Train the Trainer participants with Rif and Joey, Hornsby PCYC, June 2019

We were privileged to have Seymour (Rif) Rifkind, President of the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association (IPTPA) and pickleball pro, Jose (Joey) Farias, conduct training sessions in Newcastle and Sydney in June 2019.  Their trip to Australia was arranged by the Pickleball Association of Australia (PAA).

During their five days in New South Wales, Rif and Joey conducted an intensive two-day training course for potential pickleball coaches at the Hornsby PCYC, ran skills development sessions for players in Newcastle and Sydney and competed in an exhibition match with tennis pros at the King George V Recreation Centre in Sydney.

12 players completed the Teach the Teacher course for coaches held at the Hornsby PCYC: Sandra Canniff, Kerry Edards, John Fuller, Ian Lanser, Hans March, Suzanne March, Bob Mendelsohn, Tony Morgan, Yeshwant Ponkshe, Rona Richmond, Dee Weinreis and Mary Beth Woolley.  The course is the first requirement for becoming an accredited Level 1 pickleball coach.  The next stage is successful completion of an online written examination.

More than 40 players attended the skills development sessions conducted by Rif and Joey in Newcastle and in Sydney at the Abbotsleigh Girls School and at the Hornsby PCYC.