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New to pickleball?
1) Sign Up for a nonmember account.
2) Register for a QUICK START CLASS.
3) After class, our teaching professionals will help you find the next stop on your pickleball journey!

Alternatively, if you'd like to book a private lesson to get your journey started, please email questions@newenglandpickleball.com, tell us if you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced, and, request a private lesson.

The beauty of our game, and what makes Pickleball so attractive to vast audiences, is that play is available for all levels and the fun starts from the first time you say: “The Kitchen! What the heck is the Kitchen?”

Pickleball draws on skills from tennis, table tennis, racquetball and other paddle sports. Yet, pickleball is unique with tactics and new shots not seen in other sports, and previous racquet skills are not a requirement. It has an instant attraction for beginners: no complicated technique is required to achieve fun points almost immediately!

 

The greater appeal comes when a beginner rises to intermediate or higher. It’s simply a matter of commitment, targeted coaching, consistent practice, meeting new playing friends and enjoying the journey. Commit to that and before long you will find yourself mastering the subtleties of our fabulous game.

You’ll learn paddle selection, the best grip choice for you, building reliable technique for each shot type, power vs soft game, beating the bangers, shot selection, discovering your best play style and so much more. For those who advance far, it’s the “fourth base” (point construction in the kitchen) that separates the ‘best from the rest.’ Simply observe advanced and pro-tournament players at the club to see proof.  Join our academy to start cooking in the kitchen.

The Big Question: Where to Begin?

Sift through hundreds of video tips on YouTube?  Try clinics with dozens of players? Pickleball is a new, emerging sport: amateur players, coaches, and even the top tour pros are still figuring out what’s right and what’s wrong! How do you know the advice you’re getting is correct at all, or, how do you know it’s the advice that your game needs right now?

The Answer: Four Bases Pickleball Academy

 

Our approach is to lead you on a journey to reach your personal goals that’s…

  • Part-structured: The Four Bases is a simple yet extremely powerful framework that identifies and prioritizes the 4 foundational skills of the game, and the secondary skills in between each base. As you take our classes, private lessons, playing lessons, workshops, or even just by playing or observing more pickleball, our Four Bases framework will become common sense.
  • Part-customized: personal assessment within this Four Bases framework and showing you the best path and use of court time to navigate forward.

New England Pickleball Club in Rye, NH is the home of Four Bases Pickleball Academy!

Come visit us to experience custom coaching that focuses on understanding your game to figure out what you need, through hitting with you to test your technique and skill with different shots, as well as evaluating you in live play… customized coaching within a common sense framework is the reason Four Bases Pickleball Academy exists!

Who is Four Bases Pickleball Academy for?​ You!!!

True beginners all the way up to 5.0 tournament players: check out what our classes and instructors offer below, or contact us: we’d love to help you figure out where to start.

We’ll also have our top recommended paddles at the club available to demo and purchase.  Tennis/court shoes are required to play at NEPClub!

See you in the kitchen!

Professional Instructors (additional hand-picked pros to be added soon!)

DAVID VELARDO

New England Pickleball Club Owner, Four Bases Academy Director, and Head Teaching Professional

Competition Background

After playing first pro match against Ben Johns as the bottom seed, progressed up the seedings over a few years playing men’s and mixed doubles, reached the #27 ranked pickleballer in the world (based on DUPR’s summer 2021 rankings which analyzed pro tour results from the previous few years).

 

Coaching Approach 

Style: helping players find the technique that works for their unique grip/style/game; highly customized coaching & showing players what to prioritize via private lessons, playing lessons, and video coaching.

Strengths: Kitchen-line volley defense for beginners intermediate and advanced players, helping 3.5-4.0 achieve 4.5 skill level, helping 4.5 players achieve 5.0 skill level,  skinny singles with 4.0-5.0 players, on-ramping new players into the game, kitchen play for 4.0-5.0 players, soft game for 3.5+ players, serving “yips”, tournament preparation and tournament strategy for intermediate and advanced players.

 

Teaching Background

  • 5+ years teaching all over the San Francisco Bay Area and New England, teaching all levels from true beginners all the way up to 5.0 national-level tournament players.
  • Got into teaching pickleball to 1) be an innovator and leader in defining how this new sport will be taught for decades to come, and, 2) provide customized teaching to contrast a lot of the non-customized teaching that is common in the sport.
  • Original teaching background in piano & golf.

