DALLAS, TX – When Michael Loyd arrived at PPA Media Day in Atlanta, I couldn't help but notice his extensive collection of piercings, tattoos, and jewelry.

Loyd is consistently decked out in jewelry when he plays pickleball. And it’s far more than the occasional chain or two. 

“I have three chains, seven piercings, five bracelets, and anklets. I have at least a dozen pieces on when I play,” said Loyd. “I have to play with all of it, literally every single piece. Otherwise, I feel out of place. If I don’t have one of my rings on, I've got to run back to the hotel to grab them.”

After running late to practice a few too many times because he realized he didn’t have one of his pieces on, Loyd came up with an iron-clad strategy.

“I bought replacement jewelry just to fill the space so I could go back out on the court just in case I forgot something,” he said with a laugh. 

Along with his prized jewelry, Loyd has a grand total of seven piercings - one being a gold hoop on his nose.

When asked what prompted him to get the piercings, Loyd had this to say:

“Growing up, I went to a school near Waco, TX. At the time, I wasn’t allowed to have any piercings, tattoos, or long hair. So as soon as I graduated, I went and got piercings, tattoos, the whole galore so I could be myself and show some personality,” he explained.

Loyd got his first tattoo on his 18^th birthday and got his ears pierced soon after. 

“I got them pierced because of my friend Leo. He got his ears pierced and he wasn’t feeling super confident about it,” he said. 

After all, men having their ears pierced is still a bit uncommon.

Leo then asked Loyd if he liked the earrings, Loyd said he did, and Leo asked if his buddy would get his ears pierced, too. 

“Leo said that he’d buy them for me if I got my ears pierced, so I took him up on the offer,” he said. “From then on, I’ve just been getting more piercings and tattoos.”

“My mom always told me, ‘Do whatever you want, but don’t pierce your face, don’t get crazy tattoos or anything.’ And as soon as I went off to college, I was by myself and my mom wasn’t there, so she couldn’t tell me no. I got my nose pierced, and I knew that if I didn’t like it, I could just take it out. But, I ended up sticking with it,” added Loyd with a laugh. 

With his many piercings, tattoos, and ever-growing jewelry collection, Loyd has a distinctive look on the court that just works.

It’s only a matter of time before he ends up on a Best Dressed list.