Eliminate "Back-Stab" serving. (Serving when a player is not ready)

4.D. Calling the Score. The score shall be called after the server and receiver are (or should be) in position and all players are (or should be) ready to play.

10.A.5. The referee will announce when there are 15 seconds remaining. At the end of the time-out period, the referee shall call “time in” and then call the score when all players are (or should be) ready to play.

10.C. Continuous Play. Play should be continuous, although players are permitted to quickly take a drink or towel off in between rallies as long as, in the judgment of the referee, the flow of the game is not adversely impacted. The referee shall call the score when play should be resumed.when players are ready. If the flow of the game is adversely impacted, the referee may issue a delay of game VW or TW.

4.D. Calling the Score. The score shall be called after the server and receiver are (or should be) in position and all players are (or should be) ready to play.

10.A.5. The referee will announce when there are 15 seconds remaining. At the end of the time-out period, the referee shall call “time in” and then call the score when all players are (or should be) ready to play10.C. Continuous Play. Play should be continuous, although players are permitted to quickly take a drink or towel off in between rallies as long as, in the judgment of the referee, the flow of the game is not adversely impacted. The referee shall call the score when play should be resumed.

The rules allowing the calling of the score when either the server or a referee determines that players “SHOULD BE READY” should be modified. For officiated, unofficiated and rec play games, calling the score score and “back-stab” serving before all players are ready is an issue that can cause a lot of friction and frustration. What precise criteria is used to determine that a player “should be ready”? There are a lot of things that can be used to avoid the “back-stab” serve.

A referee, or server can get the attention of the distracted player by using their voice.

A referee or server can ask the players partner to get them ready.

A referee can issue “delay of game” or “unsportsmanlike” penalties if a player is delaying a game by purposefully not becoming ready.

From the USA Pickleball Sportsmanship Guide.

“Pickleball was created to be a fun, competitive, and highly social sport. Since its inception, it has embodied an ethic of good sportsmanship that includes respect, fair play, and graciousness in winning and losing. The purpose of this guide is to encourage behaviors that reflect these foundational values.”

It “back-stab” serving does not seem consistent with the official sportsmanship guide.

It is inconsistent with:

“an ethic of good sportsmanship that includes respect, fair play, and graciousness”

Serving when a player is not ready does not seem gracious, respectful or promotes “fair play”.

Its rec play and you are on the receiving team, there is someone on the court next to you that says something to your partner. They are having a quick, short conversation. The server quickly calls the score and serves. The server may have a quiet voice and the facility may be loud. When confronted the server says, “I determined that your teams players “should have been ready”. How much unneeded friction would that cause? Does this represent the “graciousness” mentioned in the official sportsmanship guide?

A referee notices there is a player that is not ready but determines that the player “should be ready” and calls the score. Wow. Is this what we want? Or do we want a referee to get the attention of all players and make sure they are ready before calling the score? Which one is more consistent with the goals in the sportsmanship guide? Many referees use tools to make sure that the players are ready. How would you feel as a player to have the referee call the score when you are looking down to see if your shoelace is untied and you do not put your hand in the air to give a “not ready” signal? Does this embody fair-play? Many referees do not call the score when a player is not ready but had determined they should be ready.

There may be a perspective that this is not an issue and NO ONE ever serves and no referee calls the score when a player is not ready. If this is the case, the rule is useless and unneeded. A useless and unneeded rule should also be removed.