Pickleball's Worst Moments: Stories of Chaos on the Court

The Kitchen Team

Your pickleball fanatics

Last Edited

Nov 25 2024

Category

Community

How does that old saying go? You can't appreciate the highs of life without seeing a few lows.

When we told you about the player who was needlessly kicked in the head after a recent pickleball match, we were just as shocked to see a somewhat desensitized response to this shocking incident.

Some commenters insinuated that the victim "had it coming" for acting too excited right before the assault.

It had us wondering: has our audience seen something like this before?

Sadly, it seems they have. The court can turn into a theater of intense emotions, sometimes boiling over in ways no one expects.

Here are some of the out-there stories they told us:

One reader recounted a fiery exchange where a player, frustrated by a questionable line call, smashed their paddle so hard it splintered into pieces.

Another described a scuffle that started with heated words over a missed call and ended with shoving.

Even pros aren’t immune—one reader who attended a pro event shared how a player dented a door in frustration when their partner didn’t show after a rain delay.

But it’s not all chaos. A heartwarming story emerged about a player showing stroke symptoms mid-game. Instead of panicking, everyone rallied together, summoning help swiftly. That member is now back on the court, thanks to the quick-thinking pickleball community.

Pickleball seems to bring out some extremes in people, maybe more so than we used to think. All of this is a reminder, though, that emotions run high in a game where camaraderie and competition intersect like it does in this sport.

Send us an email with your story.

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