El Paso Pickleball Happenings + How to Move Faster on the Court
What a busy time it’s been for Pickleball El Paso! Our community continues to grow and expand rapidly. This month, we have much to celebrate and look forward to. We welcomed many new players at our Beginner Clinics and loved seeing groups of players attending Pickleball Night at the Chihuahuas game in Southwest University Park. On top of that, our local players are representing El Paso and picking up medals in Cloudcroft—it's clear to see that the pickleball-playing community of El Paso is on the map! Keep reading for all the latest news as well as the continued series from the experts at Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers in El Paso, who break down simple plyometric drills you can do anywhere to speed up your reaction time and produce power.
Whether you are a seasoned player bringing home tournament medals or brand new to pickleball, thank you for being a part of our journey!
Community Highlights
Cloudcroft’s Zenith Park celebrated its six newly improved pickleball courts with tournaments this season, featuring strong finishes from local El Paso competitors. In July, John and Suzette Balderrama took home silver medals in the 50+ Mixed Doubles division at the Cool Mountain Classic.
This month, the momentum for El Paso players continued at the Mountain Smash, where Lori Gonzalez and Santa Gamez placed second to earn silver in the 50+ Women’s Doubles division.
Congratulations to all!
Valle Bajo Ladies Only Tournament - September 18
18 teams participated!
Reyna & Lynda 1st Place
Bonnie & Paula 2nd Place
Kassy & Laura 3rd Place
Don Haskins Men's Doubles Round Robin Tournament - September 25
13 teams participated!
Miguel & Federico 1st Place
Theron & Luis 2nd Place
Rafa & Bo 3rd Place
*Rec Center Update:
Pat O'Rourke is offering Open Play on Fridays from 9:00 am–12:00 pm. This is running on a week-to-week basis. Please give them a call before heading out, as scheduling is subject to change.
Pickleball Night at the Chihuahuas!
We loved seeing groups of players attending Pickleball Night at the Chihuahuas game in Southwest University Park on September 1st! A huge thank-you to the Sun City Pickleball Club for sponsoring the event and inviting PEPA to tag along for an unforgettable evening. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with the ballpark crowd, meet new players, and celebrate our local pickleball community.
Upcoming Events
SAVE THE DATE!
Location details are being finalized for the PEPA Member Appreciation Potluck Picnic to be held on Sunday, October 25 from 1:00 pm–4:00 pm! Keep an eye on your inbox—members will receive an official email invitation with all the specifics soon. If you aren't a current member, don't miss out on the fun! Join today by visiting Pickleball El Paso's membership page! Help us continue building a stronger pickleball community in El Paso!
October "Candy" Tournaments 🎃
Flyers below. Please call the respective recreation centers for details or to register!
Wednesday, 10/14: Wayne Thornton at Grandview (5:00 pm–7:30 pm)
Saturday, 10/17: Two tournaments!
Gary Del Palacio (9:00 am)
Sylvia Carreon (10:00 am)
Saturday, 10/24: Nolan Richardson (9:00 am–2:00 pm)
In the News
The Sun Bowl Association personally invited PEPA leadership to attend the exciting Sun Bowl rebranding announcement at the El Paso Convention Center on September 17 when the new title sponsor was revealed! PEPA Vice President Ben Avalos serves on the Sun Bowl Association Board of Directors as Chairman of Pickleball and members of PEPA and PEPA leadership serve on the Sun Bowl Pickleball Tournament Planning Committee.
In case you missed it, our city's historic bowl game is now officially the Old El Paso Sun Bowl! The Old El Paso brand traces its manufacturing roots right back to the El Paso region. We are thrilled to see a sponsor whose name highlights our city on the national level!
The event provided valuable opportunities for PEPA leadership to speak with Omar Ramirez from Destination El Paso, Judge Samaniego, and Mayor Johnson, who all expressed their deep support for pickleball. City Representative Ivan Niño, who represents District 5 where The Beast is located, was present. When asked about progress on the current expansion project, he affirmed that the new courts will feature a North-South orientation, proper court spacing, and safety fencing between rows. He also confirmed the expansion will feature adequate lighting, water fountains, and full ADA accessibility.
It was a terrific day for The Sun Bowl Association, for our city and for pickleball!
Growing the Game: September PEPA Beginner Clinics
9/04 From PEPA Vice President Ben Avalos: "Wonderful group of new beginner pickleball players at Nolan Richardson Recreation Center! We had too much fun chasing and hitting a plastic ball! Thank you to all the great volunteers and the rec center staff for all their help and support! Hope to see you on the court soon! Be safe, have fun, and stay out of the kitchen!"
9/09 From PEPA President Ida Chavira: "We had a BLAST at last night's clinic for beginners! It was so much fun meeting and teaching new players. I love the laughing and learning and wanting more! Thank you East Side Pickleballers again and always for what you do, for what you give. Thank you to the kind and helpful staff at Gary Del Palacio. PEPA members, thank you for helping us grow the sport we love. Thank you to Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers in El Paso for your support. Welcome New Players!"
Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers in El Paso
A huge thank you to the fantastic team at Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers in El Paso. As a sponsor, they've helped make it possible for us to host our beginner clinics, have fun with these incredible giant paddles, and share their expert tips for staying strong and improving our game! PEPA Vice President Ben Avalos recently stopped by the clinic to snap some photos.
Tips from the Fyzical Therapists
Move Faster on the Court: Lower-Body Plyometrics for Pickleball
Part 2 of a 3-Part Series
In Part 1, we introduced plyometrics and discussed how they help your body produce force quickly—an essential quality for moving efficiently on the pickleball court.
Now it's time to put those ideas into practice. The four exercises below are designed to improve the movements you use every time you play: explosive first steps, quick side shuffles, changing direction, and accelerating toward the kitchen line.
The goal of plyometric training isn't to leave you exhausted—it's to improve your ability to produce power. Every repetition should be performed with speed, intent, and good technique.
General Training Guidelines
Before we get into the exercises, here are a few recommendations that apply to all plyometric training:
Perform 2–4 sets of each exercise.
Aim for 10–40 total ground contacts per exercise, depending on your experience.
Rest 2–3 minutes between sets to allow your muscles and nervous system to recover so you can maintain maximum power.
Perform plyometrics after your warm-up and before strength training or pickleball, when you're feeling fresh.
Stop the exercise if your jumps become noticeably slower. Remember, you're training power, not endurance.
1. Pogo Hops
Why it helps: Quick feet are essential during fast exchanges at the kitchen line. Pogo hops improve your ability to rapidly push off the ground, helping you react faster while staying light on your feet.
How to perform: Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and perform quick, springy hops using mostly your ankles.
Beginner: Perform small double-leg hops with controlled, quiet landings.
Intermediate: Reduce the amount of time your feet spend on the ground while maintaining good control.
Advanced: Progress to single-leg pogo hops, side-to-side ski hops, or forward skater hops with quick, spring-like rebounds.
Think about: Staying light on your feet while exchanging volleys at the kitchen line.
2. Lateral Bounds
Why it helps: Wide dinks and passing shots require powerful side-to-side movement. Lateral bounds develop the ability to push off explosively while maintaining balance and control.
How to perform: Jump sideways from one leg to the other.
Beginner: Land and "stick" the landing for 1–2 seconds before jumping back.
Intermediate: Shorten the pause between repetitions.
Advanced: Perform continuous bounds with minimal ground contact while maintaining control.
Think about: Exploding to a wide forehand and recovering quickly to the middle of the court.
3. Diagonal Bounds
Why it helps: Pickleball movement rarely happens in perfectly straight lines. Diagonal bounds prepare your body for angled dinks, recovering after volleys, and chasing lobs.
How to perform: Jump diagonally onto one foot while keeping your chest up and landing under control.
Beginner: Pause briefly after each landing to establish balance.
Intermediate: Transition more quickly into the next repetition.
Advanced: Perform continuous alternating bounds with quick ground contact.
Think about: Chasing an angled dink while staying balanced for your next shot.
4. Forward Hops
Why it helps: Closing the distance to the kitchen and chasing short balls both require explosive forward movement. Forward hops improve your ability to accelerate while staying balanced when you arrive.
How to perform: Hop forward and land under control.
Beginner: Pause briefly after each landing.
Intermediate: Reduce the pause while maintaining good technique.
Advanced: Perform consecutive hops with quick rebounds or add a backward shuffle after each hop to simulate recovering during play.
Think about: Moving quickly to a drop shot and recovering for the next ball.
PT Perspective
One of the most common misconceptions we hear is that plyometrics should feel like a cardio workout.
More isn't always better.
It's tempting to keep jumping until you're tired, but fatigue changes the goal of the workout. Once your jumps become noticeably slower, you're no longer training power as effectively.
Instead of asking, "How tired am I?", ask yourself, "Am I still moving explosively?"
Training with high-quality repetitions is what improves performance on the court.
Looking Ahead
Lower-body power helps you get to the ball faster. But pickleball also demands quick hands and explosive upper-body movements.
In Part 3, we'll explore upper-body plyometric exercises that can improve paddle speed, reaction time at the kitchen line, and the power behind your serves and overheads.
Sometimes the biggest advantage on the pickleball court isn't hitting the ball harder—it's getting to the ball sooner.
About the Authors
Andres Fernandez, PT, DPT (FAAOMPT Fellow-in-Training) is a physical therapist currently completing his final year of fellowship training in orthopedic manual physical therapy.
Roy Kohn, PT, DPT, FAAOMPT is a fellowship-trained physical therapist and Director of Education with Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers in El Paso.
Thanks for reading! In our next newsletter, we’ll bring you the latest news and also offer some guidelines for selecting the right pickleball shoe. It does make a difference! Until then, cheers to the fall season—and we'll see you on the courts!
Liz Luscombe
Newsletter Director
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