Get a free trial lesson with Derek

Reputation

Happy Student Score

Great

Reliability

Always reliable ⭐ Shows up on time and ready to teach every lesson. You can count on them.

Average rating

5.0

Brian J.Verified ✓

Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 5•Verified ✓

We practiced sinks, drops shots, backhand shots, serves, and returns.

Eric

Level: Intermediate•Lessons taken: 5•

Great instructor! The Lessons helped my game grow tremendously.

Kaitlyn

Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 3•

“Such a great experience! I’m completely new to pickleball and my coach made everything easy to understand and super fun. I’ve already improved way more than I expected!”

Doug

Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 3•

I’ve played pickleball for a couple months now and haven’t seen much progress in rec play, but taking lessons has helped me progress so much faster.

Courtney

Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 2•

Just got into the game. He helped me learn the rules of the game and how to get comfortable with my paddle. Well worth it!

Kevin

Level: Intermediate•Lessons taken: 2•

Great lessons. Paid a lot of attention to detail in my game and helped fix alot of errors I was making!

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: 60–75 minutes 1. Warm-Up (10 min) • Light jogging or dynamic movement around the court • Gentle stretches for shoulders, wrists, hips, and calves • Partner toss & catch with pickleballs to loosen up 2. Orientation (10 min) • Court layout: baseline, kitchen, NVZ line, service boxes • Basic rules: serve, double bounce rule, scoring overview • Safety: calling “ball”, proper spacing, paddle awareness 3. Fundamental Skills (25 min) • Grip: Continental (handshake grip) • Ready position & paddle up posture • Dink drill: short controlled hits in the kitchen area • Drop & hit drill: dropping the ball and lightly tapping it over the net 4. Serve & Return Intro (15 min) • Underhand serve basics: contact below waist, upward motion • Aim for deep serves cross-court • Return focus: controlled forehand back to baseline 5. Mini-Games (10 min) • Cooperative rally challenge: “Let’s get to 10 hits in a row!”

Pickleball with Derek P.⭑ 5.0 (7 reviews)

How it works

Lesson 11+Objective: Move from fundamentals into smart, consistent, and tactical play. 1. Warm-Up (10 min) • Target-based warm-up (serves, drops, dinks to zones) 2. Advanced Concepts (30 min) • Shot selection: when to drop, drive, or lob • Resetting: soft block from transition zone under pressure • Stacking & positioning: basic left/right formations • Reading opponents: anticipating attack patterns 3. Strategy Drills (20–30 min) • Drive vs drop rallies • Defense reset to offense drill • Dink-to-attack transition games • Communication & movement in doubles 4. Match Play & Feedback (20–30 min) • Full doubles games with coaching cues between points • Focus on shot decision-making and teamwork rather than only winning

Lesson 2-3Objective: Reinforce fundamentals and add consistency through repetition and rallying. 1. Warm-Up (10 min) • Partner dinks (forehand/backhand alternation) • Side-to-side shuffles and footwork drills 2. Review & Serve/Return Practice (20 min) • Refine serve placement and consistency (use targets) • Return deep and controlled • Add movement after the return to get to NVZ line 3. Stroke Fundamentals (25 min) • Forehand groundstroke drill: baseline rally with control • Backhand drill: soft rally focus on follow-through • Drop shot drill: from transition zone into kitchen 4. Introduction to Rally Flow (15 min) • Emphasize the “Serve → Return → Drop → Dink → Attack” sequence • Cooperative rallies focused on ball control, not power 5. Game Play (10–15 min) • Half-court games to focus on control and footwork

Advanced training plan

Your first lessonObjective: Rebuild from the core — evaluate players’ strengths/weaknesses, refine technique, and identify habits to fix. 1. Warm-Up (10 min) • Cooperative crosscourt dinks • Deep baseline rally warm-up (forehand/backhand) • Serve & return ladder warm-up (short, medium, deep) 2. Skill Assessment (15 min) • Rally consistency test: 10+ dinks, 10+ baseline rallies • Serve accuracy test (target zones) • Drop shot consistency (landing in NVZ area) • Observe footwork and recovery habits 3. Technique Refinement (25 min) • Paddle position control (attack vs neutral vs defense) • Short resets and soft blocks under pressure • Transition movement (split-step timing and spacing) 4. Advanced Fundamentals (20 min) • 3rd shot drops from both wings • Dink depth control & purposeful placement • Volley punch vs block differentiation 5. Game Play (15–20 min) • Cooperative point rallies to 11 focusing on consistency

