SKANEATELES — More than 40 local pickleball players gathered at Austin Park recently for the first multi-level pickleball clinic organized by the Skaneateles Area Pickleball Club.
Pickleball is often described as combining the skills of badminton, tennis, and ping pong. Easy to learn and enjoyed by people of all ages, pickleball has been the fastest-growing sport in the country for the past several years.
The Skaneateles clinic was run by certified teaching professionals Zurano Tubo from the Southern Tier Pickleball Academy in Binghamton, his daughter, Tiniira, and Ken Henderson, a national pickleball champion and founder of Traveling Pickleball Pros.
Three clinic sessions ran from morning until late afternoon. The Beginner/Advanced Beginner session provided a comprehensive introduction to pickleball fundamentals, including rules and scoring, basic serve and return skills, forehand and backhand ground strokes, and the short game known as dinking.
The Intermediate and Strong Intermediate sessions concentrated on shot selection skills and game strategies, including the “third shot drop,” disguised lobs, block volleys, and partner communication techniques.
Tubo and his team provided clear explanations and easy-to-grasp demonstrations of the skills and strategies they wanted to introduce to each group. Like the game of pickleball itself, this dlinic was physically active and socially engaging.
As one beginner wrote: “Just finished a wonderful, professionally done Clinic. Hope very much for a chance to see the same folks back again – sooner rather than later!”
An Advanced Intermediate participant summed up her experience: “Today’s clinic was awesome; hope I can apply all the great skills we learned.”
The Skaneateles Area Pickleball Club is an informal group of about 60 players, both male and female. They have open play in Austin Park every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., weather permitting.
Extra paddles and balls are always available, and anyone interested in playing is welcome to join in. Beginner lessons are offered on most Wednesday mornings at 9 a.m. The club is hoping to offer a second multi-level clinic in early October.
