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Armory Pickleball Coaches

Bellingham Coaches

Ellensburg Coaches

Bellingham Coaches

Gary Cassera

PTR/USTA High Performance Certified Coach

My name is Gary Cassera. I am a new resident of Bellingham, but not new to racquet and paddle sports. I have been a professional coach for over 25 years and still enjoy helping players of all levels and ages reach their goals. After a long career playing tennis, at age 23 I was selected to be a high performance coach with the United States Tennis Association, which was a great honor. I was responsible for guiding the early education of some of the top juniors in the nation. Geometry, physics, and fun are some of my guiding principles that help my players. I have been playing Pickleball for several years and enjoy the variety of skills it showcases from many different sports. My favorite part of teaching is helping people understand the “why” behind shot selection, court positioning, and many of the other hidden secrets that help people skyrocket their play. We can’t always control what happens, but we can understand why it happened.

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Dan Herdon Bellingham Pickleball Coach

Dan Herndon

PPR Certified Coach

My name is Dan Herndon. For a couple years now, I’ve been eager to become a pickleball coach. It combines five of my passions: coaching/teaching, pickleball, creativity, community and service. In the last 40 years I’ve played tennis, ping pong, badminton, volleyball and skied. I also have an extensive coaching background. I’ve been a ski instructor up at Ski Acres/Snoqualmie Pass, taught beginner tennis players, and helped coach a middle school volleyball team. For eleven years, I was a para-educator at an alternative school, where I taught PE and invented over 80 games/sports. Other than playing pickleball in PE with wooden paddles, I recently developed a love for this sport a little over three years ago. Refining my own skills and strategies has helped me improve. My primary focus is coaching 3.0-4.0 players in group sessions, and I’m open to coaching newer players in private lessons as well.

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Courtney Jenkins Bellingham Pickleball Coach

Courtney Jenkins

PPR Certified Coach

I’ve enjoyed some form of coaching since the early 90s, and after coaching pickleball for a couple years, it’s become my newest passion! I love to see fellow pickleballers have “epiphany moments” after learning and drilling to improve to the point where it becomes second nature. For me, the goal is that as you learn and drill, the game becomes less chaotic. Then we can enjoy the "Zen of Pickleball", where we don't need to think - just react, take the right shots, and make the right decisions automatically. I get a true joy out of watching people smile while learning and playing the sport. I am not currently taking clients, but I cover special programs at the Armory, like our free “New Picklers” beginner classes.

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Maggi Kriger Bellingham Pickleball Coach

Maggi Kriger

PPR Certified Coach

I'm delighted to serve my community as a certified pickleball coach. I find joy in getting to know my students and helping them grow in multiple domains. As a coach, I'm known for my personalized feedback, sense of humor, and direct communication style. I work primarily with students in the 3.0 - 3.5 range. While my coaching slots are currently full, I try to work new students in as scheduling allows.

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Dana Miller Bellingham Pickleball Coach

Dana Miller

PPR/USAPA Certified Coach

I love to coach pickleball players of all ages, from beginner to 3.5 level! With a background in tennis and ping pong, my transition to pickleball in 2019 was an easy (and passionate) one. For me, pickleball is a way of connecting with others, having fun, and improving skills along the way. After 25 years as an attorney, I just couldn’t stay away from a court of some kind! I live in Bellingham with my wife and numerous woodland critters that visit us daily.

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Joe Obrien Bellingham Pickleball Coach

Joe O’Brien

PPR Certified Coach

I really enjoy sharing my ideas with everyone and helping them improve in this addicting sport of pickleball! I’m a retired elementary school P.E. teacher, basketball and tennis coach of 37 years. I’ve been married to my wife Cindy for 45 years, and have 3 kids and 7 grandkids! In my free time I enjoy camping, traveling to Munich to see family and driving down the Oregon Coast. I’m an avid fly fisherman, and I usually catch at least 100 steelhead each winter and countless trout at Chopaka Lake every spring. Big Seahawks, Mariners and Gonzaga fan as well.

