As the pickleball trend continues to gain momentum in Steamboat Springs, many local residents took advantage of a three-day Nike Pickleball Camp that sold out Wednesday through Friday.
Rick Witsken, owner of RipSken and co-founder of the National Pickleball League, has traveled the country in partnership with Nike to host these courses and continue the growth of the sport.
Witsken is a former professional tennis player from Indianapolis and has been a tennis coach for 35 years but has only played pickleball for 12 years. He is currently the highest ranked pickleball player in the world.
“This is my first trip to Steamboat and I love it here,” said Witsken. “Not only was this one of the 25 camps I’m hosting this year, I really enjoyed it, it’s probably the most beautiful setting given the mountains and the beauty of Steamboat. The participants were all nice and the cooperation was very uncomplicated.”
Witsken commends the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Center, where the camp was held, for making the week go so smoothly. Thanks to a healthy coach-to-player ratio, participants were able to start on the defensive side of the game, work on offense on Day 2, and finish on Day 3 with serves, returns, slices, depths and a tournament.
Along with Witsken, various pickleball trainers came to lead the camp. Paul McKinney worked with Witsken in Indiana and accompanies him on these Nike Pickleball Camp outings.
McKinney said he always learns new coaching strategies at each camp, but the basics remain the same.
“We’re trying to make it fun and accessible, and they’re learning without even knowing it,” McKinney said. “We give a lot of real-time feedback and then they remember it forever.”
Rick Witsken, ranked #1 pickleball player in the world, concludes Day 2 of Nike Pickleball Camp with classes for the large group of students who came to the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Center on Thursday, August 13 to to learn and practice the sport 3, 2023. Tom Skulski/Steamboat Pilot & Today
The camp quickly filled all available spots with nearly 30 participants for the entire three days. Witsken said the local interest gave him intentions to return to Colorado and possibly Steamboat very soon.
According to Witsken, each camp has different pickleball skills. It only takes Witsken 15 minutes to observe a player on the pitch to determine what level they are playing at. Knowing this makes it easier to teach specific exercises to specific groups.
A pickleball player volleys Thursday, August 3, 2023 during Nike Pickleball Camp at the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Center. Tom Skulski/Steamboat Pilot & Today
“This camp is probably the highest level of players we’ve ever had,” said Witsken. “I don’t mean that the peak is that high, but there are no beginners and there are a lot of good 4.0 players in this camp.”
Mario Boschi, Steamboat resident and co-owner of the Denver Iconics of the National Pickleball League, also attended camp as a coach. He first picked up a racquet less than three years ago but said the sport is contagious. Boschi’s goal is to spread the same love he has for the sport throughout Colorado.
There’s nothing he loves more than coaching Routt County pickleball enthusiasts.
“To see how someone starts on the first day and sees how everything has developed three days later, that puts a smile on my face,” said Boschi.
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