Pickleball Instructor

Mental Skills Coach

Hi! I’m Alvin Chan — a certified pickleball instructor through Pickleball Canada and The National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).

This website is intended to supplement the instruction in my on-court group and private lessons. You can scroll down to find what I mentioned when we were working together.

I’m a big believer that better pickleball isn’t just about improving your shots. It’s also about sharper focus, steadier nerves, and a mindset that helps you learn better and play more consistently. To learn more about me and about mental skills, click the button below.

About Me, About Mental Skills

Suggested Resources

You might be here because I suggested you visit this website for a particular video (or videos) that support what we explored in class. Here is that list!

The Starter Pack:

  • Why is pickleball taking over the world? -> here

  • Quick overview of the rules of pickleball -> here

  • How to decide which paddle to buy -> here

  • Injury prevention: Three keys to be the player who rarely gets injured -> here

Inspirational Professional Play:

  • Top 10 plays from the CIBC Texas Open -> here

  • Top 10 plays from the Orange County Cup -> here

  • Top 10 plays from the Cape Coral Open -> here

  • Pickleball Pros vs Tennis Pros: Irvine & Waters vs. Isner & Sock -> here

Technical Skills:

  • Footwork at the non-volley zone -> here

  • Footwork for returning lobs -> here

  • Hitting powerful drives -> here

  • The two-handed backhand -> here

  • How to hit topspin drops -> here

  • How to deal with bangers -> here

“Here’s the ‘secret’… When high level players are playing the ball, everyone typically is in good position… even the pro players - they don’t know where the ball’s going to be hit. But because they’re in good position, they know the limited options available, and they can shut it down.”

- Jordan Briones

If you’re here to look at the court positioning, shading, and angles attack diagrams that I mentioned in a group lesson, click -> here

An excellent short video on good court positioning -> here

Court Positioning

Image credit: Primetime Pickleball

Consistency

What do beginning and intermediate level players want most?

If there's one word that captures what I hear most often, it’s consistency.

Players who are building and advancing their fundamentals really want to be more consistent. Not perfect. Not flashy. Just able to more reliably do what they know so far, as they work on getting better.

This section is for you if you’ve ever left the court thinking “Sometimes I can hit great shots... I just don’t know why I can’t do it more often.”

Via the links below, you’ll find short, practical insights that support building your consistency — in your swing, your footwork, your timing, and your mental approach.

Click the titles below to go to each subject.