So, you’ve heard about Pickleball and want to give it a go. With its growing popularity across the country, now is a great time to learn how to play it. You have many options on learning Pickleball and we will walk you through the many different methods you can learn how to play it.
Playing with Friends and Family
Most people take up Pickleball by hearing about it from friends or family and thus learning from them is a natural method. This is a fun activity to share and, except for the equipment, is zero cost. For some people this is all they need, but for many that want to play outside their close group there are a few problems with this. As someone just learning, you never know if the instruction you are getting is good. People can come up with wrong ideas about the rules. The same goes for strategy and form.
YouTube
YouTube is one of the greatest educational resources that we have today as it allows people across the world to learn anything they want simply by watching videos. This of course, includes Pickleball. It is a great way to learn all of the rules before you go out and hit the court.
Besides the rules, YouTube can be extremely helpful with giving you drills to practice your skills as well as tips and tricks from Pickleball professionals. This is a great option to anyone who is trying to learn the sport, however it does not beat actually going out to play the sport on your own and you will not have any feedback on what you may need to correct on your form or court position.
Group Lessons
Group lessons are a great way to meet others who share your interest and usually get quality in-person instruction. Start by checking with your local Parks and Recreation department to see if they have any offerings. If there is a local Pickleball club, they should offer group lessons at a reasonable cost. Group lessons can also make for a lot of fun since you can learn from the others in your class as well as the instructor. Then after the class you will have more friends to play with and they can help instruct you as well because they might remember something different than what the coach said which you have forgotten.
Private indoor clubs that have courts should also offer periodic group lessons. Don’t limit yourself to only one source. If you have access to multiple sources of group lessons, take them all. At the very least, you’ll make new friends and have an ever-widening list of people to play with.
Pickleball Camps
Pickleball camps are a type of group lesson that often offer several back-to-back days of instruction by a higher-level pro and assistants. You should receive quality instruction but this will come at a price. Prices can be from $300 to $700. This is obviously an option only for those that are serious and have the means to enroll in them. Camps can be found by checking the Pickleball Fire Website. Levelup, Nike, and Never Stop Playing Pickleball are some of the bigger camp promoters.
Private Lessons
Private or semi-private lessons, (2 or 3 people) gives you the most personalized instruction. Even though you are paying, this option is actually one of the quickest ways to improve your Pickleball skills. You learn the fastest this way since you will be instructed by someone who has a lot of experience in the sport and can tailor their instruction to you specifically. If you have Pickleball courts in your area, there is likely a coach that you can get lessons from and many are listed on the Pickleball Fire website. Word of mouth is also a good way to discover local instructors. Preferably find someone that has an instructor certification to ensure they can deliver a decent lesson.
Lesson prices can run from about $30 to $100. If you can afford it, a couple of private lessons is a great way to kick start or fine tune your skills.
Conclusion
We discussed five different options to help you learn how to play the sport of Pickleball. These options include learning from friends and family, YouTube videos, group lessons, camps, and private lessons. Now each of these options have their own pros and cons and it is up to you to decide ones are best for you. We hope you found this article helpful and enjoy your new and improved Pickleball skills!
Author Bio
Tom Darzes is a PPR certified instructor offering private coaching in Coeur d’Alene, ID. Details on his coaching can be found at www.MyPickleball.coach.
