The growing number of courts and participants has prompted many racket-sport coaches to shift to pickleball, bringing their technical background to a sport gaining strong community traction.
Coaches transition to meet soaring demand
In 2024, badminton coach Nguyễn Văn Hùng, Vice President of the Provincial Badminton Federation, began studying pickleball. He completed a national-level coaching course in January 2025, followed by several specialised programs.
After the 2025 Lunar New Year, Hùng started offering basic classes in his free time. By summer 2025, he partnered with pickleball coach Đặng Xuân Tiến to launch community courses at AK Pickleball Court in Pleiku Ward, attracting nearly 30 regular students.
Hùng said his curriculum moves from beginner to advanced content, covering technique, tactics and conditioning. Students can choose group or individual lessons depending on goals and skill levels. He has trained “hundreds of people,” many of whom now compete regularly with strong results.
Among them is Nguyễn Thị Hồng Hạnh of Pleiku Ward, who paused her long badminton career to pursue pickleball. After 12 sessions, she mastered the rules and began competing in local and regional tournaments with notable achievements.
New classes open province-wide
After completing the national coaching course in January 2025, badminton coach Nguyễn Quang Huy, owner of Quang Huy Sports Club in Phú Túc Commune, began offering pickleball lessons. To accommodate demand, he converted existing badminton courts into four pickleball courts.
Huy said students with badminton experience often grasp the sport after three sessions, while beginners usually need about a week. He has also hosted tournaments to build community engagement.
In the eastern region, particularly the wards of former Quy Nhơn City, pickleball activity is the strongest, with the highest concentration of courts and coaches.
Among the most active trainers is Trần Nguyễn Minh Khôi of Quy Nhơn Ward. Having shifted from badminton to pickleball in February 2025, he now coaches 80-100 students across multiple courts, conducting four to nine sessions daily. Khôi teaches independently and is sponsored by Sypik Sports.
Also in Quy Nhơn, Phạm Duy Phú, a lecturer at Quy Nhơn University’s Faculty of Physical Education, transitioned from badminton after nearly 20 years. Now coaching 10 students in small private groups, he said the rapid rise of pickleball, alongside professionally organised tournaments with attractive prize money, has created new career, sponsorship and networking opportunities, including support from Kaiwin.
After 15 years in badminton, Nguyễn Anh Trinh of Quy Nhơn Ward began shifting to pickleball in early 2024. Now coaching, she offers flexible training schedules without fixed court locations, adapting sessions to individual students.
