Rules Rule: A Thumbs Up (or Down) to Line Judges

Before diving into my first topic as USA Racquetball’s newest National Rules Commissioner, please allow me to introduce myself (“I’m a man of wealth and taste”)[1]. I began playing racquetball in elementary school, when my father took me to the local club and taught me the basics of the game. However, it was my wife, Rebecca, that got me hooked on racquetball. I joined my high school team in part because I wanted to ask Rebecca on a date (she said “no,” at least at first). Then in 2011, Rebecca started the Lindbergh High School team and asked me to help as an assistant coach. I have been coaching youth racquetball ever since, and our two children have already begun playing racquetball.

My goal in these articles is to provide light-hearted, entertaining, yet informative content to USA Racquetball’s members. I welcome your feedback and suggestions for future topics of discussion. As always, if you have a question about the rules, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am here to help as best I can.

With that introduction aside, let the rules discussions begin . . .

In fourteen years of coaching racquetball, I have noticed that teenagers are reluctant to volunteer to referee a match. However, if you ask teenagers to serve as line judges, they scurry to the tournament desk faster than my two-year old puppy when chasing a laser pointer. (Said puppy is pictured below because everyone’s day is made just a little bit better by seeing pictures of adorable animals.) Yet, many players of any age remain unaware of the specifics of how to serve as a line judge. This issue came to the forefront at the recent 2025 USA Racquetball National Indoor Championships when a line judge appeared confused about what a thumbs up or down was supposed to indicate. So, let’s clarify things.

If you are a line judge, the first thing to know is where you should stand (or sit, if standing is not possible). Pursuant to Rule B.6(c), the players and referee shall “designate the court location of the line judges.” Any dispute about where the line judges should be positioned is resolved by the tournament director. In practicality, referees and players usually position the line judges at the far right and far left ends of the back wall. In the event of an appeal, Rule B.6(f) states that the line judges should wait until the referee explains his or her call and asks for a ruling. When that happens, Rule B.6(e) provides that line judges shall “extend their arm horizontally” and give a hand signal as follows:  a thumbs UP to show agreement with the referee’s call; a thumbs DOWN to show disagreement with the referee’s call; or an open hand with the palm facing downward to indicate no opinion on the referee’s call. For clarity, see the following graphic which is contained in Rule B.6(g) in the USA Racquetball Official Rules.

Joshua Jones

Line judges should make their decisions as quickly as possible after the referee asks for a ruling and do so without looking at the other line judge’s hand signal—in other words, each line judge should make an independent decision.

For example, the referee believes that Player A’s shot skipped and makes the call. Player A appeals, and the referee explains her call to the line judges. If the line judges believe the ball skipped—as in, they agree with the referee—they should quickly give a thumbs up without looking at one another. If they believe the ball did not skip—as in, they disagree with the referee—they should give a thumbs down.

Critically, both line judges must disagree (thumbs down) with the referee to overturn her call. If either line judge gives a thumbs up (i.e., agrees with the referee) or extends has a hand with palm down (i.e., is not sure), the referee’s call stands. See the chart below.

Joshua Jones

A final note to all future line judges. While everyone is anxious to see Erika Manilla’s next Instagram post detailing her trip to the airport with only moments to spare (will she make it??), line judges should pay strict attention to the match and avoid unnecessary distractions (e.g., phones). If a line judge misses a call because of an on-court obstruction, that is certainly understandable (and remember to be honest with your call, no peeking at your fellow line judge for assistance). But if a line judge misses a call because he or she was distracted by a phone or other distraction, that will not sit well with any tournament director.

If you are a referee in a match with line judges, you have responsibilities! The complete list of your pre-match responsibilities is found in Rule B.5(a). As relevant here, you are responsible for identifying who the line judges will be for the match and communicating with the players about the line judges’ placement. While not specifically enumerated in the rules, it is also a good idea for you to talk to the line judges before the match begins, to ensure that the line judges have an accurate understanding of the procedures in the event of an appeal. If an appeal does occur, Rule B.6(f) clarifies that you must first announce to the line judges what your call was and then ask for a ruling from the line judges.

Joshua Jones

[1] If you don’t get the reference, do a search for “Sympathy for the Devil by the Rolling Stones.”