Have you perfected the art of the spin serve? Are spin serves legal in pickleball? Be prepared to have to change how you play, because USA Pickleball has banned spin serves as of January 1 (the rules were created in 2022, many to be effective in 2023).
If you are really into this sport, it may be time for you to take a look at all of the new rules, because the spin serve isn’t the only thing that will be affected.
Today we are going to take a look at the new rule regarding spin serves, as well as the other new rules that were put into place in the US in 2022. Let’s get started.
New USA PICKLEBALL Rules for 2023
USA PICKLEBALL is an association that was created to help the sport of pickleball to grow and and advance on a national level, as well as to create goals for playing this game around the world.
The organization is the national governing body of American pickleball, and it creates the rules for this sport in a way that will preserve the integrity of the sport, as well as the skills needed to play it.
It is important to note that the spin serve is not the only thing that will be affected by the new rules. Let’s take a look at how things will change in the sport of pickleball this year.
Spin Serves are Out
From now on, you will not be allowed to manipulate the ball in order to add a spin as you are releasing it to be served.
Obviously, there will be a bit of natural spinning happening, which is still okay because it is going to happen anyway. But, you will not be allowed to manipulate the spin yourself for both the volley serve and the drop serve. A chainsaw serve is completely out of the question.
Some Clothing will Not be Allowed on the Court
One of the biggest changes to the sport this year relates to what you are allowed to wear while playing pickleball tournaments. For instance, it may be considered inappropriate to wear clothing that is the same color as the tournament ball.
Players are encouraged to avoid wearing colors similar to that of the ball. The Tournament Director will have the right to ask players to change their clothing, giving them a non-chargeable time-out in order to do so.
Replays or Faults May be Ordered by the Referee
If a referee is not sure if a serve has included all of the required elements, they may stop play and order a replay. An immediate fault will be called if one or more serve requirements are violated.
The reason for this new rule is to make sure that all players change how they serve to ensure that their serves meet all of the new (and old) requirements.
Players May Still Ask Questions
As long as a serve has not been hit, players may ask questions about proper servers, receivers, and positions. For instance, the player may ask, “Am I good?”, a question that will cover the server and position questions.
The referee is required to provide an answer that clears up any confusion about both items. While in non-officiated play, it is okay for players to ask their opponents these same questions, and the opponents must respond with the correct information.
When a Wrong Score is Called
If a wrong score is called, both referees and players are allowed to stop play to correct the score, as long as it is before the return of the serve. If play is stopped following the return of a serve, it will be considered a fault.
It is also a fault to stop play or to ask for a score to be corrected if the score has already been called.
Special Time-Outs for Equipment Adjustments
There may be times when you need to adjust or even change your equipment during gameplay. If this happens, there will be a special “equipment time-out”. This will allow players to make changes without affecting the game or match in any way.
The referee will call an equipment time-out for a specific amount of time.
The Chainsaw Serve is No More
Many pickleball players started to experiment with what is referred to as a “chainsaw” serve in 2021. By 2022, this move had been banned, and is now considered to be an illegal move that will result in a fault from the referee.
A chainsaw serve involves the server rolling the ball against the paddle (in some cases, even the grip is used) as it is being tossed. While the ball is spinning quickly, the player hits it in order to finish the serve. When this type of spin is put on the ball, it can make the ball kick up, down, left, or right.
Finger spins are still allowed on serves, although new rules state that only one hand can be used to release the ball when serving. Also, if it is quite noticeable that the ball has been spin, any part of the hand touching the ball is required to be completely bare.
Players will not even be allowed to have a Band-aid on their hand during this time.
Note that a server may wear a glove on the hand that releases the ball, but the thumb and first two fingers or any part of the hand that touches the ball), must be uncovered. The receiver must be able to see the ball being released by the server, and if there is a referee, they must also be able to see this action.
Additional Rules to be Aware Of
In addition to the above-mentioned rules, there are a few more rules that all pickleball players need to be aware of. The more you understand the rules, the more fun you are going to have playing the game, and not have to worry about having a lot of faults.
No Extra Balls
If you are playing in an officiated match, it is important to note that you will not be allowed to have an extra ball with you while you are on the court. This rule does not apply to social play, and you will be allowed to have that spare ball with you, as long as it is not visible to your opponent while you are playing.
Also, if you do have an extra ball while playing socially, and it happens to fall on the playing surface during a match, it will be considered as a fault.
No Restrictions on Multiple Bounces
As of 2023, there will be no restriction as to the amount of times a ball bounces, or the location of the bounces (anywhere on the playing surface), before it is hit by the server. This rule has been put into place to allow the server to have as many bounces as necessary before choosing to strike the ball in the serve. Keep in mind that the serve must be made within 10 seconds of a score being called.
Leave Headphones and Earbuds on the Bench During Competition Play
Players must be able to receive coaching, and be able to hear calls or scores. So, a rule has been implemented saying that players are not allowed to wear headphones or earbuds.
There is another reason for this rule: if these devices were to be dropped on the court, it could lead to an injury if a player were to trip over them. Hearing aids are obviously allowed, because they are necessary for medical reasons.
No Swearing on the Court
Warnings can be issued to players who use foul language while on the court. In the past, referees could issue one “global warning” during a match to any player using profanity, and this warning would be for all players, not just the player who was cursing.
Now, teams can be given a single verbal warning during a match. Referees are also allowed to give technical warnings and fouls for foul language, and these warnings will cost a point.
Conclusion
The new rules, as well as all rules have been designed to make the sport of pickleball fair and fun for all players.
If you would like to learn more about all of the rules regarding this sport, check out the USA PICKLEBALL 2023 official rulebook.
- Are Spin Serves Legal in Pickleball? - January 27, 2023
- How to Score Pickleball Points - January 27, 2023
- Can You Spike in Pickleball? - January 27, 2023
