Belchertown Recreation Department
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Pickleball - Adults • Register • View Cart •

Pickle ball is a paddle sport played on a badminton-sized court and can be described as a cross between tennis and ping-pong. It can be played as doubles or singles. The rules are simple and the game is easy for beginners to learn, but can develop into a quick, fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players.  Sneakers are required. We will provide pickle ball paddles to newbies, returning participants are asked to provide their own paddle. 
  
NEWBIE – 2.0
I do not know the rules
I do not know how to keep score
I have no experience playing
 
BEGINNER – 2.5
I know where to stand at the beginning of each point
I usually get my serves “in”
I usually let the return of serve bounce
I often keep the ball in play
I know what a dink shot is
 
NOVICE – 3.0
I know all the basic rules
I am working on getting my serves & return of serves deeper
I am working on getting my dinks shallower/lower
I can hit a few dinks in a row
I can usually hit backhand shots when needed
I am learning to add power or softness to my game
 
INTERMEDIATE – 3.5
I know most rules, including net rules, net post issues.
My serves & returns are almost always deep
I sometimes try to hit a 3rd shot drop shot
I try to be strategic about how and where I hit the ball
I have a wide variety of shots in my arsenal
I actively work with my partner to win the point
 
ADVANCED – 4.0
I often anticipate my opponent’s shots
I am usually consistent with drop shots and dink shots
I almost always play at the non-volley line
I can consistently convert a hard shot to a soft shot
I rarely make enforces errors
I have a wide variety of shots in my arsenal
 
The Jabish Brook outdoor pickleball courts are located at 61 Springfield Rd.These courts are open to the public unless a pickleball program thru the rec department is running. As a courtesy, based on arrival, players are asked to rotate after each game, giving everyone an opportunity to play. We have a pickleball paddle organizer to be utilized when waiting for use of the courts. Please view the video below to be familiar with how the system works. 

Click Here for Pickleball Paddle Play Organizer Video


1 Day Jamboree
Each Saturday, Dec. 3, 10 & 17, 2022, Jennifer Whitehead will be running a two hour jamboree at Chestnut Hill gym.  You may register for 1,2 or all 3 pick-up classes if you are a novice, intermediate or advanced player.



Pickleball The outdoor pickleball courts at Jabish Brook will be closed for the season on December 5, 2022 and will reopen the spring of 2023.  Thank you to all the Belchertown players for their support.
If you are interested in indoor pickleball, consider renting the Old Town Hall, $15 an hour.  Please call the Recreation Dept. for more details and availability.

Staff
  • Dorothy Cresswell and Dusty Miller, Beginner, Novice classes, have lived in Belchertown for 20 years and both are retired teachers. They are pickleball enthusiasts, having learned the game in Florida and started teaching pickleball in Belchertown soon after! In retirement Dorothy is an active member of the Children's Music Network with three award-winning albums of family music. Dusty has written 5 Alice Ott mysteries and produced three Reader's Theaters. They love how pickleball has created so many new friendships and connections.
  • Jennifer Whitehead, Beginner, Novice classes, was hooked from the start, when she learned how to play pickleball. She has coached all ages in basketball for over 20 years and looks forward to teaching others the fun game of pickleball.
  • Larry Davis, Newbie, Beginner, Novice classes, a Belchertown resident for 45 years, worked at UMass/Amherst in the field of Public Health for 36 years before retiring. Larry has been playing pickleball since 2017 and loves the sport. Larry has been a Belchertown Recreation pickleball instructor since 2019. His interests include kayaking, biking, windsurfing and hiking.
  • Terri Cain, Newbie instructor is delighted to share her love of pickleball with others. After years teaching in a classroom, she’s happy to bring her instructional skills to the pickleball court. When not ‘pickling’ she enjoys kayaking.
  • Bob Stephens, Intermediate/Advanced, has 4 years pickleball experience and muli-sport, High School Level, coaching experience including 3 years as a Varsity Tennis Coach at McDuffie School.

Registration Deadline
  • Deadline date is 5 days prior to the start of the program.
  • A $10.00 late fee applies to all registrations after the deadline
  • The instructor will be in contact if a make-up date is necessary
  • Tuesday evenings- Chestnut Hill - Larry Davis
  • Wednesday evenings- Chestnut Hill - Jennifer Whitehead

Register Activity Ages Grades Days Date/Time Fees
 
   This Activity Full
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Beginner 2.5 - Tuesdays 
18 and up N/A Tu  03/21/2023 - 04/25/2023
06:00 PM - 07:15 PM
Chestnut Hill Community School - Gymnasium 		$35.00 Res, $45.00 Non-Res
0 seat(s) available
 
   This Activity Full
  Log In
Beginner 2.5 - Wednesdays 
18 and up N/A W  03/22/2023 - 05/17/2023
06:30 PM - 07:45 PM
Chestnut Hill Community School - Gymnasium 		$55.00 Res, $65.00 Non-Res
0 seat(s) available
 
   Log In
Newbie 2.0 - Thursday 
18 and up N/A Th  04/13/2023 - 05/18/2023
08:30 AM - 09:45 AM
Old Town Hall 		$40.00 Res, $50.00 Non-Res
1 seat(s) available
 
   This Activity Full
  Log In
Newbie 2.0 - Tuesdays 
18 and up N/A Tu  03/21/2023 - 04/25/2023
04:45 PM - 06:00 PM
Chestnut Hill Community School - Gymnasium 		$35.00 Res, $45.00 Non-Res
0 seat(s) available
 
   This Activity Full
  Log In
Novice 3.0 - Wednesdays 
18 and up N/A W  03/22/2023 - 05/17/2023
05:00 PM - 06:15 PM
Chestnut Hill Community School - Gymnasium 		$55.00 Res, $65.00 Non-Res
0 seat(s) available
 
   Log In
Advance 4.0 
18 and up N/A Su  04/02/2023 - 05/07/2023
07:00 PM - 08:15 PM
Chestnut Hill Community School - Gymnasium 		$60.00 Res, $70.00 Non-Res
1 seat(s) available
 
   This Activity Full
  Log In
Intermediate 3.5 
18 and up N/A Su  04/02/2023 - 05/07/2023
05:30 PM - 06:45 PM
Chestnut Hill Community School - Gymnasium 		$60.00 Res, $70.00 Non-Res
0 seat(s) available
* Adjustments and discounts will be applied during checkout if applicable. *

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