THE PICKLEBALL GURU
The
Pickleball Guru
RULES Q AND A
In this column, Prem Carnot, The Pickleball Guru, shines the light of clarity on many
confusing scenarios that can happen in the world of pickleball. His answers are drawn from
the USAPA/IFP Referee Handbook & IFP Official Tournament Rulebook. You can submit your
questions to [email protected] for consideration in an upcoming column.
Dear Rules Guru,
In a recent tournament, the serving team was routinely asking the referee if they were
standing in the correct position (before serving). Although they did not do it intentionally to
bother us, I did find it a minor distraction. Is there a limit to how many times the serving or
receiving team may ask if they are in the correct position?
- Distracted in Denver
Dear Distracted,
Some teams would rather be safe than sorry, so they err on the side of frequently asking
if they are in the correct positions. This is probably most common with teams who “stack,”
where the non-serving or non-receiving partner waits in a non-standard position. While it is
to their benefit to ask often, I can see how it could be distracting for the other team!
To answer your question, there is no official rule on the number of times a team can ask
for confirmation that they are in the correct positions, however if the referee deems that it’s
excessive or distracting, he or she MAY go ahead and issue a technical warning.
In general, teams should know their positions based on what the score is. Occasionally,
after a particularly long rally, it’s understandable that a team can be confused, and in that
case, it’s the ref’s job to set them straight. But asking for confirmation of positioning should
never be used as a tactical tool to distract or annoy your opponents.
Dealing with minor distractions of any kind is a “must-have” skill to
succeed in a tournament setting. You’d probably wish that I would say
the referee was wrong, but in this case, it really is a matter of discretion.
If the ref did not issue a warning, then the players were in the clear and
it’s up to you to hone your powers of focus so the distraction doesn’t
keep you from winning the match.
Warmly,
Prem Carnot
The Pickleball Guru
Prem Carnot
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FROM THE IPF OFFICIAL
TOURNAMENT
RULEBOOK
14.M.6. Delay of game,
either in the form of taking
too much time during timeouts or between games, in
excessive questioning of
the referee on the rules, or
in excessive or unnecessary
appeals.
14.N. Technical Warning.
If a player’s behavior is not
severe enough to warrant
a technical foul, a technical
warning may be issued. In
most situations, the referee
should give a technical
warning before imposing
a technical foul. Points
shall not be awarded for a
technical warning.