoring games can end quickly , so some tournament directors adopt games to 15 or 21 instead of 11 — and sometimes in two-out-ofthree formats — to provide players with more play per game . by BOB UNETICH
USA PICKLEBALL CERTIFIED REFEREE
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Q . I ’ d like to see the rule about the pickleball serve revised to slow up the speed of serves by requiring both feet of the server to contact the ground when the ball is hit . How would I arrange to have USA Pickleball consider my suggestion ?
A A new rule change process is well underway for the 2025 Rule Book , and in fact there are already about 65 rule change recommendations that have been submitted — including six regarding the serve ! The new procedure is intended to make the entire process even more transparent , and to enable members like you to submit proposed changes and comment on proposed changes by others . You can find the entire set of proposed changes by navigating from the usapickleball . org home page to the Pickleball Rulebook tab and then select View Rulebook Revision Process .
I suggest reading all of the submitted change requests before submitting your own . The deadline for submissions is May 15 , however , so you might need to wait another year if your idea was not already included . The outcome of the rules committee ’ s efforts will be sent to the USA Pickleball Board of Directors for final action by August 15 and an effective date for the revised rules will be January 1 , 2025 .
You will be able to follow the process , since their work is publicly available on the related web pages . I encourage you , and all our readers , to consider the proposed rule changes and to comment on them , since this has major impact on the sport of pickleball worldwide . •
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