Vancouver Island, with multiple events on the Island schedule heading into the month of January. Unbeknownst to many however, is an issue plaguing the playing field that carries serious implications related to the fairness and safety of the sport.
The issue of participating in pickleball matches with a “crushed paddle” has drawn attention from Shawnigan Lake Pickleball Club’s Leanne Schultz, who has noted that, in addition to these paddles causing volleys to trampoline off too fast to return, they are also extremely dangerous. The deflection launch angle sends counterattacks directly into faces and at speeds too fast to defend against.
“The amount of effort in the stroke gets a disproportionate response off the face,” explained Schultz. “For men, perhaps, they can still try to get a paddle on the ball. But for women, it is beyond our ability to respond. Our reflexes just aren’t fast enough. This is why some paddles have been delisted and banned, and why there are limits placed on paddles. It is not fair.”
Once a person has an ear for it, a core-crushed or delaminated paddle sticks out like a sore thumb. Firstly, they can often be heard from the parking lot, says Schultz, giving off a very loud sound that is different from the usual sound that particular paddle makes. Playing against a crushed paddle becomes obvious when a ball launches off the face much faster than it should.
In addition to the first clues of sound change, when thumbs are firmly pressed into the face, a crackling sound, like a chip bag, can be heard, or the sponginess can be felt as the face compresses. Official rulebooks state that paddle faces are not allowed to be compressible, damaged, or out of specifications. Another sign Schultz notes is that if the core-crushed paddle has been used a long time after crushing, the face can turn very shiny.
“At Shawnigan Lake Pickleball Club, where I am a director, we have been on top of this problem for a year and a half. Damaged paddles are identified and players informed,” added Schultz. “If they are in denial, they are urged to take it to Courtside Sports for testing. When we run DUPR sessions, participants are warned in advance that damaged paddles are not allowed, and that all paddles will get the thumbs test for core crush before we begin. Games with suspect paddles in them will not go into DUPR and play at our courts with crushed paddles is firmly discouraged.”
Schultz stresses that crushed paddles are giving a distinct advantage to the players who use them. Some do not know they are using a damaged paddle and immediately stop using it when shown. She guesstimates that she has identified close to two dozen of these off the courts by educating people.
“It astounds me how few people are aware of this very great threat to the integrity of amateur pickleball,” concluded Schultz. “The only attempt to tackle this is a new machine in the US called the Go-No-Go Machine that is being marketed to tournament directors to test paddles and ensure the broken ones are weeded out before a tournament.”
ABOUT VANCOUVER ISLAND PICKLEBALL
Vancouver Island Pickleball celebrates the growth and diversity of the Island’s pickleball community, sharing stories, updates, and resources that showcase the people, places, and passion driving the sport forward. With a vibrant social media presence and dynamic coverage, VIPB connects local and visiting players alike, highlighting the Island as a destination where pickleball and community thrive together.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/video/2026/01/21/concerns-over-use-of-crushed-pickleball-paddles