Pickleball, America’s fastest-growing sport, has seen participation skyrocket to 8.9 million players in 2023—a staggering 158.6% increase over three years. With an average player age of just 34.8, the sport is drawing younger demographics, fueling its growing popularity nationwide.
This surge in participation has driven a transformation in facilities, with over 50,000 pickleball courts now available across the U.S. and more than 1,000 new locations added recently. Beyond facilities, the sport’s boom has highlighted the need for skilled coaches to support the growing player base.
Under the leadership of Sarah Ansboury (Managing Director, PPR) and Milena Vidos (PTR-PPR Director of Education and Diversity) the Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR) has positioned high-quality coaching at the heart of the sport's future. PPR’s Level 1 and Level 2 coaching certifications focus on developing coaches’ professional, interpersonal, and intrapersonal skills.
Recognizing that strong coaching programs depend on the expertise of those who deliver them, PPR is also committed to recruiting and training effective Coach Developers (CDs) to lead these certifications.
To achieve this, PPR partnered with e.t.c coaching consultants to design and facilitate a custom-built learning and development program for their CDs. This innovative program is designed to empower CDs to:
Advance their reflective practice skills to facilitate high-quality coaching.
Apply adult learning principles to design, deliver, and evaluate coach education.
Use teaching and facilitation techniques to enhance coach learning in both classroom and practical settings
The blended program included virtual sessions and a dynamic three-day in-person workshop held in November at the PPR Head Office in Saddlebrook, Tampa with over 20 CDs.
The CDs participated, diving deep into adult learning concepts and honing their ability to facilitate coach learning through practical exercises and peer feedback. As part of the orientation to the Level 1 and 2 Coach Certifications, CDs were challenged to lead elements of both programs and received critical feedback on how they facilitated what they facilitated in order that all could become better CDs.
The sessions provided valuable opportunities for collaboration, reflection, and skill development.
Feedback from participants underscored the program’s impact:
“Thank you for being so welcoming and creating a wonderful learning environment.”
“It was great to spend the weekend learning, collaborating, connecting, and getting to know one another.”
Sarah and Milena’s visionary leadership and commitment to quality coaching are central to the program’s success. Together with PPR, e.t.c coaching consultants are proud to support this mission, ensuring that the next generation of pickleball coaches has the tools and expertise to thrive.
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