Evolving Junior Development Coaching with the Professional Pickleball Registry
- Sarah McQuade
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Strengthening the Learning Experience for Junior Pickleball Coaches
Over the past few weeks, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside the Professional Pickleball Registry to support the continued evolution of their Junior Development Coach Certification.
As pickleball continues to grow at extraordinary pace, so too does the responsibility to create meaningful, developmentally appropriate experiences for young players.
This work was grounded in a shared belief:
Junior Development Coaches are not simply instructors — they are designers of player-centered, age- and stage-appropriate experiences that support skill development, confidence, connection, and enjoyment.
The evolved program and in-person workshop was piloted at the International Racket Sports Convention in Tampa by Nic Slater, PPR Director of Development. 16 enthusiastic coaches fully engaged in the in-person element of their learning journey. Delivering the pilot in a live convention environment allowed the learning design to be tested in real time — with high engagement, practical application, and immediate reflection built into the experience.
Placing the Developmental Lens at the Center
One of the most important shifts in this phase of work was ensuring that developmental characteristics sit front and center in the workshop.
Before planning activities or selecting games, coaches are now guided to consider:
Who are these players developmentally?
What matters most at this age and stage?
How do we create environments that are safe, organized, and fun?
How do we build relationships that support the development of the whole child?
This framing changes the starting point. Sessions are no longer built around activities first — but around players first.
Strengthening the Learning Experience
The focus of this evolution was to build on strong foundations — refining structure, clarifying expectations, and strengthening the connection between learning and lived coaching practice.
The workshop now provides coaches with:
A practical session structure to guide planning, delivery and reflection
Clear frameworks to help them adapt and modify sessions in real time
An evolved toolbox of games and activities aligned to developmental stages
Enhanced understanding of technical and tactical progressions
More explicit guidance on how to coach — not just what to coach
Structured reflection prompts that support intentional improvement
The result is not just a workshop that informs — but one that equips.
Learning That Lives on the Court
A key feature of the evolved design is the emphasis on micro-coaching in real time.
Coaches move through structured session phases — warm-up, play, develop, and compete — delivering sessions to different age groups while also stepping into the role of observer and reflective practitioner.
This rotational model allows coaches to:
Experience multiple developmental stages
Practice adapting activities across age groups
Strengthen specific how-to coach skills
Engage in immediate reflection following delivery
Plan with greater clarity and purpose
The transition on court has been noticeable.
Coaches are immersed — planning, delivering, observing, adjusting.
Engagement levels are high, and there is space for thoughtful conversation about decision-making, player responses, and coaching intent.
Learning happens through doing — and through structured reflection immediately afterwards.
Strengthening Coaching Capability for the Long Term
Assessment within the workshop has also evolved to feel supportive rather than performative.
Coaches leave with:
Practical tools they can implement immediately
Greater confidence in structuring junior sessions
A clearer understanding of progression across age groups
Reflection frameworks to guide ongoing development
Most importantly, they leave seeing themselves not simply as activity leaders, but as intentional developers of young people.
This evolution reflects a shared commitment — between PPR and our team — to ensure that as pickleball grows, the quality of junior coaching grows with it.
Thank you to the PPR and Managing Director Sarah Ansboury for inviting us to support and gudie your work.
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