Our Instructors
Colin MacDonald
Level 2 IPTPA coach
I was introduced to pickleball in Nova Scotia in 2016 and was immediately addicted to the game. After moving to Calgary, I decided to help grow the sport by teaching pickleball to others. I am a Level 2 IPTPA (International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association) Certified Pickleball Professional, a Level 2 NCCP (National Coaching Certification Program - Canadian) Certified Instructor, and an NCCP Course Facilitator. Prior to my pickleball life I was a long time competitive fastpitch player, and certified youth baseball and hockey coach.
Over the past years I have competed in pickleball tournaments across Canada and the USA including several Canadian National Pickleball Championships, many Provincial Championships, PPA Tournaments, and the US Open Pickleball Championship.
My pickleball instruction includes leading adult group clinics and private / semi-private lessons. I have experience running tournaments, player rating sessions, and youth instruction. I facilitate and coordinate ongoing pickleball lessons at various community venues in the Calgary area. When asked I mentor and help develop others that are interested in getting involved with pickleball instruction.
I am grateful to be a small part of a very large and evolving pickleball community.
Arturo Bueno
Level 2 NCCP coach & Pickleball Professional Certified Match Analyst
Our lead coach is Arturo Bueno. Arturo is a Level 2 NCCP Certified Pickleball Instructor and a Pickleball Professional Certified Match Analyst (the first in Canada).
Arturo discovered the game about two and a half years ago. His tennis background allowed him to pick up the game quickly. His immersion in the game allowed him to discover possibilities that mainstream pickleball instruction failed to recognize.
Forever a student of the game, Arturo studies Pickleball from a unique perspective and uses data and analytics to develop clinics, lessons, and drills to make sure his coaching keeps up with the game’s fast development and progression. He is an effective coach for players of all levels and also for players transitioning from tennis and other racquet sports.
Claire White
Level 1 IPTPA coach
I found pickleball in 2017 and it did not take long for me to become addicted to the game. Early in 2019 I was asked to help run a series of pickleball clinics which required me to formally certify as a pickleball instructor. I am a Level 1 IPTPA (International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association) Pickleball Instructor, a Level 1 NCCP (National Coaching Certification Program) Pickleball Instructor, and a Certified Level 1 Pickleball Referee.
Prior to pickleball my primary sports were tennis and badminton, and my previous coaching experience was with youth soccer and as a swim instructor.
For many years I have been playing pickleball competitively and have medaled in many tournaments in Canada and the US, including the Canadian Nationals, the Alberta and Saskatchewan Provincials, and Pickleball Canada’s Western Regional Championship.
My pickleball teaching has been ongoing for more than four years, including clinics, small groups and private lessons at the beginner, novice and intermediate levels.
I am enjoying introducing pickleball to new players.
Jean Llewellyn
Level 1 IPTPA & Junior Specialty Instructor
Jean started playing pickleball in 2018, has been a Level 1 IPTPA instructor since September 2021, and has also successfully completed certification as a Junior Specialty Instructor – the first IPTPA coach in Canada to achieve this designation.
She organized and taught indoor four-week courses with her husband, Peter, (a Level 2 IPTPA instructor) throughout 2021-22, starting with beginners, progressing through novice, low intermediate, to mid intermediate level. These group lessons included many seniors new to the game and/or limited-mobility players.
For the past two years Jean has been a very active instructor with Calgary Pickleball Club, leading ‘intro-to-pickleball clinics’, beginner, novice, and intermediate programs, as well as working with many private students.
Jean has previously coached other sports, including swimming and track and field, and certified as a CADS ski instructor for individuals with physical and/or cognitive differences, which included working with Paralympians. The latter provided significant experience in lesson planning and organizing a pickleball program for Special Olympics athletes with diverse abilities and challenges in Calgary.
Jean’s philosophy is that pickleball is for everyone of all ages, and her passion is inclusive teaching, coaching, and mentoring, primarily for recreation but with a competitive spirit to improve every player’s game.