How a Tucson player’s unconventional style is turning heads — and winning games
In a sport filled with paddles, plastic balls, and careful footwork, one Tucson player is drawing attention not for what he brings to the court — but for what he leaves behind. Shoes.
A Player With a Story Underfoot
Just three games into the new pickleball season at Tucson’s Udall Park, 31-year-old Raven Peer is already a local legend. Every player has a story about how they started the sport. Raven’s story begins with an absence — the absence of footwear.
Peer grew up in Kansas City, where his father suffered joint injuries in an accident. That injury led the family toward a surprisingly simple adaptation: going barefoot. Soccer, martial arts, tennis — all without shoes. Raven followed his father’s lead, eventually applying the same approach to pickleball.
After relocating to Tucson to return to school, Peer found the Udall courts to be the perfect fit. As he likes to point out, “There’s no sign that says no shoes, no service.”
Turning Curiosity Into Respect
Players at the park still remember the first time the “barefoot wonder” stepped onto the court. Bill Weld, a regular at Udall, recalls the surprise.
“Last week, we were shocked when this barefoot guy came on fresh,” Weld said. “And then we forgot about it — because he’s so good at pickleball.”
Raven doesn’t simply endure the court surface; he thrives on it. He says the lack of shoes gives him better balance and sharper reaction time.
“Every once in a while, I can feel my reaction speed being a little quicker,” he explained. “That squished time of the shoes isn’t there.”
Heat, Calluses, and Practical Barefoot Science
Playing barefoot in Tucson might sound painful, but Peer says timing is everything. Midday heat — typically from noon to 4 p.m. — is the danger zone. Outside of those hours, he says, the ground stays cool enough to comfortably play on.
As for durability? Peer’s feet have developed a thick layer of callus — a natural adaptation that many barefoot athletes describe.
“I feel like the blood circulation is bigger,” he said. “My ankles are a little thicker.”
A Tradition of Barefoot Outliers
Barefoot athletes are rare, but not unheard of. NFL kicker Rich Karlis famously booted field goals without shoes, including during the Super Bowl. The trend has always carried a touch of novelty — something Peer acknowledges with a smile.
“I’m sure someone else will do the same thing,” he said.
Until then, the Udall Park community has their own homegrown barefoot icon — a reminder that in pickleball, as in life, sometimes the unconventional path is the one that keeps you firmly grounded.
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