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Tristan Trudell Bellingham Pickleball Coach

Tristan Trudell

PPR Certified Coach

I’ve loved pickleball ever since I was a kid playing at a friend’s barn on Tuesday nights. Now, as a certified coach and director of the Armory’s youth program, I’m hoping to pass on my love of the game to anyone willing to learn and have fun! My passion for pickleball is evident in my coaching, and I work hard to tailor my lessons to each person. Nothing makes me happier than seeing one of my students improve skills and techniques in their game. If you or someone you know would like a lesson, please reach out. Hope to see you on the courts sometime soon!

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Rong Wei Bellingham Pickleball Coach

Rong Wei

PPR Certified Coach

I don’t really see myself as a coach. I’m a learner, just like you! Over the past few years, I’ve progressed from a complete beginner to a 4.5+ competitive player, thanks to staying open-minded, practicing with focus, and paying close attention to fundamentals. My “Drill Sessions” are all about learning together. Breaking things down, practicing with purpose, and improving one step at a time. Everything I share comes from what I’ve worked on myself. I hope to use my experience to help you find your own breakthroughs, faster and with more clarity. If you’re passionate about the game and ready to put in the effort, I’d love to have you join!

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Ellensburg Coaches

Jennifer Bresler Ellensburg Pickleball Coach

Jennifer Bresler

PPR Certified Coach

Jenn has been an athlete her entire life and has participated in a range of sports including soccer, softball, tennis, track and basketball. In high school, basketball became her main focus and she continued on to play at the collegiate level followed by 10+ years of coaching. Sports are Jenn’s passion, second only to her wonderful husband and two beautiful daughters. Jenn moved to Ellensburg in the summer of 2021 and discovered pickleball that following winter. With her sports background and tennis experience, she caught onto the game quickly and used her footwork and power to develop her style of play. Her first pickleball tournament was an eye opener but only motivated her more to improve her game. Fast forward to 2024, where Jenn has medaled in numerous tournaments and competes against the top players around Eastern Washington. She has spent countless hours studying the game to not only improve her skills but to teach others. She loves encouraging and pushing players to get better and develop a love for the game.

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Peter Buttler Ellensburg Pickleball Coach

Peter Buttler

PPR Certified Coach

Hailing from Werneth, a sheep and cropping district in Victoria, Australia, Peter is one half of the world-renowned Global Pickleball Bros. He cut his pickleball teeth on the back streets of Bellevue, WA at his friend’s house, when he didn’t even know what the sport was called; he just loved playing it. As days turned into months of playing, Peter drew heavily on his extensive background in tennis and ping pong to slowly fine-tune his unique playstyle. An avid participant in tournaments (at least 30), he has a wealth of knowledge to pass onto almost any level of player. Peter plays left-handed and can coach all aspects of pickleball; he specializes in topspin groundstrokes, volleys, lobs, and strategy.

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Julie Carlson Ellensburg Pickleball Coach

Julie Carlson

Julie found pickleball five years ago, just before Covid disrupted our lives. She has a background in teaching, coaching, and physical education and currently teaches special education at Kittitas School District. Julie is a single parent, juggling the schedules of four kids. She loves watching them do the things they love. Julie has competed in many tournaments with a variety of people and is rated a strong 4.0 with aspirations to go to the next level. Julie loves how this game is constantly evolving, and she’s always working to develop her skills and mental game. Julie enjoys developing new players, and players who feel stuck and want to get over their plateau. She is not intimidated by any age group, as her background in teaching ranges from middle to high school. She has also spent years teaching fitness to elderly and special populations. She will coach you to build a solid foundation, then fine tune mechanics after that. She incorporates visual aids, practicing with repetition, demonstration, and video analysis (if desired). She has an ability to explain the “why” behind our movements.

