TUCSON, Arizona — Raven Peer, a 31-year-old Tucson transplant from Kansas City, is turning heads at the Udall Park pickleball courts—not for any flashy gear, but for his lack of it.
Peer plays pickleball barefoot, a habit inspired by his father, who did many things shoeless after a joint injury.
“I do it because I like it and I enjoy it,” Peer said.
Upon going back to school at the University of Arizona, Peer has become a regular at the Udall courts, where there’s no “no shoes, no service” sign to stop him. His barefoot style shocked fellow players at first, but his skill quickly stole the show.
“Last week, we were shocked when this barefoot wonder came on and thrashed all to death,” said Bill Weld, a local regular, noting Peer’s figurative dominance on the court.
Players were initially fixated on Peer’s bare feet but soon focused on his talent.
“We watch his feet at the beginning of his game, but we put that behind us because he is so good,” Weld added.
“To be honest, I feel my balance is a little better. Every once in a while, my reaction is quicker because the swish of the shoes isn’t there,” he explained.
Playing barefoot under the Tucson sun does come with challenges. “It’ll get hot between the hours of noon to four, but outside of those hours, it’s typically cool enough to play on.”
Peer said. His feet, toughened by a thick layer of calluses, seem up to the task. “I feel like the blood circulation is a little better, my ankle is a little thicker,” he noted.
Peer isn’t the first athlete to ditch shoes. Rick Karlis kicked a field goal barefoot for the Denver Broncos in a Super Bowl, but barefoot athletes remain a novelty.
Peer embraces the distinction.
“I’m sure others do it. It’s something that makes me slightly different,” he said.
For now, Tucson’s barefoot pickleball player continues to make his mark, one swift, shoeless step at a time.
