Learn Pickleball with Hernan
💰$99 weekly lessons
As a dedicated pickleball player with nearly three years of intensive experience in the sport, I bring a unique blend of athletic expertise and coaching excellence to every lesson. My journey into pickleball has been accelerated by an extensive background as a professional volleyball player, where I developed elite-level court awareness, strategic thinking, and the ability to read opponents' movements and intentions. My coaching credentials span over five years as a professional coach across multiple racquet and paddle sports, including tennis, squash, and table tennis. This diverse coaching experience has provided me with a comprehensive understanding of different playing styles, grip techniques, and the biomechanics that translate across racquet sports. Additionally, my decade-plus experience as a competitive tennis player gives me deep insight into shot selection, court positioning, and the mental aspects of racquet sport competition that directly enhance pickleball performance. Beyond racquet sports, my background as a professional ski instructor has refined my ability to break down complex movements into teachable progressions, communicate technical concepts clearly to students of all skill levels, and maintain safety while pushing performance boundaries. This experience has been invaluable in teaching the nuanced footwork, balance, and body positioning that are crucial for advanced pickleball play. I am passionate about helping players at every level unlock their potential through technical mastery and strategic understanding. My approach combines the precision and power development from my volleyball background, the tactical sophistication from tennis, the quick reflexes and touch from table tennis, and the movement efficiency from skiing instruction. Whether you're looking to master the fundamentals or compete at tournament level, I'm committed to providing personalized coaching that accelerates your pickleball journey.
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Teaches: Not specified
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Levels: Beginners, Intermediates
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Lives in: Leander, Texas
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Happy Student Score: Not available
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Years Playing: Not specified
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Given: 0 lessons
Accomplishments
🏅Experienced Player
New to TeachMe.To
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Locations
These are the locations I've set as being able to provide lessons:9 courts available
Private Pickleball Court
1001 Hill Dr, Leander, TX 78641, USA
1061.8 miles awayOutdoors
Paso Pickleball Court
1305 Pasa Tiempo Road, Leander, TX, USA
1060.2 miles awayOutdoors
ATP HAUS
11302 Beach Rd, Leander, TX 78641, USA
1063.1 miles awayOutdoors
Veterans Memorial Park
2525 W New Hope Dr, Leander, TX 78641, USA
1060.1 miles awayOutdoors
Blockhouse Creek Elementary (tennis court)
2601 Spy Cv, White Stone, TX 78641
1057.6 miles awayOutdoors
Leander High School (tennis court)
3301 S Bagdad Rd, Leander, TX 78641
1058.5 miles awayOutdoors
Lago Vista High School (tennis court)
20801 FM-1431, Lago Vista, TX 78645
1066.8 miles awayOutdoors
Tom Glenn High School (tennis court)
4901 Bagdad Rd, Leander, TX 78641
1057.3 miles awayOutdoors
Nameless Saloon
23296 Nameless Road
1062.6 miles awayOutdoors
Availability
These are the times I've set as being available for lessons.sundays
8 AM - 8 PM
mondays
8 AM - 8 PM
tuesdays
8 AM - 8 PM
wednesdays
8 AM - 8 PM
thursdays
8 AM - 8 PM
fridays
8 AM - 8 PM
saturdays
8 AM - 8 PM
Beginner training plan
Your first lessonAssessment: Observe student's athletic background, hand-eye coordination through simple ball toss and catch, and natural paddle grip. Note any tennis or other racquet sport experience that may require grip adjustment.
Coaching Focus: Emphasize safety, basic rules overview, and proper equipment handling. Teach continental grip, ready position, and explain court dimensions and basic scoring (0-0-2 to start).
Practice Drills: Start with the Bounce and Catch drill where students simply bounce the ball on their paddle face while standing still, progressing to walking while maintaining control. Follow this with Wall Practice, having beginners stand 3-4 feet from a wall and gently hit the ball against it using a continental grip, focusing on controlled contact rather than power. Introduce the Underhand Serve Practice by having students serve into an empty court from the baseline, emphasizing the underhand motion and getting the ball over the net consistently. End with Basic Forehand and Backhand Swings without a ball, teaching proper form and paddle positioning while explaining the ready position and basic court awareness.
