Book Mario Talatala - Pickleball coach near Lewisville, Texas

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Get a free trial lesson with Mario

Reputation

Happy Student Score

Fair

Reliability

Sometimes unreliable ⚠️ May miss or reschedule lessons more often, so flexibility is important.

Average rating

5.0

Felix

Level: Intermediate•Lessons taken: 1•

Mario Talatala Pickleball Tutor Review Location: Southlake Pickleball Session: 1 hour Concentration Areas: Kitchen, Speedup Defense I met Mario by way of Facebook group "Dallas Pickleball Association". He was offering a free hour of pickleball lesson in exchange for a review of his pickleball coaching. You can easily contact Mario through this link: https://pickleballcoachmario.com/ Mario was early and he wanted to know what I needed to work on. The kitchen game and defending the speed up were my two concerns. Mario was very professional in first working on the kitchen game with kitchen exercises target forehand, backhand, back and forth volleying side to side, and also face to face kitchen work. We worked on being more efficient and in the end creating less errors. Mario does have a great depth of knowledge to share and his experience definitely brought more confidence to my kitchen game. Mario and I also played some singles games to highlight drop shots and speedups. I learned alot about defensive speed up positioning and got better by the second game. Mario has a great slice, drop shot, and placement control of his pickleball shots. I'm by no means a great singles player (LOL). I play better at doubles. If you want to improve your pickleball game, Mario Talatala can do that for you. His guidance will strengthen your game and his patient demeanor will lead you to higher level of confidence. Mario is a very valuable resource of complete knowledge of the pickleball game. I look forward to playing more with Mario and the area pickleball groups. Thank you!

Rainier

Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 1•

My son recently took lessons with Coach Mario, and we were incredibly impressed, Mario broke down the fundamentals in a way that was easy to understand—starting with dinking and kitchen play, cross-court dinks, patience drills, and mid-court resets. My son especially enjoyed the movement and consistency drills, which helped him feel much more confident and in control on the court. Overall, the lessons were incredibly well-rounded—balancing fundamentals, strategy, confidence building, and fun. My son left the session excited and motivated to play more.

Lourdes

Level: Intermediate•Lessons taken: 1•

I had the pleasure of taking an hour pickleball lesson with Mario and thoroughly appreciated how he broke down the drill we were doing and the why behind it. We then put it into practice in a game and you totally can see how we benefited from our lesson. He observed and pointed out where we could tweak our position or why we lost the point. Highly recommend taking a lesson and look forward to my next lesson!

Amanda

Level: Intermediate•Lessons taken: 1•

I recently took a pickleball lesson with Mario, and it was a fantastic experience! Mario is not only knowledgeable about the game, but also incredibly patient and encouraging. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your skills, he tailors the lesson to your level and learning style.

Hazel

Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 1•

My lesson with Mario was great! He created a very encouraging environment, the instruction was clear and gave me great tips on how to improve my technique. I highly recommend Mario to anyone looking to level up their pickleball skills!

Jamie

Level: Intermediate•Lessons taken: 1•

Mario is a great coach - kind and patient and focuses on exactly what you need to improve your game using fundamentals and extremely fun drills! Highly recommended for any level of player or even better a group of players!

Pickleball with Mario T.⭑ 5.0 (7 reviews)

How it works

Beginner training plan

Your first lessonHere’s a streamlined version of your beginner pickleball session description, reduced to about 25 words while keeping the essence intact: --- Beginner pickleball session: Learn game purpose, court layout, equipment, grip, stance, footwork, strokes, serve, and rallies. Drills build comfort, confidence, and enjoyment for future play.

Lesson 11+Lesson 11 and beyond: Transition into competitive play with emphasis on strategy and mental skills. Players refine shot selection, pace, and spin, while learning to exploit weaknesses and shift between offense and defense. Key drills include drop–dink–attack sequences, transition games, lob/overhead defense, and scenario-based points. Advanced doubles strategies—stacking, Erne, and ATP awareness—are introduced. Sessions feature warm-ups, progressive intensity, and game play to apply skills confidently.

Lesson 4-10Lessons 4–10: Focus on consistency, movement, communication, and game awareness. Players refine dinking, resets, and serving variations with placement and spin. Net play develops through volleys and reflex drills, while transition work emphasizes drop shots and third-shot choices. Doubles positioning, poaching, and teamwork drills build communication. Mini-games and match play reinforce tactics, balancing technical growth with confidence and cooperative competition.

Lesson 2-3Lessons 2–3: Build a strong pickleball foundation by reinforcing grip, stance, and ready position. Players practice the underhand serve crosscourt, return of serve, two-bounce rule, and kitchen awareness. Instruction introduces dinking, scoring basics, and doubles rotation. Drills target serve/return accuracy, forehand and backhand control, and partner dink rallies. Movement at the kitchen line reinforces positioning, consistency, and teamwork, preparing players for advanced doubles strategies.

