Beginner training plan Your first lesson • Initial Assessment: Begin by evaluating each player's current skill level, knowledge of the rules, and goals. This will help you tailor the lessons appropriately. • Basic Rules: Go over the basic rules of pickleball as needed. • Fundamentals: Focus on teaching fundamental shots, including serving deep and returning deep. Emphasize the two-bounce rule. • Basic Strokes: Teach the proper technique for forehand and backhand strokes. Lesson 11+ • Live Ball: Incorporate live ball drills to improve endurance and quick reactions. • Poaching: Introduce the idea of poaching in doubles play. • Cross-Court Dinking and Erne: Teach cross-court dinking and introduce the Erne. • Net Play: Focus on controlling the game at the net with aggressive positioning, smart shot selection, and quick reactions. Lesson 4-10 Intermediate Level Class Plan: • Building on Fundamentals: Continue to reinforce the basic strokes and rules, ensuring consistent execution. • Soft Game/Kitchen Game: Introduce drops, resets, the transition zone, and basic offensive shots. Focus on the "soft game" or kitchen game, with isolated drills for each. • Shot Placement: Work on refining shot placement skills to gain an advantage on the court. Practice aiming for specific areas like the corners, sidelines, and kitchen line. • Dinking: Teach dinking strategies that disrupt opponents and create winning opportunities. • Volleys: Work on volleys, especially fast volleys at the net. Lesson 2-3 • Drills: Start with basic drills like "serve and stay" and "return and run". • Transitioning to the NVZ: Teach beginners how to move effectively from the baseline to the kitchen line. • Placement: Begin practicing how to place shots effectively to control rallies and cover the court with confidence. • Footwork Introduce footwork techniques like split stepping, pivoting, and reaching. Advanced training plan Your first lesson Advanced Level Class Plan: • Tailored Instruction: Tailor lessons to the players’ specific needs. • Trick Shots: Teach advanced trick shots, including the flick volley, around-the-post (ATP) shot, no-look shot, and the tweener. • Angle and Sideline Shots: Focus on refining the ability to hit sharp angles and precise sideline shots. • Deception: Teach the subtle skills of disguising shots, using body positioning, paddle angles, and footwork to keep opponents off balance. • Third Shot Strategies: Emphasize the use of third shot drops and drives, and when to incorporate these shots into gameplay. • Strategic Dinking: Work on refining strategic dinking patterns through repetitive drills and live coaching. • Spin and Slice: Provide instruction on generating topspin, backspin, and slice, and practice countering spin shots. • Banging Game: Explore the "banging game" with intent and teach techniques to slow it down. • Overheads and Lobs: Teach how to use overheads and lobs both offensively and defensively. • Resets: Practice resets. • Advanced Footwork: Focus on footwork and court coverage for better movement and agility on the court. • Fast Action Volleys: Work on improving reflexes, paddle positioning, and reaction time to help handle rapid volleys with control and confidence Additional Class Options: • Shot Placement Clinic: Have players practice aiming at targets during both drills and live gameplay situations, focusing on hitting sharp angles, deep shots, and drop shots. • Serves, Returns, and Drives Clinic: Focus on consistency, placement, and power in these areas. • Drill/Game Play Clinic: Provide focused drills that target specific aspects of the game, and then incorporate coached game play with live feedback. • Speed and Agility: Focus on improving footwork, quickness, and agility through drills. General Coaching Notes: • Drills: Incorporate drills into each lesson, and use isolated drills when working on specific skills. • Live Play: Include live gameplay coaching to apply skills learned in drills. • Feedback: Provide regular feedback to help players improve. • Adaptability: Tailor each lesson based on the skill level and the specific needs of the players.