Next Steps: Students should practice paddle control at home and watch basic pickleball videos. Goal is to serve 3 out of 5 balls over the net by next lesson.
Lesson 11+Assessment: Evaluate competitive game performance, shot selection under pressure, and strategic thinking. Assess consistency in executing all fundamental shots and ability to adapt to different playing styles and skill levels.
Coaching Focus: Develop mental game and competitive strategy. Teach advanced shot techniques and situation-specific tactics. Emphasize consistency over power and patience in point construction. Introduce tournament preparation concepts.
Practice Drills: Practice Cross-Court Dinking where players must keep dinks diagonal across the court, teaching patience and angle creation while avoiding the temptation to attack too early. Implement Stacking and Communication drills where doubles partners learn proper court coverage, calling balls, and basic stacking formations during serve and return situations. Master the Reset Shot through drills where one player hits aggressive shots while their partner practices neutralizing the pace and regaining control of the rally. Incorporate Situational Point Play where coaches create specific scenarios like being down in the score or playing against aggressive opponents, helping students develop mental toughness and tactical decision-making skills that will serve them well in competitive play.
Next Steps: Students ready for intermediate instruction should demonstrate consistent shot execution, strategic thinking, and the ability to play competitive games. Goals include tournament participation, joining leagues, and continuing skill development through advanced coaching or clinics.
Lesson 4-10Assessment: Evaluate serve consistency, rally length, and basic court movement. Test understanding of non-volley zone rules and assess ability to transition from baseline to net. Observe shot selection and decision-making under mild pressure.
Coaching Focus: Emphasize non-volley zone strategy and the importance of the soft game. Teach proper net approach timing and positioning. Introduce doubles strategy basics and communication between partners.
Practice Drills: Master the Kitchen Line Dinking drill where players stand at the non-volley zone line and hit soft shots back and forth, focusing on ball placement and patience rather than winners. Practice Transition Footwork by having players start at the baseline, hit a third shot drop, then move forward to the kitchen line while their partner feeds them balls at different heights. Develop Volley Technique through the Rapid Fire Volleys drill where one player feeds balls quickly to their partner at the net, emphasizing quick reflexes and paddle positioning. Introduce Live Ball Scoring Games where students play modified games to 7 points, incorporating proper serving rotation and basic strategy while reinforcing all learned techniques in realistic game scenarios.
Next Steps: Students should maintain 15+ shot dinking rallies, successfully execute third shot drops 4 out of 10 attempts, and demonstrate understanding of basic doubles positioning. Begin playing recreational games with more experienced players.
Lesson 2-3Assessment: Check serving consistency and form from lesson 1. Evaluate student's ability to track and return balls, noting footwork patterns and swing mechanics.
Coaching Focus: Refine serving technique with emphasis on accuracy over power. Introduce return of serve positioning and the two-bounce rule. Begin teaching court positioning and movement patterns.
Practice Drills: Practice the Service Box Accuracy drill where students serve 10 balls each, aiming to land serves in specific areas of the service box to develop placement control. Introduce Partner Rally where two players stand at the baseline and attempt to keep the ball in play using only groundstrokes, starting with 5 consecutive hits and gradually increasing the target. Work on Approach and Return by having one player serve while the other practices returning the ball back over the net with control, alternating roles every 5 serves. Include Third Shot Introduction where players learn the concept of hitting a soft shot after the return of serve, practicing the motion without worrying about perfect placement yet.
Next Steps: Students should achieve 6 out of 10 serves in the service box and maintain 8-10 shot rallies. Practice footwork and begin learning basic pickleball strategy concepts.
Advanced training plan
Your first lessonTechnical Refinement and Power Development
Phase 1: Technical Refinement and Power Development
Assessment: Evaluate shot consistency under pressure, power generation mechanics, and ability to execute advanced shots like topspin drives, cut shots, and specialty serves. Test endurance and movement efficiency during extended rallies.
Coaching Focus: Refine biomechanics for maximum power and spin generation. Develop shot variety and deception techniques. Emphasize precision placement at high speeds and advanced paddle face manipulation for different shot effects.
