Private Pickleball Lessons & Coaches in Oakland, CA

I'm Coach Darren and I specialize in improving skills through targeted drills with a pickleball machine. My focus is on addressing weaknesses and specific shots such as more consistent and powerful backhands, hitting speedups and defending them, third shot drops, topspin rolls, resets, countering slices and dinking and flicks. By emphasizing technique and repetition, I help players improve their confidence on the shots, reduce errors and win more.

"Darren was awesome and patient with us knowing we are beginners. He taught us step by step right from the very basics. We have 2 more lessons with him and looking forward to take more lessons. Highly recommended.

Whether you're a newbie or looking to level up, let's embark on a journey together to establish attainable goals and, most importantly, have a blast on the court! In my nearly 3 years of Pickleball, I've enjoyed the game recreationally, participated in local tournaments and shared my passion by teaching family and friends. Regardless of your skill level, experience, or familiarity with the "dink, drive, drop," we can make Pickleball a fun workout and an opportunity to meet new people. If you're ready to dink, drive, drop, and play Pickleball, let's connect and take your game to new heights!

"The lesson with Gordon was quite helpful, especially in refining my court positioning and shot consistency. Though I still have room for improvement, I found his guidance practical and well-paced. Still, I look forward to trying another lesson soon.

Let’s be honest—pickleball is addicting. I’ve played tennis, ping pong, and now I’m all in on pickleball. If you're just getting started or trying to level up from beginner to intermediate, I’ve got you covered. I’m all about drills, smart practice, and building muscle memory the right way—but without sucking the fun out of it. I’m patient, encouraging, and I’ll work with you at your pace. You’ll improve faster than you think (seriously), especially when you're drilling with someone who knows what to look for. No gear? No problem. I’ve got paddles, balls and even a pickleball machine. Just bring your curiosity, and I’ll take care of the rest. Book your first complimentary lesson on me—and when you complete 10, you’ll receive a paddle as a token of my appreciation for your commitment and accomplishment. Ready to get addicted to pickleball? Let’s get you hooked—in the best way possible. 🎾

"Darren's lesson was quite helpful; he is skillful, patient, and has a natural teaching style. Though I still need to improve my current skills, I feel more confident about where to focus next. Continuing with these lessons will really make a difference for me.

I enjoy playing pickleball, and helping others to play the game that is becoming quite the physical and social convergence. I will help you to learn the game, including all the skills for you to shape, and place, and hit the shots for winning the moment on the court. And we will even find a good time when we lose a game, or a point, with lots of lessons and laughter. Besides Pickleball and Tennis, I have a background teaching Partner Strength Training, and Partner Yoga. if that is of interest to you when we warm up, let me know. I am customize the direction and intensity of the lessons to fit the goals and experience you’d like to have learning the game. Let’s have fun, and also get better at playing pickleball, and how our bodies and minds can help us along the way. Let’s Go! Open to Coaching all levels, ages, and abilities: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced.

"Loved my first lesson with him . Super friendly and very patient with my kid. Totally recommend him

Hello, my name is Justin Telmo, and I am a PPR-certified instructor who is passionate about helping people at all levels improve their pickleball game. My approach to coaching pickleball is to break large concepts down as much as possible in order to establish common fundamentals that can be applied to as many things as possible. I have experience coaching racquet/paddle sports to players of all ages and various skill levels. I am open to individual lessons, group lessons, as well as video review sessions to help you improve.

"I initially booked a single lesson with Justin, but I was so impressed after that first session that I immediately signed up for a 10-pack. Justin is an exceptionally attentive and perceptive coach. He closely observes every movement, pinpointing subtle adjustments and offering actionable advice to elevate my game. We worked through everything from serves and third-shot drops to both one-handed and two-handed backhands, as well as offensive and defensive techniques. My overall technique, consistency, and court confidence have improved significantly thanks to his guidance. I highly recommend Justin to anyone looking to level up their pickleball game!

Hi, I’m Michael, a dedicated and passionate pickleball coach with a strong focus on helping players of all levels improve their game, strategy, and confidence on the court. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to sharpen your competitive edge, I offer personalized coaching tailored to your goals and skill level.

"For our first training, Michael gave us not only the basic training but also a few extra advance tips that we could use in future. We learned so much! Thx Michael!

I bring 4 years of experience and a passion for sharing my love of this dynamic sport. I enjoy teaching beginners the sport of pickleball. I am patient and make learning the game fun. Let's work together to elevate your game in a fun, engaging environment! My schedule is flexible, message me for a lesson.

"Randa taught my 14 year old daughter pickleball and was very patient and thorough. My daughter now loves pickleball thanks to Randa for making it fun to learn and play. We play as a family now and it’s so much fun. I highly recommend Randa.

Sushil is a sought-after coach and mentor, helping players of all levels unlock their full potential --teaches shot placement, strategy, smart play, and advanced racket skills. Sushil is a passionate and enthusiastic coach who customizes each session according to the skill level, play style, and goals of a player. Sushil is a former #1-ranked cricket player in the US and 🥈 silver medalist in badminton at the US Open Nationals, bringing the world-class athleticism to northern California Pickleball communities. Sushil has recently secured🏅 Gold medal at the San Diego USA Pickleball Tournament — a proven champion on the court. With a distinguished background in sports at the highest levels, Sushil brings a wealth of experience coupled with the strategic mindset and fastest hand-eye coordination to the pickleball. Sushil is a father of three athletic and academically successful boys and is a long term resident of Marin County. With 30+ years of success as an engineering professional in the Silicon Valley, Sushil brings a rare blend of discipline, commitment to excellence, versatility, and mentorship. Sushil is poised to make a significant impact as a coach and as a player and continue to inspire, teach and elevate the sport of pickleball in local communities.

"Sushil is very patient with beginners and I am thankful for that. I am relearning basic skills during our sessions.

Hey guys! I am a PPR certified Pickleball coach with years of experience teaching the game I love! My mission is to guide you in honing your skills, both on the physical and mental fronts. I can help beginners get a quick start so they can play games with their friends or help advanced players hone their skills and strategies to become a future tournament winner.

"That lesson really highlighted some key positioning tips that I hadn’t thought about before, which was helpful. I feel more confident moving forward. Corinna’s approach makes it easy to focus on specific aspects of my game without feeling overwhelmed.

Note: most lessons will need to be booked a week out to ensure courts are available I'm a USTA 4.5 tennis player and a 4.0 PPR Certified Coach who has been playing pickleball for 5 years and teaching for the past three years. I've taught students who have never had a paddle in their hands, as well as students at the 3.5/4.0 pickleball level. I love teaching tennis players the differences in the game and the adjustments that need to be made.

"Lisa was great covering all the basics and helping us build a strong foundation.