About
Emma Owen Founder
After winning Gold at the National Championships in Bolton and growing a local club to over 150 players, Emma set out to bring pickleball to her wider community in West Bridgford. Combining her Sports Science and Tennis Development background, Emma wanted to bring this fun, easy to learn sport to help people become physically active, make lasting friendships and play competitively if they wish.
Natalia Session Co-ordinator
Natalia began playing pickleball in 2017 in Florida, where she trained and competed alongside future pro players such as Anna Leigh Waters and JW Johnson. She earned multiple medals at the US Open and other major tournaments. Having moved to the UK, Natalia continued to compete at an advanced level, achieving Bronze at the 2023 English Nationals. She remains an active competitor bringing her advanced competitive knowledge to sessions.
Sally Pickleball Instructor, Level 1
Sally discovered pickleball in Chiang Mai, Thailand and quickly became hooked, playing regularly with her husband for the two years they lived there. Returning to the UK, Sally continued to play, but missed the social side until she met Emma. With her teaching background, Sally naturally transitioned into helping introduce pickleball to newcomers and running drill sessions. Sally is now a Level 1 Instructor helping players develop their playing skills and technique in a clear concise manner.
How did we get here?
The Pickleball Collective was born from a simple mission: to create a welcoming space where people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds could play, connect, and thrive together.
Progression within the sessions: what will happen when the club has been running for a short while…
As the club grows and people join and progress, we will create sessions that cater for all levels. We will also create a clear pathway for people to understand what they need to do to progress to the next level. For now, we are running sessions where it is open play, but ultimately we will run the following:
Introductory sessions: this is for people who have never played pickleball.
Beginner/ Improver sessions: this is for people who undestand and can play the basic shots, understand court positioning and have the basic skills to play pickleball. You will need to attend the Introductory session if you have never played before.
Intermediates sessions: this is for people who understand both the basic and more advanced rules, are more consistent with court positioning, have a better understanding of shot selection and how to work with their partner.