LIST OF SUGGESTED PICKLEBALL RULE CHANGES FOR PREVIOUS YEARS
| Rule Submission Title | Paddle Use/Carry |
|---|---|
| USAP Board Voting Status | Failed |
| USAP Rules Committee Voting Status | Failed. Proposal will be addressed in the casebook. |
| Existing Rule # | 11.N |
| Proposed Rule Change | Paddle. A player shall not carry more than one paddle during a rally. A violation of this rule is a fault. Or keep it the way it is, and re-interpret the rule (my suggestion). |
| Original Rule Text | 11.n. Paddle . A player shall not use or carry more than one paddle during a rally. A violation of this rule is a fault. |
| Reasoning Behind Suggested Change | According to Mark Peifer, it is legal to use more than one paddle during a rally, just not at the same time. So you can use more than one paddle during a rally, you just can't carry more than 1 paddle during a rally. I'd prefer that the original rule stay in place, and be interpreted that you can't use or carry more than one paddle during a rally. |
| Scenarios In Which the Rules Applies | According to Mark, a player is allowed to start a rally with one paddle and switch to a different paddle during the rally. So if a player broke his paddle during a rally, he would be free to grab another paddle and finish the rally. I'd rather the players finish the rally with whatever paddle they started with, and if it breaks or becomes unplayable, so be it. It will be entertaining to watch. |
| Rule Book Year | 2023 |
| Rule Change ID | 495 |
| Date Created | June 15, 2022 |
| View Comments | View Comments |