Burnaby Bolts Strategy Clinic: Train With Semi-Pro Players

This 2-hour clinic at IPOP Burnaby is led by our Burnaby Bolts players who will play in and guide you toward the tactics, positioning, and strategy that is crucial in modern pickleball.

Learn how to play more aggressively from the start of the rally. Add more variety with 3rd shot options like the drive-drop combo and the lob to change up the tempo.

Forget 50/50 court coverage. We'll work through X-rules, who should be poaching on which shots, how to read your opponents, and how to move as a unit instead of two individuals. From dinking battles and speed-ups to serves, returns, resets, and offensive drives — you'll leave with a sharper toolkit and better decision making.

The clinic will use a combination of structured activities, condition games and live play in order to learn how to build points and execute winning game plans. This is part of a series of clinics raising funds for the Bolts' UPL competition expenses. When you sign up, you're sharpening your game and supporting local players competing at the semi-pro level.

Open to all levels. Eye protection highly recommended. Please arrive 10–15 minutes early to warm up — we start at 10:00am sharp.

Schedule:

10:00–10:05 — Welcome and intro

10:05–10:35 — Dinking, counter volleys, and poaching. where to stand on each shot, how to move as partners during dinking battles, which balls to speed up and where, how to counter speed-ups, and how to set up the right poach

10:35–10:45 — Kitchen mini-games with live coaching from Bolts players

10:45–11:00 — Serve and return: placement, variety, and intent

11:00–11:05 — Water break and court switch

11:05–11:30 — Drops, drips, and mid-court resets: contact point, power, spin, and target selection

11:30–11:45 — Forehand and backhand drives: weight transfer, contact, follow-through, and what to do next

11:45–12:00 — Practice points with team-specific goals assigned by your Bolts coach.