Pickleball lessons with
Coach Derek Parker
From$70.87 per lesson
ā¢
Pickleball lessons with
Coach Derek Parker
From$70.87 per lesson
ā¢96
Happy Student ScoreGreat
This coach is reliable and responsive. Students are happy and often return for more lessons.
Coach Rating
5.0
96
Happy Student ScoreGreat
This coach is reliable and responsive. Students are happy and often return for more lessons.
Coach Rating
5.0
About your pickleball coach
Hello, my name is Derek Parker. I am 23 years old, and I live and train in north Peoria/Surprise. I am a firefighter for the City of Peoria. My work schedule allows me to be very open and flexible. As a 4.5+ DUPR-rated player with experience competing in high-level tournaments, I bring both skill and passion to the court. My teaching style focuses on breaking down technique with precisionāhelping players understand not just what to do, but why it works. Whether youāre refining your footwork, improving shot selection, or developing advanced strategies, I emphasize the details that make a real difference in performance. Iām dedicated to helping you build a strong technical foundation and elevate your game with confidence.
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Teaches: Adults, Seniors
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Levels: Beginners, Intermediates
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Lives in: Peoria, Arizona
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Years Playing: 2 years
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Given: 11 lessons
Derek's availability
Find a location and time that works for you
Derek's availability
Find a location and time that works for you
Availability on all locations
Near Peoria, Arizona
No availability for this date
Didn't find a time or location that works with Derek?
We can suggest similar coaches or arrange a different spot (even at home)
We can suggest similar coaches or arrange a different spot (even at home)
Accomplishments
š4.0 DUPR
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College Athlete
āPlaced in high-level tournaments
Certifications & Badges
šDUPR Certified
Beginner training plan
Your first lessonThe objective of the first lesson is to introduce the sport, rules, and basic strokes. Build comfort with the paddle, ball, and court layout.
Duration: 60ā75 minutes
1. Warm-Up (10 min)
ā¢ Light jogging or dynamic movement around the court
ā¢ Gentle stretches for shoulders, wrists, hips, and calves
ā¢ Partner toss & catch with pickleballs to loosen up
2. Orientation (10 min)
ā¢ Court layout: baseline, kitchen, NVZ line, service boxes
ā¢ Basic rules: serve, double bounce rule, scoring overview
ā¢ Safety: calling āballā, proper spacing, paddle awareness
3. Fundamental Skills (25 min)
ā¢ Grip: Continental (handshake grip)
ā¢ Ready position & paddle up posture
ā¢ Dink drill: short controlled hits in the kitchen area
ā¢ Drop & hit drill: dropping the ball and lightly tapping it over the net
4. Serve & Return Intro (15 min)
ā¢ Underhand serve basics: contact below waist, upward motion
ā¢ Aim for deep serves cross-court
ā¢ Return focus: controlled forehand back to baseline
5. Mini-Games (10 min)
ā¢ Cooperative rally challenge: āLetās get to 10 hits in a row!ā
Lesson 11+Objective: Move from fundamentals into smart, consistent, and tactical play.
1. Warm-Up (10 min)
ā¢ Target-based warm-up (serves, drops, dinks to zones)
2. Advanced Concepts (30 min)
ā¢ Shot selection: when to drop, drive, or lob
ā¢ Resetting: soft block from transition zone under pressure
ā¢ Stacking & positioning: basic left/right formations
ā¢ Reading opponents: anticipating attack patterns
3. Strategy Drills (20ā30 min)
ā¢ Drive vs drop rallies
ā¢ Defense reset to offense drill
ā¢ Dink-to-attack transition games
ā¢ Communication & movement in doubles
4. Match Play & Feedback (20ā30 min)
ā¢ Full doubles games with coaching cues between points
ā¢ Focus on shot decision-making and teamwork rather than only winning
Lesson 4-10Objective: Develop intermediate-level control, shot selection, and doubles coordination.
4:
Third Shot Drop & Transition Zone
Drop shot ladder drill, approach footwork
5:
Volleys & Net Play
Volley-to-volley rally, reaction drills
6:
Lobs & Overheads
Lob practice, overhead placement
7:
Serve & Return Variety
Spin, deep serve targets, quick returns
8:
Positioning & Communication
Partner movement drills, āshadow courtā teamwork
9:
Offense vs Defense
Block volley vs drive, resetting from transition zone
10:
Game Scenarios
Strategy rotations, mini-tournament play
Lesson 2-3Objective: Reinforce fundamentals and add consistency through repetition and rallying.
1. Warm-Up (10 min)
ā¢ Partner dinks (forehand/backhand alternation)
ā¢ Side-to-side shuffles and footwork drills
2. Review & Serve/Return Practice (20 min)
ā¢ Refine serve placement and consistency (use targets)
ā¢ Return deep and controlled
ā¢ Add movement after the return to get to NVZ line
3. Stroke Fundamentals (25 min)
ā¢ Forehand groundstroke drill: baseline rally with control
ā¢ Backhand drill: soft rally focus on follow-through
ā¢ Drop shot drill: from transition zone into kitchen
4. Introduction to Rally Flow (15 min)
ā¢ Emphasize the āServe ā Return ā Drop ā Dink ā Attackā sequence
ā¢ Cooperative rallies focused on ball control, not power
5. Game Play (10ā15 min)
ā¢ Half-court games to focus on control and footwork
Advanced training plan
Your first lessonObjective: Rebuild from the core ā evaluate playersā strengths/weaknesses, refine technique, and identify habits to fix.
