LIST OF SUGGESTED PICKLEBALL RULE CHANGES FOR PREVIOUS YEARS

Rule Change Process

Displaying 1 - 25 of 150

 Rule Book Year Rule Change ID Rule Submission Title USAP Board Voting Status USAP Rules Committee Voting StatusLink to Single Entry
2023582Game Ball SelectionFailedFailed: Game ball selection is adequately covered in the referee handbook.View Details
2023581Questions About Service Sequence and Player PositionsPassedPartially approved. The 4.B.8 proposed wording is approved. The 4.B.9 proposed wording has failed. That proposed is unnecessarily wordy. There is not a perceived issue with dealling with these scenarios currently. Referees currently allow a stoppage of play when a player CORRECTLY identifies a player out of position or an incorrect server.View Details
2023580clarification of Player Line and FAult Call Responsibilities in non-officiated playPassedPassed. We agree that the last sentence of the proposed 13.D.1.d is not necessary and should not be included.View Details
2023572The GameFailedFailed. Not needed because the referee duties are clearly defined in 13.C.View Details
2023570Elimination of Shots around the net postFailedFailed. An ATP, along with the frequent defense of an ATP, are some of the most exciting shots in pickleball. The team who has to defend an ATP has often made strategic errors that set up the ATP for the opponent. Why should their opponent be restricted from making a great shot at that point?View Details
2023569Partner PositionsFailedFailed. This is not perceived to be a problem that needs a rule change to solve. Referees or players would not immediately call the score in this situation because the player is not seen to be ready.View Details
2023568All clothing colors are acceptableFailedFailed. See the approved suggestion 526.View Details
2023567Ambiguous wordingPassedPassed. Wording was modified by the rules committee.View Details
2023561Out balls-partner communicationFailedFailed. Reason same as 277.View Details
2023550Wrong Score CalledFailedFailed. See the approved changed under 544.View Details
2023545Carbon faced paddlesFailedFailed. The paddle testing standards are based on surface roughness, not on the paddle material. If the paddle meets the standards, it should be approved.View Details
2023544Wrong score calledPassedView Details
2023540Time-outs for apparel changesPassedPassedView Details
2023539Equipment Time-OutsPassedPassed.View Details
2023536Eliminating Out of Position Faults and Minimizing Incorrect Score Call OccurencesFailedFailed. Part 1) Change referee score calling process: Failed. Too cumbersome Part 2) Allow the referee to change player positions: Failed. This is part of the mental game. Players may ask questions to help them not fault. It would be referee coaching. Part 3) Allow a good faith rally to stand. Failed. This would allow an incorrectly formatted rally ( server/receiver) to stand. The error would be a fault if the referee caught it, but not if they didnt? Part 4) Non - officiated match score calling procedure. Failed. Reason: The server is supposed to wait until the receiver is ready. Receivers have clear not-ready signals to slow down quick servers, if they get caught by one. Receivers can claim non-readiness.View Details
2023527Round robin tie-breaking rule clarification.PassedPassedView Details
2023526Clothing as a distractionPassedPassed. This doesn't add any additional punative result. This just clarifies that the TD can choose to request apparel changes due to the clothing matching the ball color. It also suggests to players that they should not intentionally choose clothing that is the same color as the tournament ball.View Details
2023524Eliminating the spin servePassed"Passed. 1) Original purpose was to just use the serve to get a begin play 2) Most players cannot master a truly effective spin serve, or return a good spin serve 3) Effective spin serves require more court space to allow a receiver to react. 4) Only a limited number of players have mastered this, giving them an unfair advantage 5) It is particularly devastating for amateur players Edit: replace 'reserve' with 'replay'"View Details
2023521Guidance on clothing colorPassedPassed. This doesn't add any additional punative result. This just clarifies that the Tournament Director can choose to request apparel changes due to the clothing matching the ball color. It also suggests to players that they should not intentionally choose clothing that is the same color as the tournament ball.View Details
2023518Late forfeited team also forfeits their chance at the coin toss/fair method.FailedFailed. This adds an additional penatly to the team that has already lost the first game. That is not necessary.View Details
2023517Clean up wording of 4.B.6.B to properly differentiate among Starting Server and First Server and correct positionsFailedFailed. Although this may be marginally better wording, this is not a rule change. Most of the issues with people not understanding the rule result in having a discussion to help them understand the concept involved in the rule. The proposed change won't drastically reduce the potential confusion.View Details
2023514Placement for mini-singlesFailedFailed. The mini singles information is already presented on the USAP website. There are other aspects of MS that would also need to be codified in the rulebook. So, this rule suggestion, as written, is not complete. The intent to create a more complete rule change suggestion for the 2024 rulebook.View Details
2023513Rally scoring option for singles and doublesFailedFailed. USAP not ready to incorporate this as a rule. A task force will be formed in 2023 to investigate the details of how to implement this.View Details
2023502Single Toss ServeFailedFailed. We do not want to limit the number of serve attempts. Note that the spin serve will now be illegal.View Details
20235016.D.7. Players shall not call a ball "out" unless they can clearly see a space between the line and the ball as it hits the ground.FailedFailed. Same as rule suggestion 389View Details
 Rule Book Year Rule Change ID Rule Submission Title USAP Board Voting Status USAP Rules Committee Voting StatusLink to Single Entry