Pro pickleball official Maddie Toren will take you through the requirements that must be met when performing the pickleball volley and drop serves.
Pickleball volley serve (USA Pickleball rule 4.A.7)
There are three service motions that must be met when performing the pickleball volley serve:
- The server's arm must be moving in an upward arc at the time the ball is struck, and may be made with either a forehand or backhand motion.
- The highest point of the pickleball paddle head must not be above the highest part of the wrist, where the wrist joint bends when the paddle strikes the ball.
- Contact with the ball must not be made above the waist.
Pickleball drop serve (USA Pickleball rule 4.A.8)
There are three service motions that must be met when performing the pickleball drop serve:
- Servers must release the ball from one of the server's hands or drop it off the server's paddle face, from any natural un-aided height and hit the ball after it bounces.
- There is no restriction on how many times the ball can bounce, nor where the ball can bounce on the playing surface.
- The ball shall not be propelled or thrown downward, or tossed or hit upward with the pickleball paddle. It can be struck with either a forehand or a backhand motion.
USA Pickleball serving rule changes (USA Pickleball rule 4.A.5)
In 2023, there was a new rule from USA Pickleball saying that manipulating the ball to add spin during the release of the ball is not allowed.
Some natural rotation of the ball when it is released is allowable, but the server must not impart manipulation or spin prior to striking the ball to serve. This applies to the volley serve and the drop serve.
If you would like to learn more details about these rules refer to the official rulebook at USAPickleball.org.
Maddie Toren is a pro pickleball official and the first-ever teen-certified referee. This is Episode 1 of “10 Rules All Beginner Pickleball Players Should Know: Part 1.”