We've put it off long enough! Now that we are well into 2024, GMCF is going to start enforcing the new "Carry" rule in our pick-up games and competitive events.

The gist of this rule is that if the ball slides, rolls, or otherwise maintains contact with your paddle for more than a split-second it will be deemed a carry and that team will lose the rally. We all know it when we see it, and we feel it when we do it, so let's agree to speak up when it happens! Anyone on the court can call this violation out immediately after it happens, but it is BEST called by the person who performed the carry so we don't have any controversy on the courts. If you call someone else for the violation it should be an obvious carry and not one of those "was it, or wasn't it" calls. Just like line calls, err on the side of no-call so the game can continue without interruption.

Also note, that if the ball contacts your paddle more than once, and does not roll or slide along the surface, this is NOT a violation. Again, the best person to know if it was a multiple contact ball and not a carry will be the person hitting the ball. They will feel the multiple contacts in their hand, and there is usually an audible cue that the contacts were distinct. And to be a legal multiple contact, the paddle movement must be one continuous motion and not two separate attempts to hit the ball.

So there it is. Not my favorite 2024 rule change as it could lead to on-court "discussions" with lots of different perspectives and opinions, but we must follow the rules wherever they lead us in this great evolution of our sport!