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Membership Options- Tons of great info… best viewed on desktop

Membership Benefits

* A limited number of courts will be available outside of posted Court Reserve times. 24+ hours request required by e-mail to info@boulderpickleball.net.

** Does not include court rental fee. FREE and Let’s Go! members may only rent the basic “Joe” ball machine.

*** When not being used by a clinic or lesson, or otherwise reserved. Details on individual cost available when booking reservation.

Private Lessons

Choose your coach, # of players (1-6) in your group, and duration, and enjoy highly personalized attention to your specific areas of concern. We recommend private lessons when addressing shot mechanics and technique, while Clinics are a more affordable option when looking for strategic instruction, drills, and supervised play.

Click Here to log in or set up your Court Reserve account in order to schedule your Private Lesson aka “Book-a-Pro”.

3-and-Me

Proven to be one of the very best ways to improve your game strategy and shot selection.  Come with three players of similar ability, and one of our amazing coaches will complete the foursome.  The coach will play alongside and against each player for several rounds, stopping play briefly when needed in order to share observations and suggestions.  You’ll get a great workout and leave with plenty of fresh ideas to bring to your next match. Available as 1 or 2 hour sessions.

Click Here to log in or set up your Court Reserve account in order to schedule your 3-and-Me session.

Boulder Pickleball Clinics

Come join your fellow Boulder Pickleball members (4-8 players) and enjoy a vigorous and fun extended warm up (20-30 min), immersion in a key strategic and/or shot execution area (30-40 min), then ample supervised play that we like to call “scrimmaging” (20-30 min). 

Our coaching staff spend dozens of hours per week teaching lessons, as well as facilitate and observe tons of Open Play sessions for players of all levels.  BP Clinic curricula will be developed and constantly updated based upon our observations and conversations with these players.  Topics may include: Serves and Return, 3rd Shot Options, Lobs and Returning Lobs, Kitchen Strategy and Execution, Volleys, Ernes and ATP’s, and More…

Beginning in August 2023, BP Clinics will be offered by ability level, i.e. BP Clinic- Green, Blue, or Black (see the “Our Ratings System” tab for greater detail and criteria for each respective level). As our membership numbers have grown, it is now possible to offer our BP Clinics by ability level, i.e. geared specifically toward Green, Blue, and Black level players.  Further, all clinics will now feature a selection of “skills and drills”, with a rotating focus based on the needs of the players and the Coach’s discretion.  Our coaching staff spends hours per week on court with players of all levels, as well as facilitate numerous Open Play sessions where we observe shot selection and execution areas for improvement.  BP Clinic lesson plans will be crafted and constantly updated as a result, together with feedback from our regular students.

Note that a few themed clinics will remain, including Learn2Play, Learn2Play 2.0, Pickleball for Tennis Players, and possibly a few others. Also, keep an eye out for upcoming “Super Clinics/ Mini Camps”, which will feature deeper immersion in specific topics, such as “The 3rd Shot Quandary”.

Note- If less than 4 players register, clinics may be canceled or converted to a 60-minute semi-private lesson, at no additional charge.

CLICK HERE to login or set up your Court Reserve account, then select your choice of available clinics.

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Super Clinics/ Mini Camps

Periodically, we will offer a deeper immersion into specific areas of pickleball strategy and/or shot execution, which will require more than the regularly scheduled 90-minutes. Keep an eye on our Court Reserve calendar for an upcoming session on one or more of the below topics.

Topics

The New School 3rd Shot- Come learn more about the “3rd shot Quandary” and explore options and solutions. You’ll learn a new pre-serve routine, with specific suggestions for serving techniques, partner alignment, and visualization, a range of 3rd and 5th shot possibilities, all with the goal of “neutralizing” the advantage of the returning team, then battling it out at the kitchen. Best for Blue+ levels.

Cooking in the Kitchen- To play winning pickleball, you will need enhanced tactics and skills once you’ve arrived at the NVZ (aka the kitchen).  Your coach will cover dinking skills, attacking, defense, lobs, and more, then enjoy a range of fun kitchen games, utilizing our unique “Kitchen Court”, before playing a few full court games to finish up. Open to all levels.

