“Get up, get up, get up!” “Good return!” “Play up or play back!” “You can’t make points if you don’t get your serve in!” “Move your feet!” “Get back into position!”
This is what you hear at the drop in Novice Instructional play group, all said with a smile and in an encouraging tone. It is obvious that Donna Quartaro was a teacher professionally; she states “teaching is in by blood.”
Donna is very motivating for the novices and beginners that she and Larry Martinson have been working with since the pickleball courts opened in 2020. It is fun to watch her coach the drop-in group, as she has so much positive energy and enthusiasm. I asked some of the players what they thought of her, and it was all glowing. “She’s the best. I wouldn’t still be coming to the group if it wasn’t for Donna.” “Amazing, wonderful, great attitude, very encouraging, always cheerful.” “Great, patient, very good teacher, she makes things fun—we love her.”
Donna loves to work with everyone, especially with people who have never held a paddle or played a racquet sport before and have no idea how to hit a ball or move on a court, which she estimates to be 2/3 of the novice players. She believes people may be afraid to play because they have heard they could get injured.
There are players with all kinds of disabilities and mobility issues and “it is our job to teach them how to play safely and use proper footwork so they don’t get hurt. Most of all we are here to have fun.” Donna is a skills person and she is great at imparting these skills to beginners. These players become friends, start booking courts together and having more fun. Donna has a wide variety of pickleball friends that she has met over the years and has taught the joy of the game to many of us, we are grateful to have her in the club!
