Once you start getting pretty good at pickleball, and spending all your time at your local courts, you may consider learning how to become a pickleball coach. While there is no one process that pickleball coaches go through, there are some things you should consider before becoming a pickleball coach:
Be a student of the game
If you want to teach the game of pickleball, you should know the game of pickleball. You should work to constantly learn everything you can about the sport, continually grow your own skills, and study strategy from others.
Improving your own skills is important because you will not want to be teaching players who are as good, or better, than you. A 2.5 student will not necessarily want to take a lesson from another 2.5 player.
Learn the rules of pickleball
If you want to teach the game of pickleball, you should know everything you can about the game — especially the rules. Understanding the rules of pickleball will help you become an expert in the game so you can teach others, answer questions when they arise, and help your students understand how to use the rules to win every rally.
Learn how to analyze different types of students
Being a pickleball coach doesn’t just require knowing the game of pickleball, it also requires you to be able to watch a player and analyze what they can improve upon. You need to be able to diagnose errors and offer improvements they can work on.
Become a part of your local pickleball community
Learning how to coach will only be a part of becoming a pickleball coach — eventually you will also want some students. If you are at the skill level where you can become a pickleball coach, you are probably already playing on a regular basis and may already be very involved in your local pickleball community. If you are not, here are some ways to become more involved:
- Volunteer at local events.
- Play at different courts and venues around town.
- Don’t just show up — have conversations with other players and get to know them.
- Participate in any local pickleball associations, join their board of directors if possible.
- Join any local Facebook or other social groups to see upcoming events and be a part of the conversation.
Get certified
Although technically anyone can say they are a pickleball coach, getting certified in a reputable program will show potential students that you spent the time to learn what you are doing. Many coaching programs will also offer coaching tips, insurance, ongoing education, and other resources.
USA Pickleball recommends Pickleball Coaching International (PCI) as a coaching certification.
Read more here about becoming a certified pickleball coach.
Please keep in mind that many pickleball facilities will not allow you to coach without a pickleball certification. Some of the things you will learn when you go through a pickleball coaching certification:
- More about the game of pickleball, including rules and etiquette.
- How to create lesson plans.
- How to work with different types of students.
- How to analyze student play & skills.
- How to offer feedback and actionable lessons, drills, and tips.
- How to be a competent and empathetic instructor.
