By Henry Vincent, Pickleball League Vice President
Why can’t I step into the kitchen even if I don’t hit the ball?
Rule: You may step into the Non-Volley Zone (the kitchen) anytime — as long as you don’t volley (hit the ball out of the air). (See Section 9 of the USAPB Official Rulebook for complete NVZ rules.)
Confusion: Many players think you can’t enter the kitchen at all. Answer: You can stand, walk, dance, or picnic in the kitchen — totally legal. What’s illegal is: Hitting the ball before it bounces while you’re in the kitchen, or falling into the kitchen after volleying, even by momentum or clothing or paddle.
Is it really a fault if my hat, paddle, or even sweatband falls into the kitchen?
Rule: Any object connected to you that falls into the kitchen during or after a volley = fault.
Answer: Yes, it’s real. If you volley and anything you’re wearing or holding lands in the kitchen, the rally is over (Rule 9.B, USPBA Official Rulebook). Examples: Dropped paddle? Fault. Hat flies in? Fault. Sweatband plops? Fault. If you didn’t volley, it’s not a fault.
Can the ball hit me or my clothing and still be in play?
Rule: If the ball touches you or anything you’re wearing or holding during a rally before it bounces, it’s a fault on you (Rule 7.H, USPBA Official Rulebook).
Answer: Ball hits your shirt? Fault. Ball grazes your shorts? Fault. Ball nicks your hair? Also fault. The ball is instantly dead once it contacts a player.
Is it legal for the ball to bounce on my side and then go back over to my opponent’s side without me touching it?
Rule: Yes! A backward-bouncing ball is 100-percent legal and catches many beginners off guard (Rule 11.I.1, USPBA Official Rulebook). Answer: If your opponent hits a ball with enough spin or wind that it bounces on your side and returns over the net by itself, you must reach over the net to hit it (as long as you don’t touch the net). If you let it go, the point goes to your opponent.
Is it legal to hit the ball around the net instead of over it?
Rule: Yes. You can legally hit the ball around the post — no need to clear the height of the net (Rule 11.M, USPBA Official Rulebook). Answer: An ATP (Around-The-Post shot) is one of the coolest legal moves. Conditions: The ball must travel outside the net posts. You must not touch the net. The ball can land anywhere on the opponent’s court. It does not need to go above the height of the net.
