{"Status":true,"Message":"","Response":{"post":{"postuid":"e912b150-3fc2-41e9-8f22-60da67018dfd","tenantuid":"45a0010e-ec76-43e9-9914-4376bfa80903","projectuid":"4025e8c9-71ea-4557-850d-662c78598919","title":"Is the Erne Shot Legal in Pickleball?","slug":"article/is-the-erne-shot-legal-in-pickleball","html":"\u003Cp\u003EYes \u2014 the Erne shot is completely legal in pickleball. It is a legitimate, rules-compliant volley that simply requires the player to position themselves outside the non-volley zone (kitchen) rather than inside it. There is no special exception or gray area; the Erne follows the same volley rules that apply to every shot in the game.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\u0022why_people_ask_if_the_erne_is_legal\u0022\u003EWhy People Ask If the Erne Is Legal\u003C/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Erne looks unconventional \u2014 a player jumping or running around the kitchen to volley a ball from outside the court boundary \u2014 which leads many newer players and spectators to assume it must bend the rules somehow. It doesn\u0027t. The shot is simply an aggressive but fully legal application of the standard non-volley zone rule.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\u0022the_rule_that_makes_it_legal\u0022\u003EThe Rule That Makes It Legal\u003C/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUSA Pickleball\u0027s non-volley zone rule prohibits volleying while any part of your body touches the kitchen or its lines. It does not restrict where outside the kitchen you can stand. As long as a player\u0027s feet are not touching the kitchen (including the lines) at the moment of contact, and they don\u0027t carry momentum into the kitchen immediately afterward, the volley is legal \u2014 regardless of how far outside the court the player has moved to get there.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003EFeet must be outside the NVZ:\u003C/b\u003E This includes the lines bordering the kitchen.\u003C/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELanding matters too:\u003C/b\u003E A player must land completely outside the kitchen after the volley \u2014 if momentum carries them into the kitchen, it becomes a fault.\u003C/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003ENo restriction on lateral distance:\u003C/b\u003E The rule doesn\u0027t limit how far to the side a player can go. Whether they\u0027re one step outside the sideline or several feet beyond it, the Erne is legal as long as the feet are outside the kitchen.\u003C/li\u003E\u003C/ul\u003E\u003Ccite class=\u0022recommended\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022title\u0022\u003ENote\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe only way an Erne attempt becomes illegal is through footwork errors \u2014 touching the kitchen or its lines during the volley, or having momentum carry the player into the kitchen immediately after contact. The shot concept itself is fully sanctioned at every level of play, including USA Pickleball-sanctioned tournaments and professional tours.\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/cite\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\u0022erne_legality_at_the_professional_level\u0022\u003EErne Legality at the Professional Level\u003C/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Erne is a regular, accepted shot on professional tours including the PPA Tour and APP Tour. Referees in sanctioned matches watch closely for foot faults during Erne attempts \u2014 since the margin for error is small when a player is moving quickly around the kitchen \u2014 but the shot itself is never called illegal or penalized simply for being attempted.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Chr\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\u0022frequently_asked_questions\u0022\u003EFrequently Asked Questions\u003C/h2\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\u0022has_the_erne_ever_been_banned_or_restricted\u0022\u003EHas the Erne ever been banned or restricted?\u003C/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENo \u2014 the Erne has never been banned or specifically restricted by USA Pickleball. It has always been governed by the same non-volley zone rules that apply to all shots. Unlike certain serve techniques that have faced rule changes, the Erne\u0027s legality has remained consistent.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\u0022can_a_referee_call_a_fault_on_an_erne_just_for_being_risky\u0022\u003ECan a referee call a fault on an Erne just for being risky?\u003C/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENo \u2014 referees can only call a fault if there\u0027s an actual rule violation, such as a foot touching the kitchen line. A well-executed Erne, no matter how aggressive or unconventional it looks, cannot be penalized simply for being a high-risk shot choice.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ch3 id=\u0022whats_the_most_common_way_an_erne_becomes_illegal\u0022\u003EWhat\u0027s the most common way an Erne becomes illegal?\u003C/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe most common violation is momentum carrying the player\u0027s foot into the kitchen immediately after contact. Players executing a fast, aggressive Erne sometimes can\u0027t fully control their landing, and a foot drifting into the NVZ after the volley results in a fault \u2014 even though the volley itself was legal at contact.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Chr\u003E\u003Ch2 id=\u0022related_articles\u0022\u003ERelated Articles\u003C/h2\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://pickleball.com/docs/en/article/what-is-the-erne-shot-in-pickleball\u0022\u003EWhat Is the Erne Shot in Pickleball?\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://pickleball.com/docs/en/article/complete-pickleball-rules-guide\u0022\u003EComplete Pickleball Rules Guide\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://pickleball.com/docs/en/article/what-is-the-kitchen-rule-in-pickleball\u0022\u003EWhat Is the Kitchen Rule in Pickleball?\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\u003C/ul\u003E\u003Chr\u003E\u003Cp\u003EQuestions about pickleball rules? Email \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:support@pickleball.com\u0022\u003Esupport@pickleball.com\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E","publish_status":0,"post_type":"Article","authoruid":"42b786ed-5ff2-467c-9593-d828908ee6d2","author":{"authoruid":"42b786ed-5ff2-467c-9593-d828908ee6d2","name":"Christy Cook","url":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/christy-cook-texas/","photo_url":"https://graffiti-auf7e6dwhxhcbwek.z03.azurefd.net/45a0010e-ec76-43e9-9914-4376bfa80903/4025e8c9-71ea-4557-850d-662c78598919/4fd2cf59-047a-4a00-8a6d-2d9c6c9f91fe.jpg?v=1114665229","linkedin_url":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/christy-cook-texas/"},"featured_image_updating":false,"meta_description":"The Erne shot in pickleball is fully legal, following non-volley zone rules. Learn the requirements and why footwork is key to avoid faults.","keywords":"Erne shot; legal volley; non-volley zone; kitchen; foot faults; momentum rule; professional tours; USA Pickleball; volley rules; fault conditions","display_toc":true,"has_workingcopy":false,"allow_indexing":true,"total_views":10,"date_stale":"2027-07-01T00:00:00","date_published":"2026-06-30T05:00:00","date_updated":"2026-06-30T09:18:50.233","date_created":"2026-06-30T09:14:25.807"}}}