Kitchen violations happen constantly in pickleball. Everyone steps on the line at one point or another, but somehow no one believes they’re ever guilty.
It’s a weird phenomenon where by the time your eyes look down at your shoe, it’s magically slid backward off of the line and provided justification for your defense.
Because of this phenomenon, calling kitchen violations in rec play is just…awkward. Unless egregious, it almost always results in a discussion or hurt feelings.
It’s like calling traveling in pick-up basketball. Be ready to fabricate an instant replay and break out a pedometer to justify the call.
You could argue that the spirit of the rule is to keep players away from the net, so unless they are stepping fully into the kitchen it’s not that big of a deal. A toe on the line isn’t going to make that big of an impact.
So what can you do to fix the problem and keep things friendly?
Let the offending player know after the point without making a call, preferably a point you won anyway.
Let your partner know to keep an eye out. If both of you catch the infraction it’s easier to believe and can squash a rebuttal.
Officially, in ‘Non-Officiated Play’ the rule is to replay the point if there is any disagreement, so be prepared to replay the point.
Do you know any repeat offenders constantly crossing the line? What is the best way you’ve caught them red-handed?
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Why we are different
There are well over 100 paddle manufacturers serving the pickleball industry. We are the ONLY custom paddle manufacturer in the world. In order to understand what it is we do and why it’s unique, it’s necessary to understand how a paddle is made.
Every paddle with few exceptions has a honeycomb core. The different companies in the industry use one of three different materials for the core- aluminum, polymer and Nomex. We use all three. The core provides 75% of the way a paddle performs.
Then the honeycomb core is sandwiched between two thin layers of surface materials. Again, the different companies in the industry use three different materials- graphite, fiberglass composite and carbon fiber. We use all three. The surface material is about 25% of the way a paddle performs. Think of it as fine tuning the paddle’s performance characteristics.
The three different core materials combined with the three different surface materials make 9 different combinations of materials. Each plays differently. We make two (soon to be three) different shapes for our paddles. The Chaos has a large square sweet spot- at 8 1/2”, it is the widest paddle on the market. The Kratos has an equally large rectangular shaped sweet spot. Each combination of cores and surfaces is available in both the Chaos and Kratos shape.
Then we give each player the opportunity to select their paddle’s weight (ranging from 7.4-10.5 ounces).
Now comes the grip. Players can choose one of three different handle shapes, their grip size from 3 7/8” to 6”, one of three different grip materials and more than 10 colors for each grip style.
Now that the player has chosen the best paddle shape, core, surface and grip for their individual game comes the fun part. We can put any custom graphic the player chooses on their paddle face- either one of our many choices or one of their own- a picture, logo or graphic of their choosing.
Now every player can play with a totally bespoke paddle and watch their game immediately improve because they are playing with the right paddle for them in every way.
Every other sport has specialized equipment for every player except pickleball. Not anymore- now pickleball is catching up to other sports. Pickleball players spend a lot of time playing the game they love. Now they can play with the gear that suits them and not be forced to use a one size fits all paddle.
Want to Join Team TSD?
We are actively seeking avid pickleballers with sales experience to educate, demonstrate and promote Third
Shot Drop pickleball paddles.
Please send your prior sales experience, where you play, how often you play, what level player you are, if you
play Tournaments, how many players you can reach and your contact information to:
Ashley@ThirdShotDrop.com
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