Coach video

Learn Pickleball with Nick

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Nick has been playing pickleball for 4 years, including 2 years at a competitive level. He now plays club pickleball at the 4.0+ level! With experience coaching his high school team, as well as 7 years as a babysitter and experience as a swim instructor. Nick combines teaching expertise with patience, pickleball obsession and enthusiasm. He’s excited to guide you through the ins and outs of pickleball and help you develop a love for the game in whatever way you want and a personally tailored lesson!

Levels taught: Beginners, Intermediates

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Teaches: Kids, Teenagers, Adults, Seniors

🏅Tournament Winner

🎓4 years playing

🔥17 Lessons

⭐️Selkirk Junior Advocate, Pro AM Tournament competitor, High school coach, #1 HS player

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When you buy with TeachMe.To you're getting access to a network of coaches. If you don't love your lessons with Nick, we'll switch you to another coach or give you a full refund.

Reviews

Total reviews14

Average rating

5.0

James H.Verified ✓

Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 4

Verified ✓

I just had my first Pickleball lesson with Nick, and it was an amazing experience! Nick is a fantastic instructor – knowledgeable, patient, and full of positive energy. He took the time to explain the rules, techniques, and strategies in a way that was easy to understand for a beginner like me. What stood out most was how encouraging and engaging Nick was throughout the lesson. He provided personalized tips to improve my grip, stance, and swing, and I noticed progress in just one lesson. The balance between instruction and actual play, made the lesson in both educational and fun. Nick’s passion for Pickleball is contagious, and his enthusiasm made me feel confident and excited to keep learning. I can’t wait to book my next lesson and continue developing my skills. I highly recommend Nick to anyone looking to learn or improve their game!

Sam Perry

Lessons taken: 1

I recently had a lesson with Coach Nick, and it was an incredible experience! He is a highly experienced pickleball player and an even better coach. What made the lesson so enjoyable was how he incorporated fun games into the drills, making it easy to work on important skills without feeling overwhelmed. He used creative metaphors like ‘scooping ice cream’ to teach me techniques like drop shots, which really helped me understand the movements better. His patience and flexibility stood out—he adjusted the pace and focus of the lesson to suit my needs and learning style. Beyond being a great teacher, Coach Nick/Coach Coughlin is just a super cool person: fun, hardworking, and easy to connect with. If you’re looking to improve your pickleball game while actually enjoying the process, I can’t recommend him enough!

Sydney O.

Lessons taken: 1

Nick not only is good at teaching specific skills but he is very good at encouraging you when you’re down and to not get so much in your head when you mess up. He takes this sport very seriously and it shows through his coaching, he is also very good with people he can connect with anyone he encounters he will make an amazing coach and you can learn so much from him.

Adam F.

Lessons taken: 1

Nick Coughlin is an exceptional pickleball instructor with impressive playing skills and a natural ability to coach players of all levels. His approachable and encouraging personality makes learning both fun and effective, creating an enjoyable experience for everyone on the court.

Yan W

Lessons taken: 1

It was great working with Nick, he’s very thorough, extremely patient, and ready to adjust to the level of his students. We came as a group of PingPong players and was having a lot of fun playing games in less than an hour. Absolutely recommend Nick.

When I'm usually available

These are the times I've set as being available for lessons.

mondays8:30 PM - 4 AM

tuesdays8:30 PM - 4 AM

wednesdays8:30 PM - 10:30 PM

thursdays8:30 PM - 4 AM

fridays8:30 PM - 4 AM

saturdays11 AM - 4 AM

sundays11 AM - 9 PM

Beginner training plan

Your first lessonLesson 1: Foundations and Fundamentals 1. Grip & Stance Drill (Shadow Swinging) • Description: Practice proper grip and stance by mimicking forehand and backhand swings without a ball. • Purpose: Helps develop muscle memory for the correct paddle hold and posture before introducing ball contact. 2. Target Practice Drill (Ball Control) • Description: Hit the ball against a wall or to a partner, aiming to keep it within a marked square or line on the court. • Purpose: Builds accuracy and control over paddle angles and ball placement. 3. Net Bounce Drill (Forehand/Backhand) • Description: Practice hitting the ball over the net after one bounce. Alternate between forehand and backhand shots. • Purpose: Focuses on timing, control, and consistency in basic groundstrokes.

Lesson 11+Lessons 11+: Mastery and Match Play In this stage, we’ll refine all aspects of your game. Strategy, court positioning, and shot selection will take center stage as you integrate these skills into recreational games with other players. We’ll also tailor drills to address individual weaknesses or specific areas you want to strengthen, with opportunities to work on advanced techniques like backhand topspin drives and dinks, advanced serves with spin, and other personalized focuses. Drill Options • Serve Precision • Third-Shot Decision • Dink Control • Speed-Up vs. Block • Lob & Overhead Challenge • Game Strategy Practice • Partner Integration Every drill will align with your goals, helping you push past plateaus and level up your game in the areas that matter most to you. Let’s lock in and dominate!

Lesson 4-10Lessons 4-10: Elevating Your Game 1. Third-Shot Drop Drill • Description: Start with a serve and return, then practice hitting a soft third-shot drop into the kitchen. • Purpose: Helps develop finesse and control to neutralize aggressive opponents. 2. Transition Zone Drill • Description: Begin at the baseline and rally toward the net, stopping in the transition zone to practice controlled shots before advancing to the kitchen. • Purpose: Teaches how to manage the middle court and smoothly transition to the kitchen line. 3. Dinking Triangle Drill • Description: Set up three cones in the kitchen and dink in a triangular pattern with a partner. • Purpose: Improves precision, control, and the ability to keep rallies alive during dinking exchanges. 4. Speed-Up & Reset Drill • Description: Practice quick, aggressive shots from the kitchen line, followed by a soft reset to regain control. • Purpose: Trains reaction time and the ability to manage high-paced exchanges. 5. Lob & Overhead Drill • Description: Alternate between practicing lobs and overhead smashes with a partner or coach feeding balls. • Purpose: Develops confidence in executing and defending against lobs.

Lesson 2-3Lessons 2-3: Building Blocks of Gameplay 1. Serve Spot Drill • Description: Practice serves from different spots on the baseline, aiming to land the ball in various areas of the opposite service box. • Purpose: Builds precision and confidence in your serve placement. 2. Return Depth Drill • Description: Have a partner or coach serve to you, and return the ball deep toward the baseline, aiming for a specific zone. • Purpose: Encourages consistent, strategic returns to keep your opponent at the back of the court. 3. Consistency Challenge Drill • Description: Rally back and forth with a partner, aiming for a set number of consecutive shots over the net without errors. • Purpose: Reinforces simplicity, control, and the importance of keeping the ball in play.

Advanced training plan

What you need to bringPlease come in attire suitable for sports! For example tennis shoes or basketball shoes. If it is cold, bundle up! Bring a winter hat, a sports jacket and gloves. If it is warm out, make sure you bring sunscreen, sunglasses and clothes you’re comfortable sweating in.

What I can bringI can bring up to: 40 pickle balls, and 5 pickleball paddles.

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!

Pickleball with Nick⭑ 5 (14)

Learn Pickleball with Nick

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Cancellation Policy