Mark’s Philosophy
To help students bridge the pathway between performance, technical and tactical skills—not just how to play the game—but how to find the earnest joy in strategic thinking that takes place in the game of Pickleball.
Meet Your New Coach:
Mark has over 40 years of experience teaching racquet sports - bringing his wisdom and joy to pickleball lessons for all types of players.
Mark The Pickleball Guy
Mark Banford has been teaching racquet sports to people of all ages since the years when Jimmy Connors dominated the sport of tennis. He first began playing racquet sports in the greater Chicagoland area where he was fascinated with the speed and spin of table tennis. In the 1970s he began his competitive career playing for his high school tennis team. Soon after, he jumped into organized tournaments and quickly secured a position as a coach.
This passion folded into other racquet sports as he discovered the unique challenges that both squash and platform tennis could provide. New strategies. New playing styles. New excitement in the game.
In 1983, while visiting family in Florida, he played pickleball for the first time. Was it anywhere near as popular as it is today? Not quite, but Mark saw the sport grow from that point on–helping him return to pickleball in the late aughts as pickleball staked its claim as the fastest growing sport in the country.
As a certified International Pickleball Teaching Professional (IPTPA) Mark has offered his deep knowledge in racquet sports to bring the love of the court across the country. From kids to adults, Mark has improved and empowered his students’ talents, creating a baseline confidence needed to enjoy and understand the game.
His fun-fueled philosophy helps his students build a repertoire of physical and mental abilities that enable them to compete at any level. You may even catch him at several pickleball events: as an avid tournament pickleball player, Mark has played singles and doubles tournaments up and down the East Coast. If you’ve met him there, you know he brings the same fun-forward attitude that his lessons bring.
Pickleball has combined his avid search for an outlet for his zany humor and love of physics into a unique, yet approachable teaching style.
If you’re looking to improve your pickleball game or looking for a coach to bring new and creative angles to every lesson: get in touch with Mark TODAY!