Practice Drills: Master the Power Drive Consistency drill where players hit 20 consecutive cross-court drives with topspin, maintaining depth and pace while staying in bounds. Practice Deception Dinking where players must disguise their dink direction until the last moment, using body positioning and paddle face angles to mislead opponents. Execute Advanced Serving Variations including side-spin serves, deep power serves, and short angle serves, hitting each type 5 times to specific court zones. Work on Erne Preparation drills where players practice the footwork and timing needed to execute legal around-the-post shots, starting with stationary setup and progressing to live ball situations.
Next Steps: Players should achieve 85% consistency on power drives, demonstrate three different serve types with 70% accuracy, and successfully execute erne setups in practice. Begin incorporating these skills into competitive match play.
Lesson 11+Elite Performance and Specialization
Assessment: Evaluate tournament results, ranking progression, and consistency against top-level competition. Assess physical conditioning, injury prevention protocols, and long-term performance sustainability. Analyze strengths and weaknesses for potential specialization development.
Coaching Focus: Sport-specific conditioning and injury prevention. Advanced video analysis and biomechanical optimization. Development of signature shots and playing style specialization. Tournament preparation and professional development guidance.
Practice Drills: Master Signature Shot Development where players work on perfecting 1-2 shots that become their calling cards, practicing these shots from multiple court positions and situations until they achieve 90%+ success rates. Implement Tournament Simulation including full match play with official scoring, time constraints, and competitive pressure, followed by detailed video analysis and performance metrics review. Practice Physical Integration drills that combine technical skill execution with sport-specific fitness challenges, ensuring skills remain sharp during physical fatigue. Execute Mentorship Training where advanced players teach and drill with intermediate players, developing leadership skills and deeper understanding of game mechanics through instruction.
Next Steps: Players at this level should be competing in major tournaments, potentially earning prize money or sponsorships, and considering professional coaching certifications. Focus shifts to career longevity, continued skill refinement, and contributing to the sport's development through mentoring and instruction.
Lesson 4-10Mental Game and Match Strategy
Assessment: Evaluate competitive performance under pressure, emotional control during critical points, and ability to maintain focus during long matches. Assess adaptability when facing different playing styles and tactical adjustments mid-match.
Coaching Focus: Development of pre-match preparation routines, in-match mental strategies, and pressure point execution. Teach opponent scouting techniques and tactical adjustment methods. Emphasize maintaining technical form under extreme pressure.
Practice Drills: Implement Pressure Point Training where players must execute specific shots while under artificial pressure (crowd noise, score situations, time pressure) to simulate tournament conditions. Practice Style Adaptation drills where players face different opponent types (bangers, soft game specialists, all-court players) and must adjust strategy every 3 points. Execute Comeback Scenarios where players start matches down significant scores and must employ specific mental and tactical strategies to mount comebacks. Work on Championship Point Execution where players practice serving, returning, and playing critical points with match outcomes on the line.
Next Steps: Players should demonstrate consistent performance regardless of score situation, show ability to adapt strategy mid-match, and maintain technical execution under maximum pressure. Ready for elite-level tournament play and potential sponsorship opportunities.
Lesson 2-3Advanced Strategy and Court Control
Assessment: Analyze tactical decision-making, court positioning during complex rallies, and ability to construct points strategically. Evaluate partner communication and advanced doubles formations under tournament pressure.
Coaching Focus: Develop sophisticated point construction and pattern recognition. Teach advanced stacking variations, switching techniques, and situational strategy. Emphasize reading opponents' weaknesses and exploiting court positioning errors.
Practice Drills: Practice Pattern Recognition where coaches feed specific ball sequences and players must identify and respond with optimal shot selection, progressing from simple patterns to complex multi-shot combinations. Implement Advanced Stacking Scenarios including Australian formation, mixed stacking, and mid-point switches, practicing against different opponent types and court positions. Master Pressure Point Construction where players deliberately create high-pressure situations (like forcing pop-ups) through strategic shot placement and court positioning. Execute Counter-Attack Sequences where one team plays defensively while the other attacks, then switch roles, focusing on neutralizing power and transitioning from defense to offense.
Next Steps: Players should demonstrate mastery of 4+ stacking formations, successfully construct points to create attacking opportunities 60% of the time, and show consistent tactical adaptation during matches. Ready for high-level tournament competition.
What you need to bringPaddle
What I can bringBalls
Frequently asked questions
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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!
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!
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Pickleball with Hernan T.New to TeachMe.To