My New Pickleball Venture

The future is pickle, that’s clear.

Pickleball is a mixture of tennis, badminton and table tennis.

I started coaching pickleball in late 2025, and there were a few clear reasons why.

After more than a decade of coaching tennis—often through cold winter evenings—I felt ready for something new. I’ve always had the ambition to build my own coaching programme; one that I’m genuinely proud of and that truly helps players enjoy the sport from day one.

Pickleball felt like the perfect opportunity.

The sport is exploding in popularity, but there’s a gap when it comes to how new players are introduced. Starting a new sport can be intimidating. Existing players aren’t always welcoming (often unintentionally), and jumping straight into an intermediate session can leave beginners feeling out of place or suffering from impostor syndrome. Beginner-only sessions are surprisingly rare.

Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and coached sessions give new players a comfortable, pressure-free way to get started.

Why Pickleball Is Easier Than Tennis

UPickleball has a much lower barrier to entry than tennis.

Most new players are rallying within 10 minutes of picking up a paddle. Within a few sessions, you’ll understand the rules and feel confident enough to play with anyone. In tennis, it can take years before players progress beyond beginner-level sessions.

There are a few reasons for this:

• The court is smaller

• The paddles are lighter and feel like an extension of your hand

• The ball is bigger and slower

All of this makes the game more accessible and less physically demanding, while still being competitive and tactical.

How My Sessions Work

My beginner sessions focus on the fundamentals. Once players get a feel for the paddle and the speed of the ball, we move quickly into match play.

Learning the rules, scoring, and positioning early allows players to join social games confidently and feel like they belong on court—without fear of judgement.

When players are ready, they can progress to intermediate sessions. At this stage, we start to explore touch, feel, and placement. From a coaching perspective, this is where structured drills come in—building muscle memory and encouraging positive patterns of play that transfer directly into matches.

Pickleball is fun, social, and accessible. My goal is to make sure everyone who picks up a paddle feels welcome, confident, and excited to keep playing.