On Sunday, October 31, 2021 at 4:06:48 PM UTC-5 Dick Osman wrote:

Rules changes for 2022 have been approved by the USAP Pickleball Board of Directors. The revision process began in April of this year, has proceeded with unprecedented openness and transparency. Suggested changes were submitted by players and officials and public comments were received prior to review by the IFP Rules Committee, the USAP Rules Committee, and finally the USAP Board.

The USAP Rules Committee received a total of 71 suggested changes (after consolidation of like items) from the public. 33 of those were recommended by the IFP Rules committee for consideration by the USAP Rules Committee, who passed 19 on to the USAP Board for their consideration of approval. The Board accepted 18 of those 19 proposed changes.

Here are some of the most interesting changes (and non-changes). 

1. The Drop Serve will be retained as written in the 2021 Rulebook and its “Provisional” status removed. No restrictions similar to the Volley Serve (upward motion, below waist, paddle head) were added.

2. Spin Serves using a combination of the paddle, paddle hand, or non-paddle hand to impart spin on the ball are outlawed. The proposed rule is: “The server shall use only their one hand to release the ball to perform the serve. The server’s release of the ball must be visible to the referee and the receiver. In matches without a referee, the server’s release of the ball must be visible to the receiver. A replay shall be called before the return of serve if the release of the ball is not visible. Exception: A player who does not have the use of their non-paddle hand may use only their paddle hand to release the ball to perform the serve, or use only their paddle to toss or drop the ball to perform the serve.”

3. The “Covid Serve” allowing a player to carry the ball on their paddle during the serve is eliminated. (with the exception noted in #2 for players who do not have use of their non-paddle hand)

4. Rally Scoring was rejected; only Side-Out Scoring is permitted. (Hooray!)

5. Wrong Score Called: Stoppage of play due to wrong score called will result in a fault on the player that stops play. The proposed rule is: “If the server or referee calls the wrong score, once the serve is made play should continue to the end of the rally and the correction made before the next serve. Player comments about the score during the rally should be ignored. A player who stops play after the serve is made will have committed a fault and shall lose the rally.”

6. Wearing of Headphones or Earbuds is not allowed except for prescribed hearing aids.

7. Verbal Warnings may be given by a Referee for other infractions in addition to profanity.

8. Player Questions about score, correct server/receiver, correct position are combined into one rule allowing any player to ask any of these questions.

9. The following proposals were also rejected:
     a. Reinstate “Let” serves.
     b. Return to “Zero-Zero-Start.”
     c. Smaller court size for Singles.
     d. Two serves per server like tennis.

Here is a link where you can view all of the proposed changes, public comments, IFP voting results, USAP Rules Committee pass/fail results, and USAP Board  approvals: 2022 Rules Changes. 

The Rules Committee is working on a draft of the Official Rulebook and a Change Document that explains each of the changes and the reasoning behind it. These should be available on or before December 1st.

Dick Osman

Charlotte NC

USA Pickleball Certified Referee