JULY 21, 2018 PPR COACHING CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP PROBLEMS

RESPONSE COMMENTS MADE TO MEMBERS OF THE FACEBOOK PICKLEBALL INSTRUCTORS FORUM IN REGARDS TO THE JULY 21, 2018 PPR COACHING CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP FLAWED PERFORMANCE EVALUATION PROCESS RESPONSE ONE; In response to requests from Facebook Pickleball Instructors Forum Members  regarding the events at the July 21, 2018 PPR Coaching Certification Workshop at Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center, Hilton Head SC, I am providing herein a summary of my observations. ”as an attendee at that Workshop.

During the Workshop, I received several unsolicited apologies from Clinicians, for (1) standing courtside outdoors, for 12 hours in the July (SC) heat and humidity, (2) a confused and conflicted management of time, and (3) a distracting "hurried" instructional process. 

The PPR Clinicians failed to provide me any “reasonable accommodations” in evaluating my performance  for age related (77 years)  mobility issues. My physical capacity to perform “textbook stroke  mechanics and shot selections,” was significantly diminished due to long periods of standing outdoors,  interspersed with intervals of completive play  performance evaluations.

Nor did I receive any verbal feedback from Clinicians as to my performance during the evaluation process.

Workshop Clinicians used "written evaluations forms" to record the performance for individual attendees. My "evaluation forms" were not provided to me, even after I  requested copies, so I would know what I did wrong , and what I need to improve for recertification.

At the end of the Workshop, I was told that, “because I did not pass the performance testing.  I was not allowed to demonstrate my live group coaching skills, nor would I be allowed to take a written test to validate my game knowledge of the rules and scoring knowledge.

My final "observation," regarding the July 21st PPR Coaching Certification Workshop,  is that the PPR performance evaluation process was structured, to favor certification for pro tennis coaches, who wanted to add “pickle ball coaching” as an added source of income, more so then servicing the needs of pickle ball instructors and coaches, who wanted to sharpen their coaching skills and learn advanced methodologies, to teach others how to play pickle ball, and improve player  performance at higher levels of skill satisfaction.

Everyone is entitled to decided for themselves the relevance of this matter, and my creditability. One person's observations are inconclusive.  When others speak out with the same concerns, then its time to address this issue as a Community. RESPONSE TWO Hello Jack;  Distracting "Hurried" Instructional process is a poorly managed lesson plan that did not allocate sufficient time management to cover all the topics within a set period of time.  The same time managed lesson plan that we use as coaches, allocates sufficient time to each skill topic (stroke mechanics and shot selections), using the IDEAS concept of good coaching. The "Hurried" Workshop instructional process was followed by immediate testing  of attendees,  to duplicate  skill sets under game like conditions.   Even though the July 21st Workshop ran 12+ hours, there was not enough time allocated for all the topics covered, including testing, and  clinicians "hurried" to cover all these topics in a one  day Workshop, as opposed to a "two day Workshop".  Two of the key principals of "good coaching" and "adult education development" are  time management and the learning environment. Adults Development Retention, limits topics of discussion to no more than 3 per session. Complex topics involving mental retention and physical performance, are  often restricted to 1 topic per session, especially in a group situation. The July 21st PPR Coaching Certification Workshop consisted of 14 attendees. The normal clinic or workshop instructor to student ratio is 1 to 8.  There were four clinicians present but the instructional process was controlled by one clinician. The remaining clinicians did not provide any feed back or one on one instruction to me or other attendees who (unknowingly) were not passing the skill set testing.   I apologize for this length reply. However I consider this a serious matter that requires explanation for understanding and comprehension.

RESPONSE THREE
Phil, I am a IPTPA Certified Level 2 Coach.  I recently attended the IPTPA Workshop In Howard Co. MD to renew my 2 Continuing ED Certification Credits. I also attended the PPR Coaching Certification Workshop a month earlier. I can tell you without any doubt or hesitation, the quality of instruction, and the advanced coaching methodologies that I witnessed and experienced at the IPTPA Teach The Teacher Workshop far exceeded  that provided by the PPR Coaching Certification Workshop. The IPTPA is the highest quality Pickleball Coaching Certification Organization Nationally and World Wide. I can attest to this because I have experienced first hand both the IPTPA and the PPR Certification Process. RESPONSE FOUR: Head Pickleball Paddles USA is one of the sponsors of the PPR.  "Head USA" is a world renown corporation that is well know for its outstanding racquet sport equipment and court accessories.  "Head USA" is a major supporter of most all aspects of Pickleball and has made significant contributions to the sport of pickleball and in their promotion of pickleball. "Head USA" is a dedicated friend to the Pickleball Community.  In my opinion, Head USA has no culpability for the occurrences at the July 21st PPR Certification Workshop. This is NOT a "blame game" situation. The objective of this "appeal"  is for the PPR to recognize, and  take responsibility for the problematic occurrences at the July 21st, and correct these flaws, before exposing future attendees to a similar set of impaired circumstances.To my knowledge there were 10 of the 14 attendees who were not certified. at the July 21st PPR Coaching Certification Workshop. Each of which (IMO) were highly qualified to receive PPR Certification.  The PPR could easily "GRANDFATHER" all of these 10 highly qualified disenfranchised attendees, and provide them the Professional Coaching Certification that they earned by completing this Workshop, under a flawed performance evaluation process, that was based solely on their ball hitting ability, with no due consideration to their coaching abilities, teaching skill or professional knowledge of the rules and scoring of the game. There were no Skill Performance Requirements provided to   attendees before the Workshop, or during the Workshop. This only occurred at the end of the Workshop, when we were first told that we did not pass skill performance.  The Performance Evaluation Process was a subjective evaluation by the  Clinicians as opposed to an objective evaluation following the mandates of a "recognized Organizational Skill Assessment."