I like to conduct a Skill Check with new clients at our first private, semi-private, or group coaching session together. This process follows a simple strategy I used during my 35-year “first career” as a training consultant: “diagnosis before prescription.”
The 60-90 minute Skill Check allows me to assess your technique, footwork, ball control, shot execution, level of consistency, and overall skill level. I’ll feed you moderately paced balls and ask you to hit all nine core pickleball shots to various targets or areas on the court. I’ll also observe your serve and ask you to hit to different areas of the service box.
During the Skill Check, I’ll ask a few questions to help me understand your pickleball journey, athletic and sports background, any injuries or health issues you’ve experienced recently, as well as your improvement goals and coaching expectations.
Following the Skill Check, I’ll develop and document a personalized Coaching Plan for you—or a group plan for you and your fellow players. The plan will document strengths and priority areas for improvement as well as provide a roadmap for how we will work together to improve skills and gameplay performance. I’ll also develop a coaching schedule and budget for your review and approval.
The 2-3 page Coaching Plan will draw from the suite of services, resources, and tools I use to help players improve and play at a higher level of skill. Some of the services you may see in your Coaching Plan include:
- Private or semi-private lessons
- Coached gameplay group sessions
- Focused drilling and training sessions (which I call Coach Mark Workouts)
- Skill and Gameplay Assessments (including the use of AI-powered video analysis technology).
Once you’ve had a chance to review your Coaching Plan and approve the schedule and budget, we can get started.
I look forward to helping you develop as a pickleball player and advance to the next level of skill.
