Sometimes it’s okay to reach over the net; sometimes not so much.  Here’s the difference.

You may not cross the plane of the net with your arm or paddle before the ball comes to your side of the net.

It is okay to cross the plane of the net after the ball has reached your side. Of course, unless you are well over 6′, if you can reach over the net, you are probably in the kitchen and must remember to let the ball bounce.

Once in a while, an opponent will hit the ball with so much spin that it bounces back over the net on its own. You must hit that ball before it bounces on your opponents’ court, or it is a fault against you. If you are quick enough, you can reach over the net and tap it before it bounces. If you can do that, you’ll probably win the point!

You may not touch the net, ever, during play!

Bev writes a weekly email blast for our pickleball club. She delivers the rules with clarity and a sense of humor. If you have a rules question post it in the comments below.