| Rule Submission Title | Clarify role of vertical net support posts |
|---|---|
| USAP Board Vote | Disapproved |
| USAP Board Vote Reason | It is not a necessary clarification. It is already well understood that this issue is currently treated as a net malfunction. Note that this is not documented in the casebook. |
| Existing Rule # | N/A |
| Proposed Rule Change | 11L5 (new rule at the end): If a a net has one or more internal, vertical poles (other than the net posts) to hold the net at the required height, those poles are considered part of the net and if a ball hits one of the poles it remains in play. Exception: if the top of a vertical pole protrudes through the top of the net, and a live ball strikes that protrusion, this is considered a net malfunction per 11L5d |
| Original Rule Text | None (new rule) |
| Reasoning Behind Suggested Change | Currently these vertical posts are just considered part of the net, which leads many players to ask about this on online rule forums, as there is no reference to these posts in the current rulebook. Additionally the net malfunction for a pole sticking through the net is in the casebook, which is not available to players outside of the referee program. |
| Scenarios In Which the Rules Applies | Any time a net is used with internal, vertical posts to keep the height at the correct level. |
| Rule Book Year | 2026 |
| Rule Change ID | 2104 |
| Date Created | April 13, 2025 |
| View Comments | View Comments |
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