PPA Clinics offer something for every kind of player

The PPA Tour is all about pickleball. 

Watching the pros, playing alongside the pros, or getting a coveted signature on some gear from your favorite pro.

You can do any and all of those things at a PPA event. But above and beyond that, you can also take part in a variety of PPA clinics and programming that have nothing to do with tournament play.

These clinics are offered at every PPA Tour stop – Wednesday through Saturday and have something for everyone of all pickleball levels to enjoy – from the beginner to the tournament-savvy player.

“The tour is going in the direction of festivals and multiple events,” said Brook Thygerson, who is in charge of all the clinics at each of the PPA Tour stops. “At Nationals [for example], we’re going to have programming from 9:00 in the morning to 10:00 at night.”

And each PPA stop fans and players can sign up on the tour’s website for clinics with pros, King of the Court action, level play round robins, and more, including a Pro Challenge on Wednesday night during each tournament week.

There are strategy sessions on Saturday and lots of interactions with pros and fans.

“The Wednesday Pro Challenge is on Center Court, and we have two pros participating who will also be competing that week,” Thygerson said. “It’s open to all skill levels and is a fun way to interact with pros as they teach all sorts of different skills and drills. It lasts about 90 minutes, there are photo opportunities, music is going, and it is really social.”

For those more serious, the PPA offers a Saturday “Strategy” session where pros will work with players on specific elements of the game, based on their skill level and give lots of personalized instruction.

Thygerson is at each of the events, helping facilitate the fans’ time with the players, setting up the event, and helping organize everything. Since last October, she said she has been to 18 tournaments.

“I’m there setting up all of the programming and helping market the events,” she said. “From beginning to end, I’m making sure the events happen.”

And these events – particularly the Wednesday night one – are popular.

“The reason why people like it is because they are watching all day, and while they may feel unsure about playing in a tournament, they can still have the opportunity to get on the courts. You get to watch, socialize, and play, and that’s the essence of what pickleball is.”

If you’re interested in signing up for any clinics at a PPA Tour stop, visit this link on TIXR to see the PPA Tour’s full schedule of tournaments through 2023. Once there, navigate to your desired tournament and click “Clinics and Events” to see that tournament’s offerings. Sign up for one, two, or all of the above and get ready to get your pickle on!