I smashed a volley, my opponents can't return it and we won the point, b
I'm windmilling. Can I ever step into the kitchen?
I can? When?
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I recently did an AMA Ask Me Snything with Certified Referee and Referee Trainer
Don Stanley.
Of course there were a multitude of questions about the non-volley zone or as
some of you liked to affectionately call it the kitchen.
What you didn't see is after the segment was over,
Don and I continued to talk about the non-volley zone.
We were curious as to why people have the same misconceptions and seem to ask
the same questions repeatedly.
That's when I decided it was time to go back and start answering the questions
that I hear most.
I frequently hear questions about volleys and momentum that usually sound
something like this. I hit a smash volley,
my opponents weren't unable to return it and it ended the point.
I know my momentum can't carry me into the kitchen even after the ball is dead,
but how long does it last? When can I step into the non-volley zone?
They're asking for clarification on rule 9. B and 9. B.1. 9.
B states it is a fault if the volleying player or anything that has contact with
the volleying player while in the act of volleying touches the non volley zone.
9.B.1 says the act of volleying the ball includes the swing,
the follow through, and the momentum from the action.
In order to delve a little deeper,
let's make sure that we all know the definitions of what's involved.
If you need a rule book, click down in the show notes,
there's a link to a free PDF.
Let's define volley. 3.A.44 defines
volley as during a rally,
a strike of the ball out of the air before the ball has bounced.
What's a dead ball? Rule 3.A.4 says
that a dead ball is a ball that's no longer in play. Next,
let's talk about a fault.
3.A.11 says that a fault is a rules violation that results in a dead ball and
the end of the rally.
There can be a multitude of ways that you could have a fault.
In this instance,
the ball bounced twice because my opponents couldn't return the smash volley.
So what about your momentum and can you ever step in the kitchen?
Here's what Don had to say.
I'm at the line and I smash a volley. Okay,
then I'll start to windmill and then the ball bounces once in the court and in
twice, it's out of bounds.
What would normally be a good shot for me up until this point? Right now,
technically I've won the rally,
but my momentum windmilling and then I eventually boom,
step in the zone.
There is no time limit per se on your momentum carrying you into the zone.
So even if the ball is dead,
if my momentum is judged by the referee to have taken me into the zone,
that is a fault.
Even if the ball has gone onto the other courts and everybody's turned off the
lights and gone home,
there is no time limit on a momentum issue taking you into the zone and being a
fault.
The phrase that is used thinking the ref handbook and,
and very commonly used is the ref needs to see that the player has regained
bodily control. Okay.
So if I'm windmilling and then stop and reset,
shall we say, I've regained bodily control.
I've had this happen several times.
A player will smash a volley and it's actually match point or game point and
then they'll smash volley. They'll win the point,
they recover slightly or they, let's say they pull back for a second.
So they're pulled themselves away from the zone,
then the matches over the game is over.
They step into the zone to go touch paddles.
He had regained his control and had self composure, regained bodily control.
And after that point, basically we're, we're good to go,
if that makes sense. The momentum,
it has stopped when a player regains their bodily control.
Now, let's talk about somebody who poaches and they are, they run over,
they poach, and they're running across tiptoeing, you know,
to not step on the NVZ. That one can last three or four or five steps.
Okay? It's when the ref determines, okay,
you have regained your bodily control. You're in control of yourself.
You're in control of yourself, not the momentum is control of you.
And when that happens, you're good to go.
If you want to learn more about the rules, as I mentioned before,
there's a free PDF in the show notes down below. And if you click over here,
you can watch the entire ask me anything with Don Stanley.
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because together we can.
Train Smart, Live Bold, and AGE-WELL.