In pickleball coaching, one of the most effective ways to help players improve isn’t adding more drills or fancy equipment—it’s simply letting them know what they’re working on and what success looks like. When players understand the goal of the session, they focus better, stay more engaged, and make faster progress.
Speedups: Off the Bounce vs. Out of the Air
In pickleball coaching, one of the most effective ways to help players improve isn’t adding more drills or fancy equipment—it’s simply letting them know what they’re working on and what success looks like. When players understand the goal of the session, they focus better, stay more engaged, and make faster progress.
Creating Your Coaching Voice: Speak with Confidence to Lead Effectively
Your voice is one of your most important tools on the court. Whether you’re running drills or giving feedback, the way you speak shapes how players understand and respond. A coaching voice isn’t about being loud, it’s about being clear, confident, and engaging so everyone feels guided and supported.
Pickleball Strategy, Pickleball Technique
Turning the Tide in a Point: How to use Defensive Strategies to stay in the Game
Defence is just as important as offence. Knowing how to handle an aggressive opponent can change the direction of a match. When you’re under pressure, giving yourself more time can help you reset and get back into position. Remember, hitting the ball slower with more shape can provide more time in comparison to hitting the ball faster and straight, which can take away time. A soft reset shot is one of the best ways to regain control and break their momentum. By taking the pace off the ball and dropping it into the non-volley zone, you force your opponent to move from attacking to dinking, giving yourself time to recover.
Set the Lesson Tone: First impressions Matter More Than You Think
Whether you’re running a beginner clinic or working with advanced players, the tone you set at the start of a lesson shapes the entire experience. Before you even feed the first ball, players are forming opinions: Is this coach prepared? Do they take this seriously? Am I in good hands?
One of the easiest and most effective ways to set a professional tone is by arriving early and showing up looking like a coach. These small habits build trust and create a strong foundation for learning.
Footwork and Positioning: Move with Purpose to Stay in Control
Keep It Game-Like, Coach! The Importance of Training Players Through Play
In pickleball coaching, one of the most effective ways to help players improve isn’t a complicated drill or a long explanation—it’s simply to make practice look and feel more like the real game. When your drills reflect the actual situations players face in matches, their learning sticks, their decisions improve, and their skills transfer more easily.
Volleying and Net Play: How to Take Control at the Kitchen Line
How to Give Effective Feedback: Coaching That Drives Improvement
Providing effective feedback is one of the most important skills a pickleball coach can develop. The way you deliver feedback can make the difference between a player feeling motivated to improve or becoming frustrated and discouraged. One of the best ways to ensure that your feedback is clear, constructive, and encouraging is by using the "What, Why, How" feedback method.
Should I Drop it or Drive it? How to Make the Right Third Shot Choice
You’ve served. Your opponents return the ball deep. Now it’s your move—and this next shot may just decide how the rally plays out. It’s the third shot, and whether you choose to drop it softly or drive it with power, one thing’s for sure: this shot is your first real opportunity to take control of the point.
Building Progression in a Lesson: A Coach’s Building Blocks for Pickleball Mastery
One of the most effective ways to help players improve in pickleball is using a progression-based approach to teaching. Instead of overwhelming players with multiple concepts at once, start with basic skills and build up gradually. This method ensures players develop solid fundamentals before advancing to more complex techniques.
Join The Soft Side: The Importance of Mastering Drops and Dinks
Keep It Simple Coach: Less is more, especially in the coaching world
Mastering the Serve & Return in Pickleball: Controlling the Rally from the First Shot
In pickleball, a strong serve and return are essential for controlling the flow of the rally right from the start. The serve is your first opportunity to set the tone for the point, and a strategic return can give you the upper hand. As pickleball paddle technology progresses, players can hit stronger, faster and more aggressive serves while maintaining control, which means they are starting off the point with a bang. By not taking advantage of your serve, you start off the point at a disadvantage by letting your opponents get a free ride to the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ). Here’s how to master both and give yourself the best chance of success.
Starting with the Fundamentals: The Big Five
No matter your skill level, mastering the fundamentals is key to improving your pickleball game. Too often, players jump ahead to advanced strategies without first developing a solid foundation. By focusing on the Big Five—Grip, Setup, Impact Point, Sensation, and Recovery—you’ll build consistency, control, and confidence on the court. Let’s break them down.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: The Importance of Teamwork and Court Positioning in Doubles
Great doubles teams don’t just hit great shots—they work together seamlessly. The best partners move as a unit, communicate effectively, and cover the court strategically. When you and your partner are in sync, you force your opponents into challenging situations while setting yourselves up for success.
It’s the Little Things: Being a Caring Instructor
A great coach is not just about having successful drills and teaching effective techniques it's about connection. The best instructors don’t just teach the game; they make their students feel valued, supported, and motivated. It's the little things in every lesson that make the biggest impact on players.
The Art of Deception: Disguising Your Shots Through a Consistent Setup and Impact Point
Pro pickleball players don’t just hit great shots—they keep their opponents guessing. One of the most effective ways to do this is through deception, and the key to deception is consistency in your setup and impact point. When your preparation looks the same for multiple shots, you force your opponent to react late, giving you the advantage.
Coaching a Game of Movement: Throw and Catch Drills
If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a million times: pickleball is a game of movement. You can have the nicest swing in the world but if you can’t get to the ball, you can’t use it. That’s why pickleball coaches should get their players – especially those who maybe don’t have an extensive ball sport background – to work on their catching skills. Here’s are three examples of catching-related drills that will help your players improve: