International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association

The founding members of the IPTPA, (see list of founding members) reads like a “whose who list” of the best pickleball players and coaches in the world. Founded by Seymour Rifkind, a business executive and hall of fame coach, he and the original members recognized that in order for the quality of our sport to match it´s fantastic growth, certifying teaching professionals was a high priority. More and more players are seeking qualified instruction to improve their game. Often times, they´re being taught by tennis professionals who were teaching tennis strokes with a paddle. Other times a well meaning pickleball player was providing instruction without the basic understanding of proper stroke development, shot selection and strategy. In essence, no minimum standards existed. Since the establishment of the IPTPA at the 2015 Nationals, the founding members have been busy not only establishing those standards, for the beginner through 3.5 player but, developing the criteria to determine whether a perspective coach met those standards.

Our objective is clear, this first wave of certified instructors is meant to separate the non-pickleball coaches ie. Tennis, racquetball, squash, badminton, or table tennis coach from those pickleball teaching professionals that have met the minimum standards as adopted by our board and it’s founding members. See the steps to certification under the certification tab for a detailed account of what is necessary to become a certified pickleball teaching professional.