CoR and Players: Application

Introduction of pickleball coefficient of restitution complicates a lot more than things for the manufacturer. High level tournaments now already involved a significant amount of pretesting for paddles. Many tournaments require that paddles be tested beforehand for the usual battery of tests. 

What's different about coefficient of restitution is it can't be tested for beforehand and with its selective implementation doesn't seem to be intended to be. The apparatus is extremely complicated and as we have covered in other post would be difficult to recreate for a very dedicated party even another standards lab. This translate to impossibility recreating the method for on-site testing. 

Based on the usaps apparent intention of using this role retroactively it's likely that this rule will be something that does affect players especially at high levels such as pros. This is a rule that may require not only retroactive additional testing but confiscation of a paddle for testing. It's not likely that anyone will receive this paddle back. 

So how will this apply to tournaments? Will questionable paddles be subject to destructive testing? No but this provides an excellent shortcut and sneaky way to get paddles especially paddles that perform especially well tested sooner than usual and implementation applied disastrously quickly to companies. 

Besides the effect this has on companies it's also problematic for the players that use these paddles Pros have to balance the aspects of using high performance equipment and compliant equipment. This as well as maintaining an image that is public relations fitting and usually benefiting monetarily. These interests are far from aligned with that of the recreational player to whom compliance is very much a secondary concern. It's probably far over emphasized in professional play considering the laughable standards we have on other parts of play and equipment the ball for example.