Gallery & Testimonials

Krishna is absolutely amazing. Best pickleball instructor in Marin in my opinion. I started taking lessons (her 301 clinic) from Krishna in February and found that my game markedly improved after each session. Her lessons were clear and easy to apply. The focus on fundamentals and enjoying the game was a perfect fit for me. As I continued with Krishna's 302 and 303 clinics, the lessons built perfectly on one another, each time adding one or more new skill(s) to my game, which I could apply on the court the next day. It has been fun to see my game improve so rapidly with Krishna's help. 

Krishna is not only a great pickleball instructor, but a wonderful person.  She is a joy to be around and makes each lesson tons of fun. 

Eric Bowen

Krishna Raichura has completely changed my experience of pickleball! She is an exceptional teacher and coach, and my skills have improved enormously since I’ve been taking lessons with her now, the game is so much more fun! Krishna’s able to hone in on the exact skills I need to work on and easily communicate the adjustments I need to make. She’s encouraging, patient, and inspiring.  Before I took lessons with Krishna, I was intimidated to join in games with others. Now, I feel confident and at ease playing with others, and I've even joined a league, which would have been unthinkable just a few months ago. Krishna is a master of the physical game, as well as the mental/emotional game and teaches both of those with excellence and finesse. On top of this, her love of pickleball is contagious. I feel so grateful for Krishna's brilliant coaching, and infectious attitude.

Marci Shimoff, #1 NY Times Bestselling Author and International Speaker

I had played pickleball for almost 2 years before taking my first lesson from Krishna in May. That first lesson was so much fun and educational that it lead to my recruiting 7 friends so I could take 3 lessons per week since! I look forward to each lesson as a mini experience vacation.

Joanne Trifoso

Krishna is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had and how I know this is my fellow players tell me I am the most improved player. I used to always feel like the weak link on the court and I hated that. Now I feel confident after only a few months of lessons. I’m making those great shots that I used to watch others make. I feel myself getting better and better which to me is the sign of a great teacher. Krishna coaches as you play which is so helpful. She is clear in her instructions, and incredibly supportive. She will tell you the truth but not in a critical way and she never loses patience. She doesn’t overwhelm you with too many skills in one lesson but rather focuses on one or two until you get it. I always walk off the court feeling juiced and ready to go. I can’t recommend her highly enough. She knows her stuff and is a joy to work with.

Shelly Lefkoe

I started playing pickleball early this year. I have played tennis on leagues for decades and wanted to try this “new” sport. I played it once and I was hooked! So much of my tennis background was applicable. As I watched better players, I could see there were some tennis skills that played well and some that needed to be tweaked. Enter Krishna. A former highly rated tennis player now pickleball pro, she would understand the natural tennis tendencies and hone those into more effective pickleball skills. After working with Krishna, the improvement has been measurable. Smashes translate well, drives and slices work, and even lobs, but learning to shorten the tennis stroke and dinking strategies are keys to improving your game. Krishna makes it fun and productive. If you are looking to improve your pickleball skills/strategies, Krishna is the pro that can get you to the next level and beyond.  As I have improved, the game is even more fun! 

Gayle Gaston

Thanks so much Karla. The class was great - you and Krishna paced it just right, with lots of instruction for us beginners but not too much information all at once. I really had fun learning this new skill in a supportive environment! Very positive experience and I’m looking forward to more pickling!

Grace Carter 

My pickle game has gotten way better since I took your class and I often recall your wisdom and drills that I later use to deepen my understanding of the game, thank you Karla!

Debra Amerson

Krishna is a fantastic pickleball coach! I am amazed at how smooth, fun and easy my learning curve has been, thanks to her fabulous skills and encouragement. She is hands down the best coach I've ever worked with and has helped me love the game much more; she's very present and patient, genuinely cares, is really smart at conveying the mental game as well as technique and strategy and is a lot of fun too! I wholeheartedly recommend her for anyone at any level!

Sergio Baroni

Thanks, Krishna, for your knowledge, insight, and guidance on how to improve my pickleball skills. Your commonsense approach along with your honest, direct feedback is tailored to my personal needs and style of play, elevating my game and allowing me to enjoy playing on a different level. I didn’t think I could love pickleball more, but I do!  

Kelly Calabrese 

Sometimes starting something new can be intimidating unless you start with a welcoming, friendly, enthusiastic, fun, and skilled teacher like Karla. From the get-go, she made us feel like we belonged, and her encouragement and enthusiasm were contagious. So much so, that the majority of us are joining the new Sausalito league. And if her energy and love of the game aren’t enough to convince you, her music sure will! 

 Valerie Jacobs

Coach Karla, Thank you for making pickleball so fun for Scott and me.   We took up pickleball about two months ago, and taking your class has helped us improve our game tremendously. You are knowledgeable, patient, attentive, and such a FUN!!! coach. Your enthusiasm for the game makes it so addictive we want to play everyday, and you are always so generous with your knowledge to help us be better players. When Scott shared with you about his stiff back, your sensitivity to help adjust his play experience was so appreciated. We always feel so happy after one of your classes. We would encourage picklers to sign up for your clinics. Thank you for being you, and keep spreading the joy of playing pickleball.

 Lisa Slaney

I love taking lessons from Krishna. As my initial experience with pickleball, it is a great way to learn fundamentals, strategy and skills to get me started and to improve my game. Krishna is patient and knowledgeable but most of all makes it FUN. I cannot wait to go to lessons each week.

Heidi Holst

When my game hit a plateau, Krishna helped me break through and advance. I love her purposeful teaching approach. She breaks down the mechanics and uses great analogies to cement the concepts. She brings incredible energy and enthusiasm toward helping me become a better player. To me, Krishna is everything pickleball!

Connie Hill

Karla, So great meeting you. Matt and I really appreciate your teaching as well as welcoming us to Sausalito. Since I took PB lessons last year I had an understanding of the game. However what I was taught was not the same approach as your instruction. What took me 12 hrs of instruction to get the idea of scoring, rules,body position, and strategy you covered in 4. I loved your teaching approach and organization with starting with muscle memory first. You made certain that everyone in the class understood each step before moving on to the next. You also answered every question with clarity. We loved the music too as it made it fun. You are definitely gifted with being an excellent teacher and coach. Your enthusiasm for the game radiates to all. Wishing you the best going forward with bringing the game to everyone and organizing lessons and leagues. It is all fantastic and exciting. 

Hope to see you on the courts!

Tam and Matt

I was fortunate to take pickleball lessons with Karla on my first day out. Fortunate because Karla is a born teacher and coach, and because learning the right approach from the get-go beats the inevitable alternative--developing bad habits that later must be unlearned. Karla teaches 360 -degree pickleball - the rules, scoring, skills, pitfalls - even the culture -always while prioritizing safety, which I appreciate, having recently recovered from a broken femur. Her nuanced observation of your stroke allows her to explain why a particular shot did not land where you intended, whether the reason is racket position, angle of racket face, stroke thrust, position of legs, insufficient follow-through, movement of hips, or what have you. Karla’s secret sauce is that she clearly loves the game herself and appreciates how pickleball can be used to build fitness, skills and community. She is consistently pleasant to work with, her upbeat attitude making the learning process super-fun and enjoyable.

Mary Anne McKernie