The Scariest Things Pickleball Players Have Seen on the Court
Last Edited
Oct 30 2024
Category
Community
Some things on the pickleball court are enough to give anyone nightmares.
Sometimes, that nightmare is as simple as the gear we thought was a good idea (Crocs? Snake-print underwear? A delaminated paddle?!) or the high-velocity ball aimed right at your eye.
We recently asked our Facebook group to share the most terrifying things they’ve ever witnessed on a pickleball court, and the responses were split between gruesome injuries and some serious laughs.
Let’s take a look at both the spine-chilling and the lighthearted.
Health Emergencies
One of the most chilling trends on the pickleball court? Heart attacks.
A few players shared truly harrowing accounts: “An elderly man face-planted, and we realized he’d had a stroke,” while another commenter recalled a player who suffered a massive heart attack on the court.
“We thought he was reaching for a ball, but he went down and needed CPR right there.”
And while CPR-savvy bystanders have thankfully saved lives, these stories are a stark reminder that we’re here for the long game—literally.
Takeaway: Stay hydrated, know your limits, and make sure you (or someone around) knows how to handle emergencies. Also, encourage your local courts to make sure an automated external defibrillator (AED) is available.
Falls and Injuries
The lob shot—a pickleballer’s best friend and greatest enemy. So many respondents had stories of players running backward, only to wipe out in painful and sometimes gruesome fashion.
One described the moment when “a man’s ankle didn’t turn with him as he pivoted for a shot—broke it in three places.”
Even worse, backward falls on hard surfaces can lead to fractures, like wrists and hips.
Not every lob is worth a retrieval; but even so, there IS a safer way to handle them. Be sure to turn your entire body to face the direction the lob is heading, then run to retrieve. NEVER step backwards without looking.
But amidst these frightening tales, we also plenty of jokes:
- "My pickleball game"
- "Harry making a correct line call"
- "My dubs partner in pants that were too tight"
- "My backhand!"
Eye Injuries: Yes, You Should Be Wearing Eye Protection
An inconceivable number of players have taken a ball or paddle right to the face, making eye injuries disturbingly common on the pickleball court.
One commenter detailed an unfortunate incident where a ball flew right into his open eye “so hard it knocked my lens out!”
Lesson learned: eye protection isn’t just for the pros. As one commenter said, “Seeing a paddle smack my eyeball was all it took to pick up some safety glasses.”
Paddle Wars and Misplaced Rage
Some players bring their anger onto the court, and that's always a horrifying sight.
“My opponent threw his paddle after a loss,” one person recalled, “and it hit me right in the side of the face.”
Another story took the drama up a notch: “One guy kept speeding up the ball at his partner, eventually flinging his paddle at the poor dude’s face.”
Call it a full-contact paddle toss, but it’s a reminder to keep tempers in check.
Animals…And the “What Were You Thinking?” Wardrobe Choices
Finally, some unsettling encounters were of the non-human variety. Between snakes slithering on the court and the occasional wasp or scorpion attack, the pickleball court is not always creature-free.
One player wrote, “The scariest thing I saw on the court was a rattlesnake in the net!”
And, of course, we can’t ignore some truly frightful fashion choices. One player described the shock of seeing “an elderly man in nothing but sneakers and snake-print underwear”—on his birthday, no less.
Some of the Most Interesting Individual Responses:
On the seriousness of health emergencies:
- “A gentleman collapsed and went into cardiac arrest and eventually died.”
- “My partner had a pop-up, and my best friend slammed a powerful put-away towards my feet. She mis-hit, and it came straight for my head. I ducked, but it hit my ear solidly.”
Falls and fractures during play:
- “Saw a woman trip on her footing, fall forward with paddle still in hand, and face-plant into her paddle, breaking her nose and knocking out her front teeth.”
- “Had a guy die this summer after face-planting onto a bench.”
Eye injuries and the need for protection:
- “A ball slammed at my face. Ducked and could feel it graze my hair. I had opted that day not to wear my glasses.”
- “The edge of a pickleball paddle hit me in the eyeball. Yes, I always wear eye protection now.”
Unexpected anger on the court:
- “After my opponent's humiliating loss, he said, ‘f** you,’ then hit me with a paddle!"
Unusual animals and pests making appearances:
- “A rattlesnake in the bottom of the net.”
- “An angry swarm of hornets took over our court mid-game.”
Dangerous wardrobe choices:
- “An 80+ year-old man in snake-print underwear briefs and a Creature from the Black Lagoon mask. It was his birthday, and he thought it would be fun to play that way.”
- “A giant man playing in nothing but sneakers and tight pants—on a breezy day, no undergarments.”
These comments showcase the good, the bad, and the downright funny on the pickleball court.
But between the laughs and gasps, there are real takeaways we hope you'll keep in mind...lest you wind up in somebody else's pickleball horror story.
Got a good story from the court? Email us here!
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