Submitted by cocotte on Tue, 08/04/2009 - 18:18.

I findt hat the present USAPA rules about pickleball (pb) paddles are too restrictive; impeding the development of paddles that can provide advanced players with the means to hit harder, faster, and apply more spin. In other sports like golf, tennis, table tennis, badminton, to name a few, research to produce better equipemnt is going on all the time. Unless these paddle impediments are lifted, pb will never attain the status of an olympic sport. I.m.o., only the total circumference and the surface area of the paddle head, should be restricted. For ex. the use of a rubberized surface as is now the case in modern table tennis, is NOT allowed in pb. This apparently to prevent excessive spins. In international-level tennis, I see the strongest players using as much spin as they can. Why is this type of play discouraged in pb? Is it not time to have USAPA board members who have a vision for the future of pickleball? Unless of course, this game should only be played by slower retirees. But if we try to attract younger and more agressive players, then the use of rubberlike-, or space-age material on the paddle head should be allowed. Then established sports equipment manufacturers would perhaps be interested in making pb paddles. At present I am not aware of any renowned company of sport equipment that produces pb paddles.