Private Lessons & Coaches in Congers, NY

I am a pickleball player, former health and fitness coach, and currently working in a private practice as an associate clinical mental health therapist. Pickleball is a sport I value for its creativity, physical challenge, and its ability to both quiet and challenge the mind. In my coaching, I go beyond advanced pickleball technique by integrating the mental side of the game. I represented the Czech Republic at the 2025 Pickleball World Cup Championship in Fort Lauderdale and designed a pickleball-based therapy program for teens with anxiety and depression—helping players build confidence, focus, and resilience both on and off the court.

"Wonderful and welcoming coach! We had such a great time learning the fundamentals as complete beginners to the sport.

I'm a passionate tennis player and coach who focuses on helping players improve quickly, build confidence, and actually enjoy the game. While I didn't compete at a high level, I've spent years playing, studying technique, and developing a practical understanding of what helps players get better efficiently. I specialize in working with beginners and intermediate players - breaking down strokes into simple, easy-to-apply concepts and helping you build consistency, footwork, and match confidence

I am a USGTF Golf Teaching Professional with over 15 years of coaching experience, having taught through organizations such as First Tee, Harlem Golf Academy, and Bilancio Fitness Management. I am passionate about helping golfers develop strong fundamentals, with a focus on creating consistency and confidence in every swing. My greatest reward is seeing a student’s reaction when they make that first solid contact and experience real progress for the first time. I work exclusively with individual clients to provide focused, personalized instruction tailored to each player’s goals.

"I was really impressed by James's training style and how much I learned in such a short time. The lesson was clear and effective, making it easy to grasp key techniques quickly. If you want to improve your golf skills with a great coach, James is definitely worth trying. Looking forward to more lessons like this! ⛳🙂

With 27 years devoted to tennis, including a professional playing career, I bring a unique perspective to coaching. My focus is nurturing both technical skills and a genuine love for the game. I'm committed to helping players of all levels unlock their full potential on the court. I'm a former professional tennis player from Minsk, Belarus, where I trained alongside Victoria Azarenka (former world #1) and Aryna Sabalenka (current world #1). I also played numerous matches against Grigor Dimitrov, Karen Khachanov, and Ilya Ivashka during my junior career. With over 12 years of experience in teaching and coaching, I’ve worked with players ranging from complete beginners to top junior players in the country. Improvement guaranteed or get your money back!

"Want to share and recommend Laurentsi as a coach to everybody who wants to learn tennis and improve their game at any age or level. He is teaching my husband and my kids as well. We are a tennis family.

Starting playing golf at age of 18 at Spook Rock golf course. From there starting taking lessons at The Tuxedo Club where I worked for a friend and mentor Dave Carazo. In that time frame qualified for 2 Met Amateurs. That lead me to become a golf professional in that time frame spent 12 years in the Met PGA section and became a member of the PGA 2001. After that spent time in both Philly and New Jersey section where I currently reside. Recently I worked at Golf Galaxy of East Hanover as a golf instructor and club fitter for 5 plus years. Through my career I have taken lessons from Top 100 instructors such as Brad Redding, Mike Bender, Todd Sones and Stan Utley. Caddied at a club called Lost Tree Club where had the chance to play with tour players and caddie for Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman.

"He had drills for all my problems

In less than a year, Amanda went from a novice pickleball player to a pickleball pro – and you can too! Amanda has 1,100+ hours of coaching experience and has taught over 1,000 people how to play pickleball. She is PCI, RPO, RPPk/DUPR L2 and SafeSport certified and coaches at several pickleball venues in NYC (indoor and outdoor). Amanda’s sweet spot for teaching is beginners and advanced beginners who want to move up to intermediate and advanced play, including tennis players new to pickleball. With Amanda's guidance, you can expect not only valuable insights and quick tips to enhance your performance and win more points, but also to have a lot of fun in the process. If needed, sessions can also incorporate a focus on reviewing and mastering the fundamentals since a strong foundation is essential for long-term improvement in pickleball. To top it off, Amanda is also a great listener, so pickleball lessons will always be tailored to your goals and needs. Note: The court fee for Gotham Tues/Thur is $80/hr. Reach out with any questions! About Amanda: Outside of pickleball, Amanda is a former finance executive, with an MBA from Kellogg (Northwestern), a BA in Art History from Barnard (Columbia), and her CFA. She’s also an aspiring song writer and author.

"I’ve had a few lessons with Amanda now and have felt myself get better after each one. Very focused and productive. She has a super sharp eye for what needs tweaking and gives super helpful in the moment feedback that clicks. She makes the game very approachable for beginners.

Don DiLorenzo – Certified Pickleball Instructor I’m a PPR-certified pickleball instructor with over 4 years of coaching experience, working with players of all ages and skill levels—from brand-new beginners to advanced competitors. My goal is to make learning fun, approachable, and tailored to each player’s unique style and goals. Whether you’re looking to build a strong foundation, fine-tune your technique, or develop winning strategies, I offer clear, supportive instruction that helps you grow your game with confidence. I specialize in fundamentals, court positioning, shot selection, and game IQ—while keeping sessions dynamic, safe and engaging. Let’s get you playing smarter, faster, and with more enjoyment every time you step on the court!

"Don is an excellent choice for seniors looking to learn or improve at pickleball. He understands the limitations of people that are slightly older like myself. He focuses on fundamentals, puts safety 1st and explains how to play smarter not harder while creating a relaxed, welcoming environment. Players feel supported and comfortable at every level. Keeps the fun in the game.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE PICKLEBALL COACH I know what it takes to compete — and I coach from that experience, not just from a certification manual. I CAN DIAGNOSE FAST Most coaches give generic feedback. I identify what's actually wrong — quickly — and we make real progress in a single session. No wasted time, no vague cues. I UNDERSTAND men…er…WOMEN…er, people! That’s it, people. The dynamics, the mental pressures, the physical realities of being a (man, a woman, or a muppet) on court. 
I bring empathy and edge in equal measure. No mansplaining. Ever. EQ, off the charts, (HOW)ever! I COACH THE WHOLE PLAYER Technical, tactical, mental. I know when to push and when to have patience. I'll enhance your strengths, work on your weaknesses, and tailor everything to who you are as a player. EVERY PLAYER HAS A GOAL WORTH CHASING. My students range from 3.0 players discovering the sport to 4.5+ competitors chasing a rating or a tournament result. Mostly women — but not exclusively. What everyone shares is a goal, even if they haven't fully defined it yet. Sometimes the goal is simple: beat Suzy at league night. Sometimes it's bigger: find your inner athlete, feel confident on court, connect to something that's genuinely yours. Often the goal evolves — students come in wanting one thing and discover something they didn't know they were looking for. I'll meet you where you are and hold the highest vision for where you can go — while understanding that progress isn't always linear and some days are just harder than others.

"If you’re looking for a coach who is both easy to get along with and highly skilled, Chris is the one. He brings a contagious energy to the court, and it’s clear he clearly loves the game. I really appreciate how he adapts his teaching style, to my needs, using fun drills that keep me motivated while noticeably improving my game. It is a huge plus that he’s such a strong player himself; his demonstrations are always spot on!

As a writer who has written books and screenplays and copywriting skills, I'm equipped to help almost any type of writing better convey what your story, message or argument. My focus will be to unleash your personal writing style. Together we will look at your work, critique it honestly, and then develop it into something you'll be immensely proud of. I believe that education should be fun and tailored to your interests. So I can promise we will have a good time.

Former Professional Baseball Pitcher Cincinnati Reds

"Pitches at Dominican College