Serves and Returns- The 3rd shot gets all the attention, but if you aren’t consistently hitting quality serves and returns, then you should sign up for this clinic. Your Coach will go over special tactics for both shots, and provide personalized feedback on stroke mechanics, especially useful if you do not have a background in racket sports. Open to all levels.

Love Those Lobbers- Improve recognition and techniques for the #1 best way to return lobs, the overhead smash. Learn more about the optimal plan for partner choreography, whether you get the ball out of the air, or if you need to track down a lob that gets over your heads. Open to all levels.

Beating the Bangers- A banger is a player who tends to choose to hit the ball hard, often when a softer, finesse shot is the better option. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to play, so instead of wishing they would slow things down, let’s learn some tricks and tips for beating them! We’ll cover better resets, how to hit “unattackable” shots, and the #1 best way to beat the banger… how to get better letting out balls go out! Best for Blue+ levels..

Scoring and Positioning- Designed for our Green level players, who are stressed out about these seemingly daunting parts of the game. We will demystify them and offer some simple rules of thumb for better knowing the score, where you’re supposed to be before, during, and after each rally. Best for Green level players.

Ernes and ATP’s- You’ve seen them on TV, now learn how to identify and execute these surprisingly easy “trick” shots in your next game! Best for Blue+ levels.

Red Light / Green Light- A cardio style workout and class all in one!  Get the tips you need to help decide if, when, and how best to move as a team toward the kitchen, following the 3rd shot of the rally. Best for Blue+ levels

Tackling the Transition Zone- It isn’t really a No Man’s Land… more so a critical area in which to learn better footwork, defensive skills, finesse, and patience. Best for Blue+ levels

Stacking for Success- A must for left-handed players, and important for open play and tournament players to learn as well.  If you prefer playing on the left or right side of the court most of the time, come learn how you can do just that! Best for Blue+ levels.

Volley Ball- Learn how to volley better with more power, control, consistency, and finesse. We will explore different footwork patters and grips, including whether or not to use a two-handed backhand… Open to all levels.

Pickleball for Tennis Players- We like to say that 82% of your tennis is quite helpful to playing great pickleball, however that 18% can be a real challenge.  We have the perfect clinic for converting tennis players, designed to highlight your strengths, and begin to introduce some of the critical new skills to help make you dominant on the pickleball court. Best for Blue+ levels.

Learn2Play 2.0- Looking for more beginner education to feel more comfortable taking the court for Open Play, Clinics, or with friends? We will refresh the basics and be ready to answer all your “newbie” questions… we were there too! Best for Green level players.

Spin Shot Ball Machine- Learn how to set up the machine to practice all the important shots, as well as fun drills, useful props, etc. Once we’ve learned how best to use the machine, we’ll fire it up and get a ton of practice and repetition with some key shots.

CLICK HERE to login or set up your Court Reserve account, then select your choice of available clinics.

Open Play

CLICK HERE to login or set up your Court Reserve account, then select your choice of Open Play sessions.

A great way to meet other members of the Boulder Pickleball community, who play at a similar level. Unlike a dedicated court reservation, where you need to know all of the other players, at Open Play, you may register and come solo, and enjoy two hours of rotating play with more than a dozen others around your level.

Offered several mornings and evenings throughout the week.  Check our Court Reserve calendar for up-to-date schedule of offerings, featuring dedicated sessions for each of our three levels- Green, Blue, and Black.

Note- If less than 4 players register, sessions may be canceled with as much notice as possible.

Rules and Guidelines (for most sessions, based on # of players)

• A limited number of spots will be offered for each session, so you’ll get plenty of playing time with minimal breaks.

• Limit 5 minutes warm up for game 1.  If available, players not on for game 1 may use the practice courts to get ready.

• Each player should bring at least one pickleball, as they are not provided.

• Self-select your ability (green, blue, or black), then adjust from there.  Please check with coaching staff for recommendations as needed.

  • See below for new “Competitive” or “Chill” Open Play session options.

    CLICK HERE to login or set up your Court Reserve account, then select your choice of Open Play sessions.

BP Open Play Spirit and Philosophy 

As many of you know, ‘open play” is one of the things that makes pickleball so unique and fun, amongst so many other sports.  Unlike tennis, where it is common to arrive at the courts with your foursome and play solely with them, pickleball open play offers the chance to play with a dozen or more partners of similar ability.  At Boulder Pickleball, we love open play, and strive to make it a simple and enjoyable part of your membership here.  You just sign up and show up, and we’ll do our best to fill the courts with players of similar ability and experience.  As with most things, you’ll hopefully find “your people” and then perhaps decide to schedule your own games on other days. 

We ask that you join our open play sessions with this “community” spirit in mind and do you part to build up and support your fellow players, while also focusing on your own improvement and fun.  While we try to fill the courts with players of your approximate ability, we leave it up to each player to decide which group (green, blue, or black) is most appropriate, with some guidance.  At times you may be the best player on the court, and at other times the worst, which is one of the cool things about pickleball… we can still have fun even when the players are not at the exact same level. Note that, while we support and encourage players challenging themselves, it can be unproductive vs players with greater overall skills and/or an unenjoyable playing style.

Here are some suggestions of what to do when you have the chance to play against either stronger or weaker players:

·    When you find yourself facing better players, start by being positive and fun-focused… being anxious and tight is not going to be productive for you, nor fun for your fellow players. Aim to play “your game” and afterwards be grateful having learned things like “well, some of those shots just don’t work well at this level”, and, in observing the better players up close, “wow, I had no idea you could do some of those things…”.  Note that we cannot dictate the style of play of our opponents, and if they chose to pick on one player or the other, or “bang” all their shots, then we either need to find ways to use that as motivation and perhaps turn their strategy against them, or consider a different level of Open Play.

·    When one of the strongest on court, try to focus less on score and winning, and more so on practicing key shots and strategies. One of our favorites is the “~5 mph speed limi”t on shots, forcing us to find craftier ways of winning rallies i.e. emphasizing “place over pace”. Another is to focus on a more consistent and dynamic split step. At 8-8, if you chose to ratchet it up to win the game, we’re cool with that too:). Lastly, if you are stronger than your partner, the opponents may choose to keep the ball away from you… this is an opportunity to learn ways to get yourself involved, maximize your touches, and be a supportive teammate.

Lastly, please note the following expectations of each member who joins a BP Open Play session:

·   Please arrive early and be ready to go at the designated start time.  We run a few different formats and need to know the exact number of players to select the right one.  Arriving late can throw things off for the entire group, so please do your best to be on time or early whenever possible.

·   Please come or cancel early!  As the above mentions, it is important that everyone who has signed up attends, so that we can start on time and with the proper format.  We often have a wait list, so if a situation arises that you cannot attend, please cancel at your earliest possible date to allow someone else to attend.

·   Please do not leave early, if possible.  As mentioned above, successful open play sessions rely on having the proper number of players for the entirety of the scheduled time.  While we will do our best to adjust, when necessary, please respect the experience of your fellow players by aiming to be here for the full two hours.

·   Please treat all your fellow players with kindness, respect, and support.  While an occasional helpful tip may be offered (and received) with the best of intentions, please minimize any “coaching” unless it is specifically requested.

·   Please be generous with your line calls.  Pickleballs are notoriously hard to determine if they land on or outside of the lines, so let’s be in the habit of giving the benefit of the doubt to our opponents, especially if we can return the ball with little difficulty. 

·   Winning isn’t everything… seriously. BP open play sessions will afford you the chance to play a ton of pickleball, win or lose. Either way, let’s show exemplary sportsmanship and keep the focus on fun, laughter, and supporting each other.

CLICK HERE to login or set up your Court Reserve account, then select your choice of Open Play sessions.

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Starting Fall ’23- Thanks to player feedback, we will be designating each Open Play session with one of the below, so that you can enjoy your preferred level of competitiveness:

Open Play- Competitive

For those looking to compete with intensity and a focus on winning against players of very similar ability.  The format for these sessions will be- Play games to 11 or 10 minutes, whichever comes first, then all players rotate… winners move up a court (toward court 1) and split up, losers move down a court (toward court 5) and split up.  If you win on court 1, you stay and split.  If you lose on court 5 (or whichever is the lowest court), you stay and split.  Note that if there are subs, then the losers on the lowest court head off for a break, while two subs come on and split (this could mean sitting out frequently if you don’t win on court 5).  The “Competitive” designation will be attached to select Open Play sessions, so be sure to check that you are registering for the correct one. 

Open Play- Chill

Our traditional Boulder Pickleball Open Play, focusing primarily on cooperative and supportive practice in a lightly competitive environment. The format will usually be- Play games to 9 (or 11), win by 1 (for time’s sake) … winners stay on the court and split up, losers step off for a short break.  In a few minutes, another game will finish and the two players sitting out will head to that court, split up, and play another game.  This format frequently leads to playing with and against most of the other participants, and the chance to make friends and future practice partners.

Fitness

Agility, Strength, and Balance with Coach KK- In this class we will work on components of agility (think quick feet on the court) to help us move more smoothly while playing, work on balance in a range of different planes and motions, as well as the strength we need to be strong Pickleball players. This will translate into all areas of life and sports. Come prepared to work hard, have fun and work on building a stronger foundation. If you have your own yoga mat you are welcome to bring it. No other special shoes or equipment required! Let’s gooooooooo!

The Boulder Pickleball Player Level System

In 2023, pickleball suffers from an overabundance of rating systems, often leaving players confused and demoralized. Boulder Pickleball aims to demystify this area and improve your playing and learning environment, through the rollout of our color-coded player level system, based on the popular ski trail ratings. Using the below guidelines, we’ll ask that players initially self rate when selecting an Open Play level, then adjust as needed from there.

Learn2Play

• Players are not quite ready for Open Play.  Should consider a Learn2Play Clinic, or Green level Clinic to gain knowledge and confidence before joining an Open Play- Green session.

 Green

• Players have a basic (or better) understanding of rules, scoring, and positioning.

• Have played at least a few times.

• Have adequate (or better) mobility and can move about the court in a safe manner.

• May have minimal relevant racket or paddle sports experience.

• Can execute basic serves, returns, volleys, and groundstrokes with some success.

• Rally construction is mostly reactive and resembles mini tennis.

• Players are often “stuck” in the transition zone.

• Drops and dinks are evolving but still somewhat rare.

• May be easily overcome by “bangers”.

• May align with 1.0 – 2.5 traditional rating.

Blue

• Players have all the above, plus:

• Players have a solid understanding of rules, scoring, and positioning.

• May have at least a few months of playing experience.

• Are familiar with and improving their 3rd shot drop, and variations.

• Are mostly moving together as a team and utilizing verbal communication.

• Use lobs and do a reasonably good job handle being lobbed.

• Are somewhat comfortable using dinks and drops and other elements of the “soft game”.

• Can put an attackable ball away with pace and precision in most cases.

• May struggle dealing with “bangers”.

• Are comfortable playing at the NVZ and mostly avoid backing up unnecessarily.

• May align with 2.5 – 3.75 traditional rating.

Black

• Players have all the above, plus:

• Players may have some competitive or tournament experience.

• Are mostly comfortable playing either a power or a soft game, as needed.

• May utilize offensive lobs.

• Move effectively together as a team toward the NVZ following a 3rd shot.

• Utilize resets and leverage the NVZ when on the defensive.

• Can participate in extended dink rallies.

• Can reliably execute a 3rd shot drop, including variations like the New School 3rd, as well as drives.

• Can reliably serve and return deep.

• Are having some success attacking balls below net level.

• Occasionally use “stacking” as a positioning strategy.

• Can process the options and select the appropriate shot selection in most cases.

• May align with a 3.75- 4.5 traditional rating.

CLICK HERE to login or set up your Court Reserve account, then select your choice of Open Play sessions.