Avon Pickleball Club
Avon Pickleball Club - Safety Guidance
1. Stretch and warm-up before playing; stretch and cool-down after playing.
2. Don’t overplay your current physical condition. One game too many can cause problems. Know your limits!
3. Hydrate. This means “drink water”. Drink BEFORE you are thirsty, otherwise it is too late.
4. If you hit a ball into another court, immediately shout “Ball”!
5. If a ball comes into your court from another court, STOP PLAY AT ONCE. Same if you hear “Ball!” shouted from another court. Also, don’t just swat the ball back – look up to see which court is calling for the ball back and return it safely and directly to them along the floor.
6. If a ball is going towards another court, DO NOT, chase it onto the other court. Stop, yell “Ball!” and let the other people stop play and retrieve the ball.
7. NEVER dive for balls.
8. NEVER enter an active court to play your ball. Better and safer for everyone to lose the point.
9. If you are crossing an active court to get onto a vacant court or to leave a court, wait until their current point is over. Ask them for permission to cross their court. Never walk across another court, at Thornbury, always walk outside the pillars nearer the wall and do not squeeze between the nets to get on/off a court when the ball is in play on an adjacent court.
10. If you are near your partner with an overhead slam opportunity where you may hit them, stop play. Let the ball drop. Lose the point. DO NOT hit your partner. Be aware of your partner’s position.
11. If you can go back more safely for an overhead than your partner YOU cover the overhead. Likewise let them cover for you if the situation is reversed.
12. When going backwards for a lob, turn and run towards the ball. DON’T SHUFFLE BACKWARDS. So many falls happen because someone shuffles instead of turning and running. This is a hard thing to do correctly and needs to be practised.
13. If a ball breaks, safely remove it from the court.
14. If ANYTHING falls on the court, quickly remove it.
15. If someone falls on the court, all play STOPS until their needs are addressed. The Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre has staff trained in first-aid and they should be called to assist when needed.
16. If you see someone who displays signs of dizziness, weakness, lack of concentration, keep an eye on them. Recommend a time out if necessary.
17. Always wear appropriate kit, especially proper footwear, wearing inappropriate footwear is asking for problems when playing on court.
GET ON COURT AND PLAY SAFELY!
Avon Pickleball Club - Etiquette Guide
1. Begin each game by acknowledging the other players, introducing yourself if you don’t know them.
2. During open play (mixed skill-levels), remember that good sportsmanship is the rule so if you are a stronger player of the four, play to the weakest players in a way they can handle and learn from.
3. If one pairing is significantly stronger than the other then offer to change the pairings to produce a more even game. If the weaker pairing wish to play against the stronger pairing then continue as the weaker pairing may wish to improve by playing against stronger players.
4. At the end of each game, find something positive to say to the other team at the net, regardless of the score!
5. If the ball is out and it’s on your side, call it out. If it’s close, give the benefit to your opponent. This is hard to do when the game is close but do it anyway. Only make calls on your side – do not make calls for the other side. Always be honest with calls.
6. If you step into the Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen) on a volley, or if your partner does, call it on yourself. Do not call Kitchen faults, serving faults or line calls for the opposite side.
7. Never ask for, or accept, line calls from spectators.
8. NEVER shout, swear or say a hostile or sarcastic word to your partner or your opponent in anger. Remember to always respect others.
9. Teasing your opponents in a fun and lighthearted way, is part of Pickleball but be careful not to upset someone who may be sensitive, who you don’t know or who is a weaker player. This game is supposed to be fun for all so please remember that and just be careful!
10. The corollary to the above is obvious. ALWAYS compliment people on outstanding shots or on a really great game.
11. Play your strongest game against better players but work on stuff you need practice on with the weaker players. We will often individually tell our partners “I’m working on, for example, placement today” and they know that will mean that we’re not necessarily going to put every shot away.
12. Do not take advantage of a person’s physical limitations when you play them socially.
13. At the end of a game, if you believe another player would benefit from an observation about their play, DON’T OFFER IT. Even if they ask, be very cautious and considerate as everyone handles this differently. Give no more than one piece of advice at a time.
GET ON COURT AND ENJOY THE GAME!