How ALTA Players Saved A Life
By Henry Vincent, Pickleball Leagues Vice President
On a beautiful ALTA pickleball match day, players arrived expecting the usual things — friendly competition, great rallies, and time spent with teammates and friends. No one expected to witness a life-or-death emergency.
During one of the games, a player fell to the ground, and everyone was in shock. A sudden cry rang out across the courts: “Is there a doctor or nurse here? Does anyone know CPR?” That’s when Machelle Rybicky, who was on a nearby tennis court playing a makeup match, stepped in. At first, they didn’t realize how serious the situation was. What initially appeared to be a seizure was actually something far more critical. John Hoppa had gone into cardiac arrest.
Without hesitation, people sprang into action and immediately ran toward the scene. A nurse with years of experience, Rybicky started CPR compressions while another person sprinted to retrieve the community’s AED (Automated External Defibrillator). When the device arrived, they couldn’t find a breath or a pulse. Several volunteers worked together seamlessly. The AED pads were prepared and applied, and the machine delivered a shock. Still there was nothing. The AED instructed rescuers to continue compressions. They did. Moments later, Hoppa gasped for air. He was alive.
In the midst of what could have been a tragedy, something remarkable happened. Players, who moments earlier had been competitors, became teammates. People who didn’t know one another worked together with a singular purpose — to help someone in need. No one stopped to ask what team he played for. No one cared about the score. There were no opponents that day, only members of an ALTA community united around a fellow player. That is the essence and the spirit of the ALTA.
We often talk about pickleball and tennis being social sports. We celebrate championships, City Finals, and memorable matches. But the true strength of ALTA has never been found in the standings. It is found in the people who show up for one another when it matters most. That day reminded us that ALTA is more than a league. It’s more than a game. It’s a community. It’s a family. And because of that family, a player went home that day.
This experience also highlighted the importance of having AEDs readily available at our facilities. Quick access to the device, combined with trained volunteers willing to act, made a critical difference. The player survived because people were prepared, people cared, and people acted. On that day, we were reminded that we are more than teammates, captains, and competitors. We are family.