Advanced training plan

Your first lessonLesson 1: Transition into intermediate/advanced play with assessment and reinforcement of core skills. Players sharpen technique, grips, paddle angles, footwork, and recovery while testing consistency across serves, returns, drops, dinks, and volleys. Instruction emphasizes smart aggression, patience, tempo control, and transition timing. Drills include serve–return–drop cycles, a dink consistency challenge, paddle angle control, and mini-game assessments to evaluate decision-making. This session establishes a baseline for growth and reinforces fundamentals for competitive play.

Lesson 11+Lesson 11+: Prepare for tournament-level play by sharpening advanced tactics and mental toughness. Situational drills emphasize pressure points, adapting strategies, and composure under stress. Players refine doubles communication, deception, and unpredictability with lobs, off-speed shots, and no-look dinks. Match prep routines—warm-ups, partner discussions, and mindset checklists—build consistency. Drills include point games, mini-games, simulated match play, blind-switch exercises, and video-supported challenge matches. Sessions integrate technical mastery, tactical awareness, and resilience for confident competition.

Lesson 4-10Lessons 4–10: Elevate strategic play, pressure handling, and controlled aggression. Players learn speed-ups, counterattacks, resets, lobs, and overheads with offensive/defensive focus. Advanced third- and fifth-shot options add pace and spin. Tactical positioning expands to poaching, Erne execution, stacking, and switching strategies. Shot pattern recognition helps exploit weak returns through combinations. Drills include speed-up rallies, poaching simulations, overhead defense, patterned sequences, and stacking rotations, sharpening tactical awareness for confident doubles performance.

Lesson 2-3Lessons 2–3: Improve consistency in transition and kitchen play while introducing team strategies. Players practice third-shot variations—drop, drive, lob—and learn to read positioning. Dinking drills build control, while communication exercises teach handling middle balls and partner cues. Serve-and-return sequences progress into live rallies, reinforcing teamwork, shot selection, and tactical awareness for doubles play.

Youth players

Working with kidsThis pickleball lesson for kids and young children focuses on fun, movement, and basic paddle skills. Children will learn how to safely hold a paddle, tap the ball with control, and rally with a partner using balloons or foam balls to build hand-eye coordination. The lesson introduces simple court boundaries through games like “Line Tag” and teaches underhand serving and soft hitting through target challenges. Using fun, age-appropriate activities and plenty of encouragement, kids begin to understand teamwork, sportsmanship, and the joy of active play on the court.

Working with teenagersThis pickleball lesson for teenagers focuses on building foundational skills while keeping the energy fun and engaging. Teens will learn proper grip, basic strokes (forehand, backhand, and volleys), and the rules of serving and scoring through partner drills and mini games. Emphasis is placed on movement, positioning, and communication during doubles play, helping teens understand court strategy and teamwork. The session includes fast-paced rallies, target challenges, and short matches to develop consistency, confidence, and friendly competition in a supportive environment.

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!

Get a free trial lesson with Mario

Reputation

Frequently asked questions

Cancellation Policy

Coach Mario Talatala

Coach Mario Talatala

About your pickleball coach

Mario's availability

Mario's availability

Vistara Sports

Backyard Oasis - Swim & Pickleball

The Bakers Acres

The Courts at Cypress Waters

Backyard Regulation Pickleball Court

Bear Creek Park

Dove Park

Southlake Tennis Center (tennis court)

Northfield Park (tennis court)

Carroll High School (tennis court)

Accomplishments

Certifications & Badges

Get a free trial lesson with Mario

Reputation

Frequently asked questions

Can I have a free trial lesson? (HINT: YES!)

What if I don’t love my first lesson?

What if I have never played pickleball before?

How quickly can I expect to see improvement as a beginner?

How do I know which coach is right for me?

What can I expect during a typical lesson?

Is my lesson fully private?

How many lessons should I take?

How long are lessons?

Where do lessons take place?

Do I need my own paddle?

How do I book and what does it cost?

What happens after I book?

Can I take lessons with friends or family groups?

Cancellation Policy

Coach Mario Talatala

Coach Mario Talatala

About your pickleball coach

Mario's availability

Mario's availability

Vistara Sports

Backyard Oasis - Swim & Pickleball

The Bakers Acres

The Courts at Cypress Waters

Backyard Regulation Pickleball Court

Bear Creek Park

Dove Park

Southlake Tennis Center (tennis court)

Northfield Park (tennis court)

Carroll High School (tennis court)

Accomplishments

Certifications & Badges