Improvement Advice from Ben Johns, pickleball's GOAT​

Full Interview here

When I met Dave Velardo it was obvious that he has an advanced level of knowledge and elite skill level in the sport of Pickleball. His experience competing at the highest levels is most impressive and speaks for itself. Dave has also coached at the highest levels. What I was most struck with is what an exceptional teacher Dave is. (cont...)
Ted WelchYork, ME Varsity Boys Tennis Coach
Proposal Dave made me the player I am today. I met Dave in 2019 for my first ever pickleball lesson and he completely transformed my pickleball game and pickleball life. At the time, I was stagnant between 4.0 and 4.5, he saw that I was very open to learning and improving (I took to his amazing coaching style immediately) and he confidently said that I would approach the 5.0 level very quickly. The thing is, he was right. Apart from his pickleball prowess, Dave is kind, thoughtful, generous, and a genuinely awesome person I’m happy to call my friend today.
Nick HammSalem, MA
Coach Dave has a friendly, outgoing demeanor and brings energy and enthusiasm to his instruction. His acumen for the sport is at another level and he is able to pass this knowledge onto his students. Dave’s perspective on teaching Pickleball has had a tremendous influence on my teaching and coaching.
Ted WelchYork, ME Varsity Boys Tennis Coach
Dave is a very unique combination of a world class, elite player AND an expert instructor. During a training session you’ll be awed by his skills and athleticism, but more importantly he’ll be carefully observing and evaluating your game and offering tips on technique, tactics and strategy that will make you a much better player!
Chuck M.Wakefield, MA
I have had 4 lessons with Dave Velardo and have been incredibly impressed by his coaching. He is patient, very easy to understand. He has a great sense of humor and makes learning the game fun and interesting. He also takes extra time when he sees that you are not grasping a concept and does it in a very instructive and helpful manner. I really love working with him and would recommend!!
Daniel PreiraPeabody, MA
Your work with him has been dramatic. He’s really got that shot down. I’ve been playing with him for years and felt I could hold my own. No longer. And it’s due to that topspin attack shot.
KjeldSan Francisco, CA
Dave is an easy going teacher, highly professional with a contagious enthusiasm for the sport. He is particularly impressive coaching in a playing lesson introducing or correcting tactics and shot selection under pressure while showcasing his skills. Dave has introduced me to many subtleties in shot selection and tactics I never knew about. The lessons fly by and I always look forward to the next one.
Vicki HibbardBelmont, MA
Dave Velardo is my favorite pickleball coach. I’m looking forward to training with him at this brand new facility!
Debra WoogArlington, MA
I have worked with several professionals to improve my game and I am pleased to share that Dave Velardo has had the most significant impact on my game. Dave has a unique ability to observe through drills and skinny singles to quickly determine what to work on that will have the biggest impact. (cont...)
Rich ShrierWestborough MA
Like most pickleball players the 3rd shot drop is the most troubling. I have learned several ways to hit my drop but none were consistent. Dave quickly noticed that when I did make my drop shot, my game took on a new dimension. We spent most of two sessions on this issue. Dave simplified my technique and allowed me to have a consistent drop shot. This has elevated my game more than any other area we've worked on. (cont...)
Rich ShrierWestborough MA
In addition, while we have spent some time in sessions playing defense from no-mans land, Dave gave me a new insight into ways of getting fully to the non volley zone or waiting at the baseline for the right opportunity. I would highly recommend as Dave as an instructor. In fact, I have referred several clients to Dave and the feedback has been fantastic.
Rich ShrierWestborough MA
I’m quite pleased with progress I’ve made since we started working together. I’m psyched for the club to open!
Jim O.Salisbury, MA
I was blessed to develop my tennis under Jan Brogan, Bob Biggs at UC Davis where I was an All American and also Dan Braden in Junior College, as well as working with many amazing golf pros. Dave is at the top of this very special list and I really miss him since his move to Boston. (cont...)
Mike SmithStockton, CA
I found pickleball six years ago and improved quickly to a 5.0 but my game really took off after deciding to work with Dave. I have always had a love for the process and intellectual challenge of improving and this is what makes Dave so unique. Beyond being a phenomenally skilled player, Dave teaches you to think on the court. This is unique in the hundreds of other pickleball lessons I have taken. (cont...)
Mike SmithStockton, CA
All of the on-the-court lessons and video reviews I have had with Dave are fun with just the right blend of positive support and direct feedback: I have watched each video dozens of times and get something out of it each time. I think Dave will be great with any student but especially the motivated 3.5-4.5 player that is open to new ideas. Dave is a special person and a special teacher.
Mike SmithStockton, CA
As I was becoming a more experienced player sometimes I felt like I was missing something to get me to the next level. Dave was the person who observed my game and understood what I needed to advance. I will continue to consult with Dave and look forward to the club opening. I feel this will be great opportunity for all levels of players in the area.
Jack DrinkwaterReading, MA
Fantastic that we have a new venue where we can craft our pickleball skills through Dave’s instuctions. Congrats Dave!
Marie Santos-SmithWestborough, MA
In the past, I have worked with instructors/pros who rotely assigned drills without paying any attention at all to individual differences in both style and skill. My experience with at least three high-level pros in the past was especially disappointing in one key area: they all wanted me to switch all aspects of my game to mimic their game. The result was that the parts of my game that had been working well began to fall apart. (cont...)
Twila SlesnickSan Francisco, CA
By both observing us, Dave was able to hone in on key weaknesses, and design drills and practice sessions to target those problems. One of the things I love about Dave's teaching is that he is very savvy about identifying which skills are working for you and are likely to continue working for you. And then of course he can also see what's not working. This approach gave me confidence in my game and also confidence in Dave's advice. The cherry on top of the excellent instruction was Dave's exuberant, friendly, and funny personality. We all loved him.
Twila SlesnickSan Francisco, CA
At the start of the lesson, we covered my focus points and Dave's questions. Then, Dave hit with me to assess my overall game/style. He selected drills to expose my weaknesses so that he could see and analyze what I was doing wrong. But more importantly, Dave was able to figure out what I was doing correctly in some situations and make the connection to how I could use that to improve my drops and dinks. (cont...)
Carolyn WeedWestborough, MA
By the time I left the first lesson with Dave, there was already a drastic improvement in my shots! In addition to helping my technique, Dave has been a huge help with strategy. By participating in his coached play sessions, I have gained a deeper understanding of the nuances of Pickleball and am better able to choose the right shot for the situation. Overall, I think Dave is a great coach and I would definitely recommend him to anyone looking to take their game to the next level!
Carolyn WeedWestborough, MA
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