How many of us have been playing pickleball, when some well meaning person tells us: KITCHEN!" We look down and our feet:
- Aren't even close.
- Caught in the Kitchen (NVZ)
Like I've mentioned before the kitchen or NVZ is the hardest place for new and intermediate players to stay out of, so in a practice setting having someone remind us it's great, I think? I know for myself when I'm playing with a better intermediate player in doubles, and in the throes of back-and-forth volleys and smashes, and I know my partner is right beside me, I am honestly not looking at his feet, or my feet for that matter. But then their is a voice through the haze that shouts, "KITCHEN!" Our opponent yells that my partner stepped on the kitchen or NVZ line. Can he do that?
Looking at the IFP rules in section 6.D.1, it states, "Players will call the lines on their side of the court, excluding the non-volley zone if being called by a referee." 6.D.2. also adds, "The opponent gets the benefit of the doubt on line calls made."
In a regular practice session if there is a kitchen offender then gently remind them of their fault, or play with them keeping them in control. As the rule states that a referee is usually calling the NVZ line, but what if it's not a medal game in Canada where we don't have referees for every match, who makes the call?
Hi Grant,
ReplyDeleteThanks for explaining the rules. According to Rule 6.D.1. "Players will call the lines on their side of the court (excluding the non-volley zone if being called by a referee)". If there is no referee, your opponents should not yell at you for stepping in the kitchen because that is a line call and they cannot call your lines on your side because they want you to lose your point so that they gain a point. It is the players responsibilites to call their own non-volley lines when there is no referee. Rule 6.D.2. only applies to line calls when you and your partner disagree or unsure if the ball is "in" or "out", then the opponents get the benefit of the doubt.
That is why there is a referee for every medal game because the referee's duty is to call the non-volley lines on both sides. When there is no referee, players will call the lines on their side of the court including the non-volley lines.
I agree that in a practise play, having someone remind us is great.
Grant,
ReplyDeleteYou call the NVZ line on your own side just the same as the other lines on your side of the net. The only time you don't is when you have a referee. Player integrity is part of pickleball and all players are expected to be as accurate as possible on line calls. Most experienced players do call their own faults in the NVZ, just as they give the benefit of the doubt to their opponents on other line calls. For someone that doesn't call their own NVZ faults, a gentle reminder is usually all that is required.
Dave
April 2015 rule amendment now allows any player on either side to call a NVZ foot-fault during non-refereed competition.
ReplyDeleteRecently had a player tell us she was at a Tournament where she was told her shoes which were curved up at the toe, allowed here to stand at the NVZ across the Line because her toe DIDN'T touch the Line. What is the Rule on this and how do you justify this in play?
ReplyDelete