Pickleball Rules: What You Probably Didn't Know About Serving
71At AllAboutPickleball.com we get plenty of questions, but lately, one keeps coming up over and over again. This is one the most frequently asked questions I get and I’m betting that 90% of our readers don’t know the correct answer.
So lets get it cleared up for everyone.
THE QUESTION? Do I have to keep both feet behind the baseline when I serve?
Most player’s interpretation of the rule is that you can step into the court during the serve as long as you keep one foot on the ground and behind the baseline and your front foot does not contact the ground before striking the ball.
Sorry, that would be a wrong interpretation. No pickles for you today!
THE CORRECT ANSWER: While it is true that you do only have to have one foot one the ground, both feet must still be completely behind the baseline when contact is made with the ball.
Below is the exact wording from the USAPA Official Tournament Rulebook, Revised May, 1, 2008:
Section 4B: Server Position. The server must keep both feet behind the baseline during the serve with at least one foot on the court surface or ground at the time the ball is struck. The serve must be made while the server’s feet are within the confines of the serving area. These confines lie behind the serving court baseline and on or between the imaginary lines extended from the court centerline and each sideline.
Phew, I’m glad we got that cleared.
Keep the questions coming. We enjoy them all.
All the best,
Rocket
Player Services
- Get All Your Pickleball Questions Answered Here
Learn all the facts. Free Pickleball Guide including the Pickleball Rules, The History, where to buy Pickleball Paddles and More. - 3 Reasons Why Pickleball is the Perfect Sport
- Pickleball for a Healthy Life
We all know the importance of regular exercise for good health. The question is, what kind of exercise do we want to do. If exercise isn't fun, we tend to slack off and eventually quit. Well, I recently...
CommentsLoading...
Hey Larry, The second key to the serve is the paddle head must be below the wrist on contact. Here is the actual current USAPA rules on the service motion. If you want to download a complete copy of the rules, get 'em at www.allaboutpickleball.com All the best, Rocket
4.A. Serve Motion. The serve must be made with an underhand stroke so that contact with the ball is made below waist level.
4.A.1. Underhand Defined. The arm must be moving in an upward arc and the paddle head shall be below the wrist when it strikes the ball.
4.B. Server Position. The server must keep both feet behind the baseline during the serve with at least one foot on the court surface or ground at the time the ball is struck. The serve must be made while the server’s feet are within the confines of the serving area. These confines lie behind the serving court baseline and on or between the imaginary lines extended from the court centerline and each sideline.
Many people seem to be confused that if you play the ball
after the bounce, even if it was out, the ball is in play.
I am sure this is incorrect. If it lands out , it is out.
Even if you play it in case.
Why not use a cute little black dog named Pickle for
t-shirts, etc. to represent the game instead of a green, slimy, obnoxious looking vegetable. The name of the game is it's worse enemy. Get rid of the ugly pickle person!
On the Courtside sports website, one of the serving no-nos is..you must not bounce the ball before serving (as is done in tennis) I can't find this ruling anywhere else. Is it in fact a rule?
M.Rudgard
Question on the no-volley line: Does the line extend beyond the sidelines? Two scenarios - first, after a player volleys, his momentum carries him forward but his feet land outside the sideline but within an imaginary extension of the no-volley line. Second - a short ball is near the sideline and the player is standing outside of the sideline, but within the imaginary extension of the no-volley line. In each scenario - fault or not?
The ball is in play and someone calls out before the ball hits the court and would have been out but the player plays the ball before it hits anyway. Is the ball out or still in play?
When serving, I understand that the serve is underhand and the paddle must strike the ball below the waist. Does the paddle have to be completely verticle to the floor so as to make a right triangle? Can you serve underhand and then turn your wrist right before you hit the ball below the waist line. You bring your serve up in an underhand fashion, but twist it a little just before you strike the ball?
larry bennett 2 years ago
Can you give me all the specifics on the proper serve. All I have read is an underhand motion served below the waistline. I have been called for an illegal serve regarding not keeping my wrist straight..........saing that though it is served from below the waist my racket angle was not proper.............HELP its driving me nuts
Thank you, Larry B