Meet Pickleball Essentials
Your Pickleball Instructor - Abdel Gonzalez
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Nothing but Success!
It’s easier to reach your goals with someone by your side. As a pickleball instructor, I’ll guide you on the path to 'the right way to play the game.' I incorporate not only detailed techniques but also game strategy. More importantly, I teach in a relaxed, gentle and fun way that will have you learning, laughing and getting amazing, winning results!
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As a lifelong sports Instructor, I’ve learned that the journey to success starts with a coach that is flexible, patient and understanding of the way you learn best. That’s why when it comes to teaching, I stress that the value of every athlete is not based on their current skillset, but on their passion and desire to grow.
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My teaching method incorporates the What-Why-How model so that you learn the purpose of your game play. What to do, why you are doing it and how to do it. You'll learn the pickleball essentials and the winning way.
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I'm bilingual so I can teach in English or Spanish.
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My Lessons
The Alpha and Omega of Pickleball
These lessons are for all players on the pickleball playing spectrum: completely new pickleball players, those that want to boost their game play and those paddle/racquet ball players that already bring a lot of transferable skills to the game.
Pickleball Kickstarter
The First Step of your Journey
Do you want to learn about this game with the funny name? This lesson is built to give you a general understanding of the game, the basic rules, court positioning and how to call the score. I also cover the fundamental strokes of hitting the ball and the first few important shots of the game. No equipment is necessary. Start your journey on the right path.
Level Up!
Boost your Game!
This lesson is for players that want to become better and more competitive on the court. I'll record a few of your games (or you submit your game videos) and we review it together to come up with a plan on how to level up your play. I'll teach you about the 4 pillars of the game: fitness, fundamentals, strategy and mindset.
Accelerated Learning
Get on the Fast Track
This lesson is for the player that is coming from a paddle/racquet sport and wants a fast track up the various player levels. I address the key components of the game that you need to get going quickly and help you leverage your skills for advanced pickleball.
My Lessons - Continued
The more you practice, the better you get!
Your pickleball journey is just one click away. Join me on the court to increase your knowledge, boost your game play, and achieve winning results. Enjoy the challenge with lessons tailored exclusively for you.
Serve and Return
Perfect Your Form
This lesson is built to ensure that you hit both your serves and returns to your greatest advantage. Learn where to place them and where to move after each shot. It’s a great opportunity to get focused and improve your performance like never before.
The Soft Game
Become a SuperDinker!
Avoid pop ups and set up your winning shots. The goals of this lesson are to help you develop the proper dinking technique and to instill confidence and consistency while playing at the kitchen line. I'll teach you the mechanics of the stroke and the various strike zones. Learn how to place your dinks and to hit them with a purpose.
The Third Shot - Drives and Drops
Best-in-Class Strategies
In this lesson I'll go over the various options you have for perhaps the most important shot in pickleball: the third shot. You'll learn three different shots that will help you get to the kitchen line. I incorporate drills used by some of the most elite athletes. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. So, start training with someone that’ll keep you motivated to practice the right way for the long haul.
My Lessons - Continued
The more you practice, the luckier you get!
Defense: Blocking and Resets
Keep Calm and Defend!
This lesson is built to instill confidence while defending attacks. Learn how to block drives, reset at the kitchen line and work your way out of the transition zone. Learn the different strokes, assess the quality of your shots and how and when to move. Get focused and gain confidence as you learn to work 'the process.'
Volley: Backhands and Forehands
Maximize Your Strokes
The goals of this lesson are to help you develop the proper forehand and backhand stroke techniques and to hit with accuracy, confidence and consistency. Learn the mechanics and how to build muscle memory so that they become automatic.
Lobs and Attacks from the Kitchen
Resets and Counterattacks
Let me help you make sense of lobs, and attacks from the kitchen. How to hit them, how to counter, and how to recounter. Learn to be always ready, aware of your court and paddle positioning, and to be in a state of overall readiness. I also teach how to handle lobs and how to avoid injury when chasing them down.
My Journey to Pickleball Essentials
I Love This Game!
I started playing racquetball in my teens and continued until recently. I stopped when I recognized that my body could not take any more jarring and jolting moves and the physical beatdown after each play session. As a competitive player all the sliding and court dives was just too much to absorb and my recovery to normalcy took longer and longer.
Like many people, I discovered pickleball during the pandemic and immediately fell in love. When I realized I could utilize my racquetball, table tennis, soccer and tennis skills, I was hooked.
A torn rotator cuff injury forced me to play lefthanded for almost 2 years. Although difficult at first, the silver lining was that it enlightened me to the essentials of effective pickleball game play. Handicapped by unrefined strokes and rough coordination, I was able to experiment and validate what truly works in the game. Even with advanced players, sticking to the fundamentals in both shot selection, placement and court movement really works!
My journey has led me to teach players of all levels the pickleball essentials for a winning game. Allow me to join you in your journey!
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