Pickleball Instructors

Mary Lou Gallup and Jay Readinger who live in Shelburne, have been playing pickleball for 11 years. They have played in all 50 states, and both have played in and refereed numerous tournaments including the US Pickleball Association national tournament. Both Jay and Mary Lou are IPTPA Certified Instructors and have taught hundreds of people to play in lessons and clinics, mostly in Colorado.

They started and grew two very successful pickleball clubs each with hundreds of members and have helped several towns to successfully design and implement tennis court to pickleball court conversions. Jay and Mary Lou have also organized and led successful ladder leagues and tournaments.

Their teaching philosophy is in line with their playing philosophy; everyone can play the sport from a young adult to an older senior, everyone comes to the sport with different experiences and goals and can meet those goals while having fun, getting exercise and meeting nice folks. The key is to learn to play pickleball with control, emphasize placement over power, learn to identify unforced errors and to respect your fellow players. Jay and Mary Lou subscribe to the IPTPA teaching philosophy, stressing the most important court position by teaching first from the non-volley zone line then moving back to the baseline.

Beginner lessons will emphasize rules, basic strokes, safety on the court and utilize coached play to learn placement and movement on the court.