Player Development in the PebbleCreek Pickleball Club

Pam McWhorter

Three years ago, I stepped on the court as an attendee of one of the first post COVID-19 Intro to Pickleball classes. I soon learned that I have an addiction! Yes, I admit I can’t seem to get enough of it. My body yells at me and says no more pickleball, but my brain fights back and says OMG! (One More Game!) I owe my obsession to the fantastic player development program Pebblecreek Pickleball Club offers.

My first intro to pickleball class was taught by Doug Brajcich. Doug continues to teach this class and has been teaching it for more than six years. His enthusiasm for the sport is infectious. The class is offered to nonmembers and members. In other words, it is available to people that are renting here in PebbleCreek as well as to homeowners. It is free of charge. The primary goal of the intro class is to ensure participants have fun, learn the basics, and have a strong desire to return to the courts!

The next step after the intro class are the novice classes. You must be a club member. The novice A and B classes are two distinct training sessions led by certified instructors Dave Trimble (Novice A) and Beth Kelly (Novice B). The goal at the end of Novice A and B is that players have learned to serve, return, groundstroke, drop, dink, volley, and hit both forehands and backhands. In other words, the overall objective of Novice A and Novice B is to get members ready to join the world of round robin pickleball.

I feel very fortunate that I live in a community where there is such a strong player development program. This program continues to be improved over time. In the three years that I have lived here, the changes added have been the novice classes, online registration, continued classes according to everyone’s individual progression, 2.25 level, and Sunday skills and drills sessions.

If you live in PebbleCreek and haven’t tried pickleball, you are missing out on an awesome sport. I hope you will consider trying out the intro class like I did three years ago. Even when my desire to play wavers or I age out of the sport, I will still have the countless friends who I have made on the courts.

Upcoming Events

PebbleCreek Pickleball Club’s Annual Toy Drive

Dec. 2: Please bring one unwrapped new toy per person or a donation for the Toy Drive, 8 a.m. to noon. Sign up on Court Reserve.

PebbleCreek Pickleball Club Team Challenge

Dec. 9 and 10