North Carolina
Pickleball at Montreat
Program No. 23769RJ
Learn about a new racket sport — pickleball — as you learn from enthusiastic instructors and enjoy some friendly competition in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date.
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While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
15 meals (
5B, 5L, 5D
)
12 expert-led lectures
12 hands-on experiences
3 performances
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m. Pull up to the Assembly Inn porch to unload, then park your vehicle in any designated spot close by the Inn or by the lake.
Afternoon:
You will share the Assembly Inn this week with other Road Scholar programs. Assembly Inn check-in 3:00-5:30 p.m. Pull up to the Assembly Inn porch to unload, then park your vehicle in any designated spot close to the Inn or by the lake and check in. Program Registration. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. Feel free to relax in your room, meet and enjoy fellowship with other participants in the beautiful lobby, or stretch your legs with a walk around the campus before dinner.
Dinner:
In the Assembly Inn dining room, we'll enjoy a buffet with choice of two entrées, vegetables, a complete salad bar, bread, and desserts; milk, coffee, tea, water available.
Evening:
Orientation: 7:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions Following the general orientation time, you will meet with your pickleball instructors and talk about the week. This is a Road Scholar Retreats program. Our programming at Retreat locations includes opportunities for light morning exercise, interaction with members of the local community, a farm-to-table meal, and evening entertainment. If you cannot stay through lunch at the end of the program, boxed lunches will be available; please make your request for one by the evening of Day Five. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. After orientation, we'll get to know each other with icebreaker activities followed by refreshments in the lobby. Enjoy fellowship with fellow students around card and board games in the main lobby. A television is also available to keep you up to date on what’s going on in the world.
Day
2
No Volley Zone; Dinking and More Dinking!
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
Walking to the courts; 3 hours of instruction and play for the morning, 1.5 hours of play in the afternoon. Extent and duration of elective afternoon walking dependent on personal preference.
Breakfast:
In the dining room, we'll pick from a plentiful buffet of breakfast favorites. Items change daily, but may include biscuits and gravy, French toast, pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, grits, hash browns, fresh oatmeal, among others. Permanent options include fresh fruit, cereal, yogurt, granola, baked pastries, juices, coffee, tea, water.
Morning:
Get ready for a week of exercise, fun and honing our pickleball skills! At the Patricia Cornwell Tennis Center (laykold courts) we'll begin with assessing our skill levels so that we can divide into groups based on those levels. Our coaches/pros will give us guidance on the pickleball grip. Next, we'll cover how to play at the NVZ line. Dinking technique-tip down/no back swing/ light grip/ no backing up will be reviewed and then we move to three stages of dinks: Stage 1 dinks- place cone down; Stage 2 dinks- put cone down; Stage 3 put aways- attach straight ahead (softly at first) What fun! A refreshment break (at our play location) will keep us going! After the break, we'll talk about dinking and recovering, Cross court dinks (learning the “X”) with dinks, Short hop dinks, Tracking during dinks, Best spots to dink to/ Spots to stay away from; DINK Game DINGLES
Lunch:
In the dining room, we'll select from a buffet of meats, vegetables, starches, homemade soup, a full salad bar, and desserts; beverage choices of milk, regular and decaf coffee, iced tea, water.
Afternoon:
Starting back shortly after lunch, we'll have an hour and a half of free play with coaching tips from our pros. Dinking Practice and Dinking Games How to Serve – Serving skills and practice How to Return- Return skills and practice Following play time, you may elect to walk around Montreat, where you can visit the Heritage Center and hear history stories and learn about some of the buildings and people in Montreat.
Dinner:
In the dining room.
Evening:
Our evening program will feature a local band, Sourwood Ridge After the performance, the rest of the evening is at leisure, with activities available in the lobby of the Inn for fellowship.
Day
3
Mid-court strategies and drills
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
Walking to the courts; 3 hours of instruction and play for the morning, 1.5 hours of play in the afternoon.
Breakfast:
In the dining room.
Morning:
Our Pickleball professionals will review activities from the day before and answer any questions we may have about those elements requiring clarification or reinforcement before leading a clinic focusing on mid-court strategies and drills Dinking Practices Serving Tips: Stay back 6”, say the score, communicate the middle, who’s the runner, where you like putting your 3rd at? / Deep Serve means short returns / When to drive, drop or lob? / When to come in as serving team (Red, yellow and green lights). / Mid-morning, we'll enjoy some refreshments and fellowship and then another session of shot strategies and drills to keep opponents back. Introduction to Returning Serve (Return & Run)- Where to stand / Return straight….partner help in the middle / Keep them back 3 times / Games: 7-11 Drill
Lunch:
in the Assembly Inn dining room.
Afternoon:
This afternoon, we'll have Mini-Games or regular pickleball games with strategy and skills learned from clinic so far . Afterwards, if you have the energy and interest, there is a good chance for a walk in the woods.
Dinner:
In the dining room.
Evening:
Our evening activity may consist of a dance, concert, or a visit from a storyteller. Afterwards, we'll have games, cards, and a TV available in the lobby.
Day
4
Assess how we're doing so far, free afternoon & evening
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
Walking to the courts; 3 hours of instruction and play for the morning. Walking to the barn; line dancing approximately 1 hour.
Breakfast:
In the dining room.
Morning:
This morning, we'll continue with our dinking Practices. There will be a Serve Deep & Return Deep Drill and we'll talk about Blocking from NVZ Line. After our mid-morning refreshment break, we will have an introduction to volleying and play some regular games with constructive feedback from your coaches.
Lunch:
In the dining room.
Afternoon:
Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.
Dinner:
In the dining room, we'll sit down for a delicious farm-to-table meal from a number of area sources.
Evening:
Free evening for relaxing or we invite you to join in on some of the other classes in session. Cards, puzzles, and board games are available in the lobby of the Inn for more fellowship and enjoyment.
Day
5
Even More Dinking! Lobs, Overheads
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Assembly Inn
Activity Note
Walking to the courts; 3 hours of instruction and play for the morning, 1.5 hours of play in the afternoon.
Breakfast:
In the dining room.
Morning:
The pickleball staff will review the objectives of the first three days and incorporate what we've already covered. We'll have more dinking practice / Learning about the “X” (at dink line) / Playing Games with Critique / Unforced Error Game After our refreshment break (please stay hydrated!), we'll have an Introduction to lobs, returning lobs (with a drop) and an Introduction to Overheads
Lunch:
In the dining room.
Afternoon:
Pro Exhibition Matches and/or Round Robin Shootouts
Dinner:
In the dining room. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
We’ll gather for a last evening together as we welcome Bobbie Pell, the Moonstone Ministrel. She will entertain us with stories and songs. After, there is an opportunity for games/cards/TV in lobby for fellowship. Prepare for check-out and departure after lunch tomorrow. Be sure to sign up for a box lunch if you can't stay through lunch on Friday.
Day
6
Wrap-up & Q&A, Program Concludes
Location:
Montreat, NC
Meals:
B,L
Activity Note
Hotel check-out 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
In the dining room.
Morning:
Our week will wrap up with a Q&A session with the pickleball staff. This is an opportunity to refresh ourselves on specific points of play or situations you may have encountered during the week. One last round robin shootout wraps up our week. We’ll all leave for home with a new set of skills and new friends! Our program will conclude by 10:30 a.m., giving us some time to check out of our rooms by 11:00 a.m. and take an opportunity to take one last walk around the lake or visit the stores before lunch.
Lunch:
In the dining room. Those who requested box lunches can pick them up anytime after breakfast. This concludes our program.
Afternoon:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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