LevelUp Pickleball Camps

I recently attended a two-day LevelUp pickleball camp led by Joel Ickes and Betty Lugar, and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. The curriculum was well organized and packed with helpful material designed to elevate your game. We focused not only on refining pickleball mechanics through targeted drills but also dove into smart gameplay strategies, which added a whole new layer to my understanding of the sport. As an intermediate-plus player, I thought I had a solid grasp of the game. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how many new concepts I learned and how several of my misconceptions were corrected through Joel and Betty’s clear, insightful instruction. Their approach was both technical and practical, giving us actionable ways to improve on the court. Beyond their expertise, Joel and Betty are two of the nicest, most encouraging people you’ll meet. They brought fun, warmth, and levity to the camp, creating a supportive learning environment that made everyone feel comfortable pushing their limits. My personal goal for the camp was to break through a plateau that’s been holding me back from competing at a more advanced level. Thanks to this camp, I now have the tools, knowledge, and drills to work toward that goal with renewed focus. I wholeheartedly recommend any camp run by Joel and/or Betty, no matter your playing level. I’m already looking forward to attending another session once I’ve had time to assimilate and practice everything I learned.

I participated in the Tucson AZ LevelUp Pickleball camp for 3.0 – 4.0 players in November 2025. The two-day camp was led by two outstanding players/coaches, Joel Ickles and his partner, Betty Lugar. We had a dozen participants with terrific one-to-one and small group exercises and feedback through the 2 days. The experience was exactly what I needed – I can feel the improvement. Further, several of the players in my regular PB group noted that they can see the improvement as well. Joel and Betty had set up a structure that made learning fun and, more important, do-able. The course is organized around specific strokes, including both form and function – when and how to use them effectively during game play. For each stroke, we began with the form, then moved into practice with a partner, supervised by either Joel or Betty who were able to provide individual coaching. We ended by learning a game to play that basically was a fun way to drill the stroke we’d learned. This is where Joel and Betty’s coaching skills really shined. They each excelled at identifying issues we had individually that needed tweaking – sometimes coaching us as we responded to a ball, sometimes stepping in for our partners to send us practice balls that were more consistent than we could do for one another. They figured out what each of us needed and made sure we got the help that would move us forward. In between strokes, we had breaks of different lengths – longer that allowed participants to play games or practice further or have a quick rest/snack. That also gave us each time to talk with either Joel or Betty about issues we were still dealing with or questions we had that hadn’t yet been covered. I never would have thought I could learn so much in just 2 days, nor have so much fun drilling, practicing, getting feedback, being pushed, etc for 6 hours a day! BTW, the age of students ranged from recent college graduates to mid-career to retirees (I’m in the last category). Despite the range in age, ability level span (most were 3.0 – 3.5 players), Joel and Betty individualized instruction and created an inviting feeling, mixing up players as well as honoring those who came as teammates and wanted to practice together. It's one thing to be a gold-medal winning players, it’s quite another to be superb teachers and coaches. I would seek out Joel and Betty specifically, given the opportunity.

My wife and I recently experienced a fantastic two day Intermediate plus camp in Concord, California. Joel Ickes and Betty were our professional coaches who were highly skilled and ran a great camp. Their instruction was insightful, their individual coaching was spot on and easy to digest, their tactics and real world examples from their tournaments were useful, and they made every event fun. We would highly recommend this clinic and if you can get Joel and Betty, then you are in for a fantastic couple of days!

Well, I’m a real example of going from DUPR 2.8 to 3.4 with this camp, as well as from drilling and playing everyday. But I really got the strategy down during this camp, along with a few fun drills, and great technical advice. Upade: became a 3.5+ player just two months after the camp!!! Thank you, thank you. I highly recommend going to a camp like this early in your pickleball journey once you know all the basics, cause you get the right technicals and practice them. I was only 7-8 months into pickleball and so I’ve been able to adjust technique rather than return to muscle memory that’s hard to break.

Just finished a Levelup intermediate course in Punta Gorda Florida with pros Joel Ickes and Betty Lugar. It was outstanding. The two had different yet complimentary styles that added so much to the experience. I need to go home and practice all the new skills/technique I acquired but plan to return in the spring for the advanced intermediate course. I highly recommend this course and these two pros. It was a great experience all around.