The Camp Coach Will Dictate Your Experience

The single most important factor that decides the quality of your camp is the coaching team. Period. Nothing else comes close. That’s why we always recommend knowing who your camp coaching team will be. 

Now there are some really good coaches out there. Unfortunately, however, not all are. It’s just the reality of the pickleball coaching landscape – not unlike other sports.

So how do you find the coach that will make your camp an amazing experience?

Camp Marketing

Some camps are better at marketing than others. They have a nice name and logo. Maybe a great website. One camp goes so far as to run an entire pickleball magazine as its marketing arm. That’s excellent marketing.

There is, however, no correlation between a camp’s marketing acumen and your camp experience.

For example, I have spoken to many players who have attended one of the most widely recognized camps out there, and the results are mixed. Some enjoyed it. Others, not so much.

By comparison, my friend and fellow coach Rob Davidson runs the Rise Pickleball Camps. I have never seen an ad for a Rise Pickleball Camp. Yet I know that Rob is a top coach and am confident that a camp with Rob would be an amazing experience.

Do you know the Coach?

Speaking of Rob, if you were to attend a Rise Pickleball Camp, your coach would be Rob Davidson. He may have another coach there with him, but Rob would be there. We do it the same way at TRP: every TRP camp is led by me. Period.

By contrast, most brand-name camps are coached by whomever they can get to cover a date and location. Not throwing shade at any of these coaches. They are always going to be doing their best.

Pointing this out because it may be important to how you decide which camp to attend. Remember the initial premise: your camp experience will be determined by your coach. If you are not sure who your coach will be – or do not know them – then the quality of your camp experience is uncertain.

Reputation

Once you know your camp coach, the next question is: What is their reputation?

I will select another friend and fellow coach here to help me explain this.

Stephanie Lane is a coach based out of Nashville, TN. Stephanie has been a top player for longer than I have played the game. Stephanie has also spent many years certifying other coaches. In other words, Stephanie is the coaches’ coach – literally.

You will not find a coach anywhere around the country with a better reputation than Stephanie Lane. What this tells you is that if you’re lucky enough to be on court with Stephanie, you can rest assured you are getting the best training possible.

Before you sign up for a camp, give some thought to your camp coach’s history and reputation. Is this who you want to train with?

Credentials

A correlated question would be: What are the camp coach’s credentials?

Here, I will use myself as an example, as I am most familiar with my own certifications.

While I have not certified anywhere near as many coaches as Stephanie, I am also qualified to certify coaches. I have led train-the-trainer sessions in different parts of the country. I also hold the highest coaching certification available in pickleball.

While certification alone is not conclusive of a coach's quality, it does indicate that your coach is serious about their craft. That they are willing to invest time and training to become their best coaching selves. If they are not, is that the coach you want leading your camp?

Player Testimonials

These can be tricky. The reason is that it is very human to want to please. If someone puts a camera in your face during a camp and says, “What did you think about camp?” you are more likely to say “Camp was great!” than to offer criticism of the camp – even constructive.

At the same time, if you were not crazy about the camp, you are not likely to elaborate further and provide details about the camp experience.

When weighing player stories, consider their depth. Are details provided? The more well-thought-out the testimonial is, the more weight it merits.

Right for You

A final important consideration: is the camp coach right for you?

Let’s say you are a 50+ pickleball player and pickleball is your first “serious” sport.

All else being equal, who would you say is a better fit for your camp coach:

1. A 28 year-old former D1 tennis player who converted to pickleball 2 years ago?
2. A 56 year-old Sr. Pro Player and full-time coach who's been playing pickleball since 2015 and has been coaching players just like you for over 6 years?

Before you commit to camp, check your coaching fit.

Ask Questions

Last, but certainly not least, ask questions.

1. Does your coach have a curriculum they follow at camp?
2. Is it a curriculum designed by the coach – or are they following someone else’s script?
3. Does your coach have play experience that translates to the camp coaching?
4. Are there other activities, skills, experiences that the coach brings to camp?

Remember, it’s your camp. Get the answers that will let you know you’re in the right place.

If you're interested in finding out more about a TRP Camp Experience, you can visit here.

If the stars align just right, perhaps I will see you at camp one day.

Tony

The Author, Tony Roig, is a nationally recognized coach, Sr. Pro Player, the voice on the Tony Roig Pickleball (formerly In2Pickle) YouTube channel, and a regular commentator on the PPA and MLP Tours. To find out more about Tony and his coaching, visit TonyRoigPickleball.com. You can access their 4 FREE Mini-Courses to get going.

Written by human hands for human minds. No AI used (unless you count Spell Check ☺).