1. Warm-Up (10 min)
ā¢ Cooperative crosscourt dinks
ā¢ Deep baseline rally warm-up (forehand/backhand)
ā¢ Serve & return ladder warm-up (short, medium, deep)
2. Skill Assessment (15 min)
ā¢ Rally consistency test: 10+ dinks, 10+ baseline rallies
ā¢ Serve accuracy test (target zones)
ā¢ Drop shot consistency (landing in NVZ area)
ā¢ Observe footwork and recovery habits
3. Technique Refinement (25 min)
ā¢ Paddle position control (attack vs neutral vs defense)
ā¢ Short resets and soft blocks under pressure
ā¢ Transition movement (split-step timing and spacing)
4. Advanced Fundamentals (20 min)
ā¢ 3rd shot drops from both wings
ā¢ Dink depth control & purposeful placement
ā¢ Volley punch vs block differentiation
5. Game Play (15ā20 min)
ā¢ Cooperative point rallies to 11 focusing on consistency
Lesson 11+Objective: Compete like a 4.0 ā build tactical depth, anticipation, and composure under match stress.
1. Warm-Up (10 min)
ā¢ Purposeful warm-up: focus on rhythm and accuracy
ā¢ Serve + 3rd shot + transition flow (realistic rally simulation)
2. Tactical Development (25ā30 min)
ā¢ Pattern play:
ā¢ āDrop ā Dink ā Attackā vs āDrive ā Block ā Counterā
ā¢ Shot anticipation: reading paddle angle and opponent tendencies
ā¢ Poaching setups: signals, timing, and fake poach drills
ā¢ Speed-up strategy: attack zones (shoulder, hip, paddle-side)
3. Match Simulation (25ā30 min)
ā¢ Play structured games with specific focuses (e.g., only drops allowed on 3rd shot)
ā¢ Competitive scoring but with coached interruptions for feedback
ā¢ Rotate partners for adaptability
4. Mental & Physical Focus (15ā20 min)
ā¢ Handling pressure (breathe, slow between points)
ā¢ Body recovery between rallies (paddle down, eyes up)
ā¢ Controlled aggression vs forced shots
5. Tournament-Style Drills & Games
ā¢ Race to 5 games for intensity
ā¢ King of the Court (Advanced) ā emphasis on efficiency
ā¢ Pressure drills: start 0ā8 down and work to come back
Lesson 4-10Objective: Develop doubles movement, smart shot selection, and composure in competitive play.
4:
Resetting Under Pressure
āDrive-Resetā progression drill, transition zone ladder
5:
Attacking from NVZ
Dink-to-speed-up recognition, counter-attack drills
6:
Volleys, Blocks & Reaction Time
Reflex volleys, paddle-up speed drills
7:
Defensive Mastery
Lob retrieval, midcourt resets, counter-drives
8:
Stacking & Partner Positioning
Stacking formations, shift drills, right/left-side roles
9:
Serve & Return Patterns
Inside-out returns, deep middle targets, spin control
10:
Competitive Mindset & Point Construction
3-ball, 5-ball, 7-ball rally pattern play with purpose
Lesson 2-3Objective: Improve control, spin, and decision-making through accuracy-based drills and pattern play.
1. Warm-Up (10 min)
ā¢ Crosscourt dink with depth targets
ā¢ Serve/return + advance to NVZ footwork pattern
2. Serve & Return Variability (20 min)
ā¢ Serve with spin and depth
ā¢ Return targets (deep middle, deep corner)
ā¢ āServe & split-stepā timing drill
3. Third Shot Drop Mastery (25 min)
ā¢ Third-shot drop vs drive decision training
ā¢ āDrop or Driveā drill ā coach feeds different balls
ā¢ Ladder progression: baseline ā transition ā NVZ
4. Dinking Strategy (20 min)
ā¢ Crosscourt dink rallies (8+ balls before attack allowed)
ā¢ āDink to change directionā drills (control risk shots)
ā¢ Add pressure with time limits or scoring
5. Game Play (10ā15 min)
ā¢ Half-court games emphasizing 3rd shot choices
Youth players
Working with teenagersTeaching teenage pickleball players requires a different coaching style than teaching adults ā not necessarily in what you teach, but how you teach it.
When teaching teenagers I plan on using an approach slightly different than adults. I will still hold them to the same standard, however I will use more positive reinforcement, be more engaging in the drills we are preforming, and add more competitiveness to our lessons to keep the energy there! I want to be a mentor as much as I would like to be an instructor; meaning I want my students to be able to look up to me as a leader and role model to become better athletes, and to also display good sportsmanship.
What you need to bringPlease bring your paddle, water, and anything else you feel you might need!
What I can bringI will have a basket full of pickle balls, in the future I will have a ball machine as well!
Frequently asked questions
Cancellation Policy
We totally understand that life can be unpredictable and plans might change. That's
why we've got your back with our flexible cancellation policy, designed to give you
peace of mind when booking private sports lessons with our awesome local instructors!
If you need to cancel your lesson, no worries! You can get a full refund if you cancel within 24 hours of making your booking. We want to make the process as hassle-free as possible for you.
And if you simply want to reschedule your lesson, change the date and time, or adjust the number of students joining, we've got you covered there too. You can easily make these changes within 24 hours of booking, and up to 72 hours before your lesson starts.
Our goal is to make your experience smooth, enjoyable, and worry-free. So go ahead and book with confidence, knowing that we're here to accommodate your needs every step of the way!
If you need to cancel your lesson, no worries! You can get a full refund if you cancel within 24 hours of making your booking. We want to make the process as hassle-free as possible for you.
And if you simply want to reschedule your lesson, change the date and time, or adjust the number of students joining, we've got you covered there too. You can easily make these changes within 24 hours of booking, and up to 72 hours before your lesson starts.
Our goal is to make your experience smooth, enjoyable, and worry-free. So go ahead and book with confidence, knowing that we're here to accommodate your needs every step of the way!
DP
Pickleball with Derek P.ā 5.0 (9 reviews)