[BarryRX]

I've been wanting to try pickleball, but had to wait until Dr. Duke worked his magic on my knee. Now that I'm ready to try it, I can't find any beginners clinics listed in the Recreation News. Does anyone know of a beginners Pickleball Clinic?

[OpusX1]

Pickle ball 101 102 and 103 are what you need. They are listed several times a week. You do need to sign up for them in advance. After that go to,the begginer opens to play.

[jimbo2012]

get the right shoes or your going back to the Doc

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by jimbo2012

get the right shoes or your going back to the Doc

This is SO true. Court shoes are a must--NOT track shoes, running shoes, walking shoes or workout shoes. They grab the court surface too much, and you will fall off of them and tear stuff in your ankle. Court shoes are flat-ish on the bottom and allow you to shuffle and slide a bit. You really need them.

Any rec center has a sheet that lists all the pickleball clinics for the season, and where they are. You can call to sign up anytime after 8:30 a week before the clinic. Start with PB 101, and you may want to do that a couple of times before moving on to PB 102, etc.

[BarryRX]

Thanks all.....just what I was looking for!

[Cedwards38]

Originally Posted by CFrance

This is SO true. Court shoes are a must--NOT track shoes, running shoes, walking shoes or workout shoes. They grab the court surface too much, and you will fall off of them and tear stuff in your ankle. Court shoes are flat-ish on the bottom and allow you to shuffle and slide a bit. You really need them.

Any rec center has a sheet that lists all the pickleball clinics for the season, and where they are. You can call to sign up anytime after 8:30 a week before the clinic. Start with PB 101, and you may want to do that a couple of times before moving on to PB 102, etc.

I hadn't heard that before. Is there a particular brand you recommend? Thanks for that tip.

[jimbo2012]

No brand, they R called "court" shoes

[philnpat]

Brands do make a difference. I've tried a couple of brands. I recommend K-Swiss. They are the most comfortable pair of shoes I own. Insole cushioning is important too. Your heels will thank you if you pick the right pair. I believe my wife got her pair at Glenview CC.

[CFrance]

It really depends on your foot. I have a wide foot and find I cannot wear Nikes, for instance, but can wear New Balance because they run wider and are also available in a wider width. I believe you can go to one of the CC pro shops and try some on. I forget which one, sorry. Otherwise, if you know your size in a particular brand, Tennis Wearhouse online has a good selection, free shipping, and they arrive quickly, like in two days. There are a limited number of court shoes in Kohl's and Bells, and a wider selection in places like Foot Locker.

The biggest thing to consider is the bottoms of the shoes. Court shoes tend to have a flatter bottom so they don't grab the surface. Court shoes can be for tennis, basketball, volleyball, pickleball, etc.

At PB 101,they will lecture you about your shoes needing to be court shoes, and preferably no black soles that would mark the court surface.

It's a good investment. And pickleball is a lot of fun!

[Ohiogirl]

at Shoe Biz. Forgot about checking Glenview CC tennis shop. I think there are cheaper ones avail. there. Neither Kohl's nor Belk's carried ANY court shoes for women. The shoe clerk at Belk's did not know what "court shoes" were, so be careful.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl

at Shoe Biz. Forgot about checking Glenview CC tennis shop. I think there are cheaper ones avail. there. Neither Kohl's nor Belk's carried ANY court shoes for women. The shoe clerk at Belk's did not know what "court shoes" were, so be careful.

Au contraire, I found court shoes at either Kohl's or Bell's--forget which, but I think it was Kohl's. There was a puny selection; I think a choice of three. My idea for checking at Glenview was to try on different brands for fit, then go online after you know what size/brand you want.

My husband found court shoes at one of the sports shoe stores in the Leesburg Mall on 441.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by BarryRX

I've been wanting to try pickleball, but had to wait until Dr. Duke worked his magic on my knee. Now that I'm ready to try it, I can't find any beginners clinics listed in the Recreation News. Does anyone know of a beginners Pickleball Clinic?

Captiva rec center has 101 classes on thursdays at 10 am. They say sign up starts at 8:30am but people get there at 7:30 am to get their sign up numbers. They take the first 24 so dont wait till 8:30 or you wont get in. Get there early, get a number, and either wait or go do something else untill 8:30 when sign up begins.

[Capndolph]

Just ordered NB from Tennis Warehouse (I knew my size) came in 2 days - perfect. Also took a drive to Ocala Sports Authority (I-75 & Hwy 200) pretty good selection, my wife found just what she was looking for. Now the hard part - learning how to hid a ball that doesn't bounce. <g>

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Capndolph

Just ordered NB from Tennis Warehouse (I knew my size) came in 2 days - perfect. Also took a drive to Ocala Sports Authority (I-75 & Hwy 200) pretty good selection, my wife found just what she was looking for. Now the hard part - learning how to hid a ball that doesn't bounce. <g>

Don't worry. The ball will bounce, just not as far. But the court is smaller, so you can get to it. Most of the game is played at the net. You'll be surprised. Hope you like it!