Advancements in Pickleball Paddle Testing: In recent years, the rapid advancement of equipment technology has posed new challenges for USA Pickleball. To address these changes and maintain the integrity of the sport, USA Pickleball has teamed up with ASTM International’s sports equipment committee. This partnership has led to the establishment of a new subcommittee focused specifically on pickleball equipment and facilities.
Collaboration with ASTM International
Carl Schmits, USA Pickleball’s chief technical officer, explained the organization’s approach to equipment certification as a gradual process.
“USA Pickleball’s equipment certification has philosophically taken a ‘crawl, walk, run’ approach. Our team wanted to ensure our process was timely, affordable, implementable and had input from manufacturers so we could respond appropriately to equipment developments in the industry. We’re excited to announce we’ve now entered the ‘run’ phase.” – (Carl Schmits)
The aim is to ensure that the certification process is timely, affordable, and adaptable, allowing for feedback from manufacturers and stakeholders. As the initiative progresses, USA Pickleball is excited to announce it has entered the “run” phase, signaling a more dynamic approach to pickleball paddle testing.
ASTM International has been a significant player in the development of safety and performance standards for various sports since its founding in 1898. With a vast network of over 35,000 members globally, ASTM creates approximately 13,000 standards each year. This extensive expertise is crucial for developing reliable standards for pickleball equipment that will benefit players and manufacturers.
“You have to have the expertise in order to start a subcommittee, because we don’t want to be creating, obviously, technical standards, especially safety standards where we don’t have all the right people at the table. That’s what really is the strength of our process is that we’re wide open. There are no barriers to entry into ASTM, so we invite all interested stakeholders.” – (Dan Smith, ASTM vice president for technical committee operations)
The Importance of Pickleball Paddle Testing
The growth of pickleball has brought about innovations that significantly affect gameplay. The sport is played on a court measuring just 20 feet wide by 44 feet long, meaning that any increase in paddle power and spin can drastically change how the game is played. Carl Schmits emphasized the need for balance, stating,
“Both power and spin need to be aligned with that relatively small footprint of the pickleball court. The ball itself can come off (the paddle) pretty quickly.” – (Carl Schmits)
This balance is essential not only for the game’s integrity but also for the health and safety of players at all levels. USA Pickleball has been developing testing techniques to measure paddle performance, focusing on power and spin rates. Paddles can launch the ball at speeds up to 60 miles per hour, with spin rates reaching 2,400 revolutions per minute.
This rapid development of testing methods has been a collaborative effort, incorporating feedback from players and manufacturers to create standards that truly reflect the sport’s needs.
“We’re directly testing those attributes of the paddle that we’re trying to bound, and that’s power and spin.” – (Carl Schmits)
The testing process has transitioned from indirect methods to direct or dynamic testing, allowing for more accurate measurements of paddle performance. By utilizing advanced technology like high-speed cameras and radar, USA Pickleball aims to establish reliable testing protocols by the first quarter of 2025. This forward-thinking approach is designed to ensure that paddle specifications are not only robust but also adaptable to future innovations.
“We’re very excited about that. We do take care in this kind of research. It’s very data driven. We look for good data, not just data, and information and data that we can trust.” – (Carl Schmits)
“So it was a very thorough process. There was a great deal of enrollment with many critical stakeholders in this process.” – (Carl Schmits)
Looking Ahead: Ensuring Fair Play and Innovation
As USA Pickleball finalizes its testing methods, it is committed to transparency and cooperation with manufacturers.
“This will be pickleball’s own standard. Our tests are open book. There’s no surprises or anything.” – (Carl Schmits)
This transparency is vital for fostering a level playing field in the sport and preventing fragmentation of standards. Pickleball paddles that do not meet the established specifications will be phased out in a way that minimizes commercial disruption.
“as quickly as possible without incurring commercial damage.” – (Carl Schmits)
A key goal of these new standards is to allow continued innovation in pickleball equipment while safeguarding the sport’s core principles.
“That’s still important. The dynamic tests or direct tests actually put us in a much better position to allow that to happen without disallowing specific materials and things like that. It’s so important for the growth of the sport to avoid fragmentation. In this sport, I’m very concerned for the potential for fragmentation … of standards and in certification.” – (Carl Schmits)
Carl Schmits reassured that as long as paddles adhere to power and spin rate specifications, manufacturers have the freedom to explore various materials and designs.
“We won’t tell you how to build a paddle. Just meet the specification that everyone else is. We try to keep a level playing field there.” – (Carl Schmits)
News in Brief: Advancements in Pickleball Paddle Testing
USA Pickleball has partnered with ASTM International to develop new standards for pickleball paddle testing, ensuring fair play while allowing for innovation. This collaboration focuses on measuring paddle power and spin, crucial for maintaining the integrity of the sport on small courts.
Using advanced technology, testing protocols are set to be finalized by early 2025. USA Pickleball aims for transparency, inviting manufacturers to meet set specifications while fostering continued development in paddle design, safeguarding both player experience and competitive balance.
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