Sponsored by Brown & Brown Insurance Company, the Pictona Youth Pickleball or PYP is being developed by Lu Kandt and Mary Burns, veteran physical education teachers and Pictona members. We hope to launch the curriculum in the fall of 2020.
Our vision is to develop an instructional model that schools and clubs can use to introduce, grow, and sustain the sport of pickleball. More specifically our objectives are:
Curriculum
The lesson plans in the PYP curriculum are geared toward students in grades 4-8 and focus on how to safely and effectively teach pickleball. They are based on learning the skills of pickleball starting from the “net” back. Doing so allows for immediate student engagement and success. The lessons are in sequential order which allows each instructor the liberty of moving at the pace dictated by his or her students. If a lesson is completed and class time allows for more instruction, the start of the next lesson can be implemented.
Lesson plans include learning outcomes, teaching cues, instant activity/warm-ups, and equipment requirements. In addition the lesson plans specify the teaching focus for the lesson and the game activities that directly relate to the focus of the lesson. The learning outcomes are the skills a student should become familiar with during the lesson. Teaching cues are short, quick tips an instructor can provide to help students acquire the skill with proper technique.
The lesson plans are sequenced to be developmentally appropriate for learning pickleball skills. They are designed for each student to reach his or her own level of success. Students will, of course, progress at their own rate. When students exhibit consistency in serving, return of serve, and dinking they are ready to advance past the skill building stage and onto playing the official game. At that time the teaching of scoring, partner strategies, partner positioning, and ball placement tactics take place.
The game activities in each lesson plan help students practice the skills presented in that lesson. These games are fun and will leave students looking forward to their next lesson.
The curriculum will be written and illustrated and made available for free in electronic form.
School Program
Armed with our curriculum, we will approach schools in the greater Daytona area, especially physical education teachers, to teach the sport to their students. We may ask cooperating physical educators to attend a short workshop so that they can be an active part of the instruction. PYP will provide an instructor, portable nets, court layout, paddles and balls. The school will provide the children, space to set up courts, and the physical educator or supervising teacher to assist with instruction.
Family Program
After instruction at school, we will set up times when the students accompanied by their parents come to observe and play on Pictona’s courts. The PYP will provide additional instruction for the students separately for 1 hour and at the same time introduce the sport to their parents. Then we will re-unite the parents with their children to play together. This instruction will be free.
Physical Educator Workshop
We will offer one-day intensive workshops for physical educators to learn how to offer pickleball as part of their curriculum. They will receive instruction in the classroom and on the courts. We will charge a small fee for this instruction that covers the cost of drink breaks and lunch. Participants will be given the PYP curriculum in electronic form to use at no cost.
Pickleball Program Directors Workshop
We will offer the same type of workshop to Program Directors who are responsible for conducting programs at pickleball facilities. More emphasis will be given to recruiting youth and their parents to participate.
Instructional Camps
After implementing the activities described above we intend to offer intensive instruction to young people in the form of week-long summer camps or workshops. We could do this as day camps for local students or for students we house for a week. There would be a substantial fee for these camps.
Moving Forward
The curriculum will be completed and implemented in the fall of 2020. The other activities will move forward throughout the 2020-21 school year, depending on the state and national status of Covid19.