Pickleball coaches in demand as sport’s popularity skyrockets

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Pickleball players who perfected their game are cashing in by coaching those looking to level up and even hit the tournament circuit. 

You wouldn't know it by watching Peggy Ann West on the court, but pickleball wasn't always her thing. 

"I didn’t really know anything about pickleball and I felt kind of intimidated to go out," she explained. 

Peggy Ann West gets pickleball lesson from her coach. 

Even with an athletic background, she wasn't sure of the lingo that included words like dink and kitchen.

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So West got a pickleball coach. 

Gregory John Cox has been playing pickleball for ten years and coaching for five. And right now, business is booming. 

"I get multiple calls a day. I got a clinic tomorrow. I run clinics all over the area. I travel with boot camps and clinics all over the United States," he shared. 

Cox coaches them all, young to old and expert to novice. 

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"A lot of beginners coming in, but there are a lot of people who want to level up and be active in the tournament circuit right now," Cox explained. "It’s really big."

Pickleball coach Gregory John Cox helps player perfect their game. 

Cox wants potential clients to know that pickleball, while skyrocketing in popularity and a blast to play, is also serious business to him. 

"If I can help people learn the game and get them involved. Then they’ll call me like a week later and say "Hey, I got this certain shot". You know, that’s what makes me happy," he said.