Lesson 11+Objective: Compete like a 4.0 — build tactical depth, anticipation, and composure under match stress. 1. Warm-Up (10 min) • Purposeful warm-up: focus on rhythm and accuracy • Serve + 3rd shot + transition flow (realistic rally simulation) 2. Tactical Development (25–30 min) • Pattern play: • “Drop → Dink → Attack” vs “Drive → Block → Counter” • Shot anticipation: reading paddle angle and opponent tendencies • Poaching setups: signals, timing, and fake poach drills • Speed-up strategy: attack zones (shoulder, hip, paddle-side) 3. Match Simulation (25–30 min) • Play structured games with specific focuses (e.g., only drops allowed on 3rd shot) • Competitive scoring but with coached interruptions for feedback • Rotate partners for adaptability 4. Mental & Physical Focus (15–20 min) • Handling pressure (breathe, slow between points) • Body recovery between rallies (paddle down, eyes up) • Controlled aggression vs forced shots 5. Tournament-Style Drills & Games • Race to 5 games for intensity • King of the Court (Advanced) – emphasis on efficiency • Pressure drills: start 0–8 down and work to come back

Lesson 4-10Objective: Develop doubles movement, smart shot selection, and composure in competitive play. 4: Resetting Under Pressure “Drive-Reset” 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) • Crosscourt dink with depth targets • Serve/return + advance to NVZ footwork pattern 2. Serve & Return Variability (20 min) • Serve with spin and depth • Return targets (deep middle, deep corner) • “Serve & split-step” timing drill 3. Third Shot Drop Mastery (25 min) • Third-shot drop vs drive decision training • “Drop or Drive” drill — coach feeds different balls • Ladder progression: baseline → transition → NVZ 4. Dinking Strategy (20 min) • Crosscourt dink rallies (8+ balls before attack allowed) • “Dink to change direction” drills (control risk shots) • Add pressure with time limits or scoring 5. Game Play (10–15 min) • Half-court games emphasizing 3rd shot choices

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!

Pickleball lessons with

Coach Derek Parker

From$70.88 per lesson

•

Pickleball lessons with

Coach Derek Parker

From$70.88 per lesson

•

Happy Student Score

Great

•

This coach is reliable and responsive. Students are happy and often return for more lessons.

Coach Rating

5.0•7 reviews

Happy Student Score

Great

•

This coach is reliable and responsive. Students are happy and often return for more lessons.

Coach Rating

5.0•7 reviews

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 precision—helping players understand not just what to do, but why it works. Whether you’re refining your footwork, improving shot selection, or developing advanced strategies, I emphasize the details that make a real difference in performance. I’m dedicated to helping you build a strong technical foundation and elevate your game with confidence.

👋

Teaches: Adults, Seniors

🌱

Levels: Beginners, Intermediates

📍

Lives in: Glendale, Arizona

🎓

Years Playing: 2 years

🔥

Given: 10 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

Private Pickleball Court in Glendale

Free

1665.5 miles away

Paloma Park

Free

1664.6 miles away

Liberty Park - Peoria

Free

1667.2 miles away

Alta Vista Park

Free

1668.3 miles away

Surprise Courts

Free

1674.6 miles away

Vistancia Pickleball Courts

Free

1668.7 miles away

Availability on all locations

Near Glendale, Arizona

No availability for this date

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Accomplishments

🏓4.0 DUPR

🏅College Athlete

➕Placed in high-level tournaments

Certifications & Badges

📝DUPR Certified

Get a free trial lesson with Derek

Reputation

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Cancellation Policy

Coach Derek Parker

Coach Derek Parker

About your pickleball coach

Derek's availability

Derek's availability

Private Pickleball Court in Glendale

Paloma Park

Liberty Park - Peoria

Alta Vista Park

Surprise Courts

Vistancia Pickleball Courts

Accomplishments

Certifications & Badges