Pickleball Magazine 1-1 | Page 41

outs are called or available (see rule 11.D.), the offending side will receive a technical foul on the first offense and a match forfeit on the second offense. Reason for change: Rule was added to clarify the results of not complying with the time-out rules. Rule Revision:  August 24, 2015 13.E. Lower Bracket Matches. In all IFP-sanctioned tournaments, each entrant shall be entitled to participate in a minimum of two scheduled matches per event entered. This means that losers of their first match shall have the opportunity to compete in the event’s lower bracket. The lower bracket matches may be modified at the discretion of the Tournament Director (e.g., one game to 15 points). Reason for change: Wording change to better clarify the rule. Rule Revisions:  August 1, 2015 2.D.1. Construction. The standard ball shall be made of durable plastic material molded with a smooth surface and free of texturing. The ball can only be one single, uniform color. Reason for change: Added the statement that balls can only be one color. This was done in anticipation of international requirements in the future. Rule Revisions:  June 1, 2015 10.E. Alternate Tournament Formats. 10.E.1. A tournament director may choose to have some or all matches (except Round Robin) consist of one game to 15 points or one game to 21 points with a win by 2 points. This applies to a single or double elimination bracket. For Round Robin events a winning margin of one point is required. 10.E.2. A tournament director may choose to have Round Robin or Round Robin Pool Play feeding to a medal bracket. For any Round Robin event, games must be “win by 1 point” (not 2 points). Also see 13.A.4. and 13.A.6. Reason for changes: Wording changes to clarify Round Robin format options. 13.A.4. Round Robin. All players (in singles) or teams will play each other. All matches will be played with the same number of games for each match. i.e., 1 game to 15 win by 1, or 1 game to 21 win by 1, or 3 games to 11 win by 1 (1 or 2 games to 11 is not permitted; all 3 games to 11 must be played even if a player/team wins the first two games). The player or team winning the most matches is declared the winner. If two or more teams are tied for a medal, the player or team winning the most points will be declared the winner of the tie. Reason for changes: Wording changes to clarify Round Robin format options. opinion, if requested, shall be accepted. The opinion of a player looking down the line is more likely to be accurate than one looking across the line. Reason for change: Wording change to clarify what shall be accepted if a player asks the opponent’s opinion on a call. 9.A. The non-volley zone is the area of the court (not the space above it) bounded by the two sidelines, the non-volley line, and the net. The non-volley line and the sidelines are included in the non-volley zone. Reason for change: Word change to clarify the NVZ is only two dimensional. 9.G. For non-officiated play, non-volley zone faults may be called by any player on either team. Reason for change: Added new rule to address who may call a NVZ fault in non-officiated play. Rule Additions:  April 24, 2015 Section 16 – Wheelchair Rules Reason for changes: Added complete new section to cover wheelchair rules. See Rulebook for complete wheelchair rules. Rule Revision:  March 1, 2015 4.I. Readiness. Serves shall not be made until the receiver is ready and the score has been called. Serving before the score is called shall result in a fault, and loss of serve. The referee shall call the score when he or she determines that the players should be in position to resume play. 14.D.4.b. Instruct the players on the need to wait for the referee to call out the score before serving, or a fault will incur. Reason for changes: Wording change on above to clarify that serving before the score is called is a fault. Rule Revision:  April 20, 2015 3.O. Non-Volley Zone. The section of court adjacent to the net in which you cannot volley the ball. It includes all lines surrounding the zone. The NVZ is only two dimensional and does not rise above the court surface. Reason for change: Word change to clarify the NVZ is only two dimensional. 6.D.1. Players will call the lines on their side of the court (excluding the non-volley line on a serve — i.e., short serve, if being called by a referee). Reason for change: Wording change to clarify that the rule is for ball line calls, not foot faults. 6.D.5. No player should question an opponent’s call unless asked (except that player may appeal a call to the referee in an officiated match). A player should ask the opponent’s opinion if the opponent was in a better position to see the call. An opponent’s Dennis Dacey is a retired mechanical engineer in the gas appliance industry. One of his duties during this time was to serve on a national standards committee. For the past 5 years, he has been the Rules Chairperson for the USAPA. His objective, and that of the Board, is to maintain and develop the rules in a manner which will preserve the traditional nature and character of the game and preserve the skills traditionally required to play the game. JANUARY 2016 | MAGAZINE 39