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

The Kitchen Team

Team The Kitchen

Last Edited

Nov 25 2024

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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.

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