SO YOU WANT TO TEACH PICKLEBALL

‎SO YOU WANT TO TEACH PICKLEBALL TO NEW PLAYERS OR YOU HAVE DESIGNS ON BECOMING A PICKLEBALL COACH . . ;. READ THIS FIRST!

For those players who are interested in becoming a IPATPA Certified Pickleball Level I Instructor you can do so just by attending one of the IPTPA Teach The Teacher Workshops.  You can find the schedule, dates, time and locations for these Workshops on IPTPA.com.

The Level I IPTPA Certification is for teaching Beginners Classes only as a volunteer instructor. 

This is a great pathway to becoming a IPTPA Certified Level II Professional Pickleball Coach, with Liability Insurance, to teach beginners and coach experienced players up to and including the 4.0 level.  This Certification also affords you the opportunity to charge a fee for any of your services.  In Maryland there are only 5 IPATP Level II Professional Pickleball Coaches in Maryland. 

Level II Professional Pickleball Coaching Certification is structured as a college level learning course on how to develop the skills of a pickleball coach, and the curriculum of what to teach as a coach in a logical sequence of mechanics, shot execution, shot selection, ball placement and doubles strategies, including the entire contents of the Official Pickleball Rulebook, including Wheel Chair Play Rules. .  All of which, you are required to pass a timed written test with an 80% minimum score. After that your are administered a skill performance test of 25 pickleball shots that must be performed successfully with an 8/10 success rate. This test is administered and videographed by a IPTPA 5.0  Proctor.  The skills test involves a total of 250 shots, with a minimum of 80% pass rate. The final stage of this Certification Course is a n observed one hour live coaching session to detect and correct the flaws of an experienced player using the "introduction, demonstration, explanation, activity and summarizing" method of coaching. 

Your coaching performance is graded by a IPTPA 5.0 Proctor to determine if you have the teaching skills, communication skills, and a thorough knowledge of the IPTPA Pickleball Curriculum. 

All of these tests and video tapes are reviewed and evaluated by the IPTPA Board as to your qualifications to receive IPTPA Professional Coaching Certification. You are then notified by the IPTPA Director of the results. 

Certification is documented with a diploma-like  Certificate of Successful Completion of the IPTPA Professional Coaching Course.

This entire process is tuition based, with testing fees, and IPTPA membership dues. I successfully completed each stage of this process over a 3 month period. For me there was a lot of home study required to prepare for each of these testing sessions, some test sites were out of state.

Assuredly the IPTPA Coaching Certification is not an 8 hour, one day and done diploma mill. Players with skill sets of 3.0 and 3.5 can obtain an equivalent instructor certification, You pay the fee, travel to the workshop location, listen to lectures, display your skills in practice games, take a written test and teach fellow students in a mock session.  Then the clinicians decide where to place you.  You will be given a volunteer "instructors certification either 3.0 or 3.5. If the "clinicians" rate you at 4.0 or higher you receive a professional coach certification.

These "instructor diploma mills" are scheduled frequently in most all states on a monthly basis.  Unfortunately, they do not have the National and International recognition and the "World Leader"  reputation comparable to that of the International Pickleball Teaching Professionals Association Coach Certification.

The reason why I posted this information is to provide potential pickleball instructors with a clear choice for certification. 

WHY?  As a Pickleball Instructor or Professional Coach, we have the duty and responsibilities to provide our students and clients with the most comprehensive, accurate and concise curriculum for teaching pickleball

in a logical progression that builds the foundation of shot execution, one component at a time, one shot at a time, and the successful strategies of doubles pickleball.  The IPTPA teaches the game from the inside out (i.e. NVZ to baseline).      

Great Pickleball Players don't necessarily make good pickleball coaches. Coaching Pickleball requires different skill sets than playing pickleball. Pickleball Coach must have well developed verbal and written communication skills, the ability create visual aids for slower learning students,  and people skills to recognize the difference in players, mobility and mental.

Pickleball is growing at phenomenal rates.  The demand for qualified instructors and certified coaches to teach all these new players, and coach the increasing number of experienced players, is first and foremost to continue the continued success and reputation of the sport.  Many great players are the product of good coaching. 

I sincerely encourage any players who have an interest in teaching or coaching pickleball, regardless of your skills or the number of medals you've won,  to take a IPTPA Teach The Teacher Workshop and learn how to teach and coach, and what to teach and coach.  Most likely you have some bad habits that you do not want to pass on to another generation of players. 

e only 3 IPTPA Certified Professional Pickleball Skill Rating Specialist in Maryland. And there are only 3 IPTPA Professional Pickleball Coaches with Certification as Player Skill Rating Specialist.

Interested persons can verify this information simply by visiting the IPTPA.com webpage and click on Certified Members drop down menus listed by Alpha-States.