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Donovan Conley Ellensburg Pickleball Coach

Donovan Conley

PPR Certified Coach

With no prior racquet sport experience, Donovan taught himself pickleball via tennis YouTube technique instruction so he could beat his 4.5 rated father-in-law. Once he achieved that goal, he turned his sights to tournament play, where he won tens of 4.5 silver medals and has earned gold medals in Singles, Mixed and Men's events at the 5.0 level. His career highlight is taking out the #7 singles player at a tournament in 2019. Donovan has been coaching since 2018, helping his tournament partners become 5.0s. Donovan has helped numerous players learn the game and level up their game. He's coached clinics with a top instructor and especially enjoys teaching technique and footwork. If you want to level up your game, sign up for a lesson today!

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Cameron Nix

PPR Certified Coach

Cameron (Cam) is originally from Birmingham, Alabama and grew up playing USTA southern and national tennis events. She eventually went on to play DI tennis at Birmingham-Southern College. After college, she coached high-level junior tennis players before switching gears to collegiate coaching. She coached at the DI and DII level for over 10 years throughout the southeast. Cam continues to coach tennis here in Kittitas County (weather permitting). Cam started playing pickleball in 2022 and immediately excelled, using her tennis and coaching background to master the nuances of the game. Cam’s transition to coaching pickleball has been seamless and she recently received the highest qualification of Certified Professional Pickleball Coach from the PPR (Professional Pickleball Registry). Cam has a passion for developing players of all ages and abilities. She enjoys working on technical development, whether it is related to a particular shot, stroke, or movement, and she enjoys “fixing” things players are struggling with. Being able to not only witness players improve, but to be directly involved in their improvement is one of the most rewarding parts of coaching for her.

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Danielle Polage Ellensburg Pickleball COach

Danielle Polage

PPR Certified Coach

Danielle Polage is a Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR) certified instructor who plays competitive pickleball at the Senior Pro Level. She was drafted for the Senior Pro National Pickleball League (NPL) by team Oklahoma City Punishers and travels the country competing in professional team tournaments. In addition, she regularly competes individually in high-level tournaments and has won many medals at the 5.0 and Open Division. She is sponsored by Selkirk, one of the largest pickleball paddle companies in the world and locally based in Hayden Lake, Idaho. She is also sponsored by Tyrol, a top pickleball shoe company. Danielle is also a university professor at Central Washington University and loves teaching. She is fun and passionate about sharing her love of pickleball. She has a lot of experience teaching private lessons, small group lessons, and clinics. She is the regular teaching pro for the Parks and Rec in Yakima where she lives with her husband and the kids. Reach out to her if you want to take your game to the next level.

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Dwayne Smithgall Ellensburg Pickleball COach

Dwayne Smithgall

PPR Certified Coach

Dwayne and his family started playing pickleball in 1977 and they’ve been playing ever since. He has a T-shirt that says “I was playing pickleball before it was cool!” Over the past three decades, Dwayne has participated in countless tournaments, competing in singles and doubles (he competed with his brother Dennis) and he has really enjoyed watching pickleball evolve and become America’s fastest-growing sport. Dwayne also loves the community aspect of pickleball and he has made so many great friends in Kittitas County and across the PNW. He’s enjoyed teaming up with Peter Buttler (Global Pickleball Bros) to provide clinics for those who want to improve their skills and strategy. Dwayne enjoys coaching beginners and intermediate players.

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Gretchen Taussig Simpson Ellensburg Pickleball COach

Gretchen Taussig-Simpson

PPR Certified Coach

Gretchen has been playing, teaching, competing and coaching pickleball since the last century. With over 35 years of experience, she will help you learn to elevate your game, increase your skill sets, build your confidence, and become that partner everyone wants to play with on the court. Whether you want to learn techniques, strategies, or court dynamics, Gretchen will take you there in both recreational or competitive settings with her holistic approach to the sport. As a former coach of volleyball, basketball, and skiing, Gretchen knows how to communicate and work with all levels of players. With an understanding of what it is like to be a beginner in a sport and a competitor in tournaments, she will help improve your game.

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