7 Pickleball coaches & instructors for lessons in East Providence, RI

James Crosson has had the prestigious honor of being selected out of 300 participants to become one of the 60 certified coaches by DUPR’s exclusive coaching program. James is registered as National Professional Pickleball DUPR coach, a National Pickleball Professional with the International Registry of Pickleball Professionals, A National Professional with the International Coaches Institute, A professional with the RPPk Registery of Pickleball Professionals, and has worked with the Tyson McGruff coaching program to deliver excellence in all categories of coaching Pickleball. For over 8+ years James has become an avid Pickleball player, and his love for the game is only exceeded by his passion for teaching others how to improve in all aspects of their Pickleball game! From teaching beginners to excel quickly into the Pickleball world, to teaching advanced techniques and strategies to already established players to improve on their game, there is nothing James won’t be able to show you! James is extremely personable to make you feel comfortable in your learning process, and his methodology is that learning Pickleball should be a fun experience instead of feeling like a chore. James is an all-around athlete and has a strong tennis background from 6 years at the Newport Tennis Hall of fame. He fell in love with Pickleball, and was the founder of the very successful Fall River Pickleball Group. James is very competitive and is constantly playing in Pickleball tournaments against some of the best players in the Rhode Island and Massachusetts area. To ignite your passion in beginning your Pickleball journey, or to overcome the obstacles holding you back from being the best Pickleball player.

"James quickly taught me how to play so I could go out on the courts and start playing in open plays without feeling nervous! He gave me the ground work to start playing and learning on my own so I can continue to play until I need his guidance again! Awesome coach and fast teacher!

My career has afforded me many opportunities to coach students of all ages and abilities in pickleball, tennis and squash. I have enjoyed meeting great people and sharing my passion to improve their skills and enjoy the many fantastic benefits of exercise and competitive fun!

"The lesson with Wayne was quite helpful, especially his clear communication and feedback. Wayne’s exercises are always great and target key areas.

Coming from a background in ping pong, Charley quickly became fond of pickleball during the tail end of COVID, gathering people from his church to play. Years later, as a World Pickleball Tour National Champion (January 2025) with a 4.5+ DUPR rating, Charley has reached the pinnacle of amateur competitive pickleball. With a Massachusetts teaching license and two years of coaching experience, he is passionate about helping players of all skill levels and age groups refine their techniques and develop a deeper love for the game. Additionally, he leads a weekly group and provides extra repetition with a ball-serving machine to maximize practice and improvement. Let’s take your pickleball game to the next level—let me know when you’re ready to get started!

"Charlie was excellent and helping me focus on drills regarding my play at the net in particular working on slowing down the game and using a softer touch with my paddle to help target more competitive play

I'm a sports enthusiast who discovered a passion for pickleball in late 2022 after years of playing recreational tennis. Since then, I've fallen in love with the game and play almost every day. As a PPR Certified instructor and Six Zero Ambassador, I regularly drill and continually seek to improve my skills. As a 4.0 player, I'm dedicated to teaching others, helping them enhance their game, and spreading the joy of pickleball.

"The lesson with Larry was quite helpful, especially his helpful feedback and patience with applications. Though I think more technical details about shot mechanics would add to the learning, I’m hopeful that future lessons will cover this area as well. Still, I feel like I gained a good understanding of the basics, and it’s made me more confident in my game. If you're interested in steadily improving, Larry might be worth trying out.

As a former tennis player turned passionate Pickleball enthusiast, I've transitioned my skills, technique, and strategy into the world of Pickleball. I play nearly every day and have dedicated extensive time to mastering the game. In addition to my racket sports background, I have experience teaching and coaching wrestling at the collegiate level. Now, my goal is to foster the growth of Pickleball and help individuals or groups enhance their skills, whether for casual play or competitive purposes. Looking forward to raising your game and having a blast on the court!

"Really, I gotta say, the lesson with Jon was quite helpful. He’s super knowledgeable and great at getting his lessons into your game. My girlfriend and I are taking the lessons together and we both felt like we learned a lot and had a good time. Jon has already helped me improve my transitions and soft game and helped her improve her drives and volleys. If you're aiming to sharpen your pickleball skills, you should consider giving Jon a try.

If you are thinking about learning to play the fastest growing sport in the nation, but are hesitant to begin, read this short bio of our most popular Rhode Island instructor, Coach Phyl. Her experience and coaching style can help to ease your concerns. Hello and welcome! I’m Coach Phyl, and I am so glad you’re here. Let me tell you a little about why I love to work with beginning pickleball players. Pickleball is life, and I mean that literally. I took up the sport just as the Covid pandemic was shifting into high gear. It was the one thing I could do, despite my advanced age, while lockdown was beginning to happen all around me. It got me off the couch and moving, which I believe saved me from losing my mind, my passion for life, and my muscles, such as they are. It was kismet. I quickly recognized how similar the movements and strategies were to a game called Ace King Queen that I had played as a child. I loved and missed that game. Pickleball felt almost like finding it again. I fell in love with it immediately, not only for the game itself, but also for the social void it filled. Pickleball has brought many wonderful people into my life while providing me with a fun way to stay active during my “golden” years. I am filled with gratitude for all that it gives me, and I want to share these benefits with as many people as I can. We will have fun while you learn and practice new drills and skills. Pickleball is a multi-tiered sport that can be played by just about anyone. There is no better way to learn the basics than through in-person coaching. My teaching style is relaxed and non-confrontational. You will learn the rules of the game, proper warm-up techniques, paddle basics, a variety of strokes, serving options, targeting, timing, and the importance of drilling, with a few advanced strategies thrown in for good measure. As I like to say, just do it! There's no time like the present, so join me. See you on the court! Speaking of courts… While I am willing to travel to other courts, I encourage you to choose the courts at the John H. Chafee Sports Complex at 450 Hope Road in Western Cranston. These courts are well maintained and easy to get to. I love playing there, and I think you will, too. That said, if the weather calls for rain or otherwise is not in a cooperative mood (think wind, intense heat, snow, etc.), then a good choice would be the private indoor court at Open Table.

"Okay, I was pretty satisfied with the lesson with Phyllis. She paid close attention to my technique and offered useful tips that I can actually apply to my game. Still, I think I need a bit more practice, but I’m hopeful her guidance will help me improve. If you’re looking to refine aspects of your pickleball skills, you might want to give her a try.

With three years of coaching pickleball, I'm dedicated to helping players elevate their game. My experience as a tournament winner translates into tailored strategies for every skill level. Let's work together! Also a skilled tennis coach/instructor, been teaching for 8 years.