SANDY, Utah — Sandy City officials are set to recognize seven pickleballers who turned into lifesavers last month when a fellow player collapsed on the court last month.
The popularity of the sport seems to be ever-growing across the country.
“I got hooked and I’ve been playing nonstop ever since,” said Mara Fineshriber, who lives in Draper.
It’s a pastime that’s increasingly shared by people of all ages in recent years.
“It’s a great sport because it still can be fast and you still have strategy,” said Bob Williams, who lives in Highland.
Club Pickleball USA welcomed hundreds of visitors and new members in 2024 alone.
“Once we figured racquetball was hurting my back, I needed something else,” said Kevin Newman. “It’s a lot less stress on your body.”
These three former tennis players love the balance that the game brings.
“You’ve got all kinds of abilities and so you can play to whatever level you want,” Williams said.
The tournaments at the club can get competitive. But they never realized just how serious it would be, come Dec. 5.
“I was ambassadoring the event. There were 28 people,” Fineshriber said. “It’s what’s called a round robin.”
“I saw Kevin turn,” Williams said. “A ball had hit over his head and he took a turn — next thing I know, he went down.”
“I just couldn’t get up,” Newman said. “I couldn’t move. I answered two questions and then I passed out.”
In his first tournament at the club, Kevin Newman went into cardiac arrest on the court.
“When I got to Kevin, Kevin was already in full arrest,” said Fineshriber. “He wasn’t breathing.”
Retired EMT Kathryn Reinartz and several others jumped into action.
“I have a retired anesthesiologist keeping his airway open…and I call for an AED,” said Reinartz.
“Kathryn then announced, ‘Anybody who’s got CPR training, please get in a line behind me,’” Fineshriber said.
Fineshriber was among those who answered the call. She says those minutes felt like hours.
“I didn’t think we were going to get him back,” said Fineshriber.
But within two hours, they got a call from the hospital.
“He was in stable condition - he had pulled through,” said Williams.
These bystanders say having an onsite AED is critical and it’s what ultimately saved Newman.
“You can do CPR forever and ever and ever,” Reinartz said. “But to shock the heart back into a normal rhythm - you have to have one.”
After all the CPR Newman received, the hugs still hurt and he’s still hesitant to start playing again.
“It’ll be a little nerve-racking, but I’ll be able to do it,” said Newman.
But Newman says he’s found a new family on these courts — maybe they even rise above family.
“There were angels that day when I played pickleball,” Newman said. “Six or eight angels watching over me.”
Each of the seven bystanders — Fineshriber, Reinartz, Williams, Jo Amneteg, Sharon Hamilton, Brad McDougal and Ralph McKay — will receive Sandy Fire Department’s Life Saving Award in a special ceremony held at their city hall Wednesday night at 6 p.m.
