Canadian Nationals & the NVZ

Pickleball Canada is hosting the Canadian Nationals next week in Abbotsford. Typically all recreation centers in North America, or at least Canada, have been using the badminton lines as pickleball lines. In preparation of the nationals is was found out that the NVZ (kitchen) line is 6" short. To come into compliance with IFP rules, Pickleball Canada will be taping the NVZ correctly. It shouldn't drastically change anyones game, but instead make the game that much more concurrent with the rules that we all play by. way to go Pickleball Canada :)

Pickleball Rules Refresher: Policing the Kitchen (NVZ)

How many of us have been playing pickleball, when some well meaning person tells us: KITCHEN!" We look down and our feet:

1. Aren't even close.
2. 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?

Pickleball Rules Refresher: Laser beam NVZ

Okay, so this is a further add-on to another post I did covering the NVZ (Non Volley Zone or Kitchen.) Some racquetball converts to pickleball were unclear of the NVZ line, because of raquetball rules. In raquetball on the serve apparently, your hand or racquet can't be over the NVZ line, or it will be declared a fault. So the raquetball converts questioned if in pickleball they too would be at fault reaching into the NVZ. In Pickleball you can reach into the NVZ, over the line, you just can't step into the NVZ, have an article of your clothing fall into the NVZ while volleying the ball. There is no laser beam or lightsaber that chops off your hand where the NVZ line is! Phew! But wouldn't that make the game more interesting?

Pickleball Rules Refresher: Get out of the kitchen!

One of the hardest rules for newbies to pickleball, has to do with the kitchen or the Non-Volley zone (NVZ.) There are those in our Club (Like Henry!) who are very vigilant to call opponents or even himself or his teammate who have violated the NVZ. Pickleball graduates who come from tennis find this the hardest to grasp, feeling they've lost their advantage. Pickleball is about the placement, and having that boundary helps win out over power.
Section 9 of the IFP rules has a big section dealing with the NVZ,  we'll focus on 9.B, " A fault will be declared if, in the act of volleying the ball, a player or anything the player is wearing or carrying touches the non-volley zone or touches any non-volley line. For example, a fault will be declared if, in the act of volleying the ball, one of the player’s feet touches a non-volley line."
IFP Comment: The act of volleying the ball includes the swing, the follow-through, and the momentum from the action. If the paddle touches the non-volley zone during the swing, it is a fault regardless of whether the touch occurred before or after contacting the ball.

Pickleball Rules Refresher: Standing in the way

I was playing with some intermediate pickleball players tonight, and I tried psyching the opposition when my partner was receiving the serve. I stood in the non volley zone, on her side. Our opponents stated, "You can't do that, you need to be in your area. " According to IFP rules 5B9, "The receiver’s partner may stand anywhere on or off the court." I can stand in the NVZ, I can stand outside the court, even hold my partners hand receiving the serve. But the rule before that clearly states in 5B8, "The receiver is the only player who may return the ball. If the wrong player returns the ball, it is a point for the serving team." I also can't let the ball strike me, or it to will be a point for the other team. The receivers partner cannot distract the server by talking to them or jumping up and down. Yes you can stand anywhere, but you need to be ready to get back into position, so you aren't a hinderance to your team.