DEVELOPING A ROBUST PICKLEBALL PROGRAM

By Milos Vasovic • Director of Racquets Cherokee Town and Country Club • Atlanta Ga.

AS WE ALL CAN see, pickleball has been an unstoppable force over the last few years and we need to recognize that and do our best to make it an important part of our programs. Some areas of the country, like Florida, have been on that train for a while now and most clubs there have established programs and events.

I was lucky enough to be Director of Athletics at Quail West Golf and Country Club in Naples, Fla. and saw how much a program can grow over a three-year period. Recently, I became Director of Racquets at Cherokee Town and Country Club, one of the premier country clubs in the U.S., and one of our main goals is to develop a robust and active pickleball program. To achieve that I will have to lean on my previous experiences and also learn from other industry leaders. Some of the things that we are already doing and looking to implement are:

1. Pickleball 101: Four-week program to introduce beginners to the game. Learning the proper technique, strategies, movement, scoring in a fun and controlled environment. This program was very successful for us during my time at Quail West and we were able to recruit about 20 new players each time.

2. Junior Pickleball: That is something we will focus on heavily here at Cherokee and we have already made first steps towards it. I have purchased 50 paddles to give out to our junior players and also purchased 10 new pickleball nets to get us going. The program will start in April and our goal is to have at least 80 children go through it this year.

3. Get staff involved: Every program does better when everyone is on the same page and pulling in the same direction. I am lucky to have a very young and motivated staff here at Cherokee and I am enjoying every day coming to work and mentoring them to become better and more rounded racquets professionals who will have bright futures in our great industry. Give your staff more ownership of the program and let them run with it. That is the best way for them to learn and also to have the pride in their work.

4. Have programs and events for every level and for every purpose. To be successful, we need to offer something for everyone. Some examples we used are Club Pickleball Championships, Dink and Drinks, Valentine’s Day Women’s Event, friendly matches with other area clubs, and joining a local pickleball league. One of the most successful events for us was Wednesday Night Couples pickleball—a social event with six rounds of round robin play followed by great wine. At Cherokee we have just started a first ever in-house pickleball league and got 110 players to sign up. We hope to get that number up to 150 next time around.

5. Promote your events effectively: You can be the best event planner and organizer, but it doesn’t matter if your members don’t know about them. Use every possible avenue to get the word out: e-mails, text messages, flyers, videos, word of mouth, use members as event ambassadors …

6. Do not get discouraged: If first attempts don’t succeed, don’t give up. Keep trying until you find a winning formula. Every club is different, with different demographics, ages, and expectations, and you need to keep trying until you find what works in your situation or they will find someone else to make it happen. I personally try to offer at least three brand new events every year, to keep my programs fresh and interesting. As the old adage says: “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and you need to be patient and persistent and results will come over time.

7. And finally, NETWORK! Do not be afraid to reach out to your fellow professionals—locally or nationally. We are all in this together and we support each other and want to see others succeed. I am lucky enough that I have accumulated a large network of amazing pros from all over the country and can send a quick e-mail or make a phone call to ask for feedback or advice and, in return, I am always available to provide any guidance and support to anyone that needs it or wants it from me.

We have entered into a Golden Age of racquets and must do our part to make sure it lasts as long as possible. COVID was a terrible thing that happened to the world, but in a way, it was the best thing that happened to our industry in more than 20 years, as people have started playing more tennis, pickleball, padel, platform tennis and other racquet sports. We have great momentum, and it is our job and responsibility to take full advantage of it and leave our industry in great position for the younger professionals who are coming up to replace us in the future.

THIS MONTH I HAD THE pleasure of interviewing Brad Mason, owner of WhyGolf, a training aid company that I have become familiar with. WhyGolf has amazing products that are truly game changers. I have seen firsthand how these tools help my students get better, faster.

WHAT GOT YOU INTO THE TRAINING AID GAME?

I am not a golf professional. However, I’ve been an “average” student of the game for three decades. I have studied many aspects of the game with the goal of continuous personal improvement. Like most golfers, I’ve tenaciously held on to hope that I can get better … despite evidence to the contrary much of the time.

I’ve had a long career as a serial entrepreneur. I started six companies and was also the CEO of a large public company. Much of that time was spent in designing and manufacturing sports medicine and other orthopedic products.

My brother, Jeff, who is an extraordinary engineer, has been with me for most of this journey. Together we have more than 100 patents in orthopedics and now a growing list in golf training aids and equipment.

I gave retirement a try in the past, but it just didn’t work for me. I have got to keep my mind busy and working. So, I decided to start developing golf equipment for fun to help me improve my game. I realized that the devices Jeff and I were designing actually did help improve my game … going from a 13 to an 8 index in just a few months. I thought these devices might help others too and proved to be a new business opportunity.