By Henry Vincent, Pickleball Leagues Vice President
Can you use indoor balls for an outdoor match?
No. According to ALTA Pickleball Rule IV.F, the balls must be appropriate for the surface and type of court: outdoor balls for outdoor courts and rough surfaces, indoor balls for indoor courts and smooth surfaces.
Who provides the balls and pays court fees?
In each match, the home team will be responsible for providing USA Pickleball-approved balls for each line of the match. There is no exchange of balls at the end of each match. (ALTA Pickleball Rule IV.F.) The home team pays court fees. (ALTA Pickleball Rule I.D.)
What governs play — ALTA or USA Pickleball?
ALTA rules govern play. In cases not specifically covered by ALTA rules, the USA Pickleball rules govern play, as well as the USA Pickleball Sportsmanship Guide. (ALTA Pickleball rules IV.C.)
Illegal serve — who can call it and what happens?
If the receiving team determines that the serve motion was clearly illegal, the receiving team may call for a replay BEFORE the return of serve. The server will have no more than two attempts to correct the serve motion. The third service attempt must be a drop-serve. If the third serve is still illegal, it will be a fault. (ALTA Pickleball Rule IV.I.) This is also explained in the ALTA Pickleball FAQs, Question 22.
Is coaching allowed during match play?
Coaching is allowed between games and during timeouts. Spectators (including teammates, coaches, and fans) may not volunteer advice regarding line calls, scoring, or the conduct of a match while the match is in play. They may not offer advice or instruction that is audible, visible, or by electronic device to the players on the court. It is each captain’s responsibility to control his or her spectators during match play. (ALTA Pickleball Rule IV.K.)
