MEET THE TEAM
DAVE VELARDO
Competition Background
After playing first pro match against Ben Johns as the bottom seed, progressed up the seedings over a few years playing men’s and mixed doubles, reached the #27 ranked pickleballer in the world (based on DUPR’s summer 2021 rankings which analyzed pro tour results from the previous few years).
Coaching
Approach: help players find the technique that works for their unique grip/style/game; highly customized coaching & showing players what to prioritize (via private lessons, playing lessons, and video coaching).
Strengths: Kitchen-line volley defense for beginners intermediate and advanced players, helping 3.5-4.0 achieve 4.5 skill level, helping 4.5 players achieve 5.0 skill level, skinny singles with 4.0-5.0 players, on-ramping new players into the game, kitchen play for 4.0-5.0 players, soft game for 3.5+ players, serving “yips”, tournament preparation and tournament strategy for intermediate and advanced players.
Teaching Background
- 5+ years teaching all over the San Francisco Bay Area and New England, teaching all levels from true beginners all the way up to 5.0 national-level tournament players.
- Got into teaching pickleball to 1) be an innovator and leader in defining how this new sport will be taught for decades to come, and, 2) provide customized teaching to contrast a lot of the non-customized teaching that is common in the sport.
- Original teaching background in piano & golf.
STEPHEN IANDOLI
Stephen’s passion for pickleball picked up in 2020 when he founded The Midtown Pickleball Club to connect core players with the appropriate competition in a fun, social, setting. MPC players (men and women) won nearly 40 medals in 2021. It’s that experience of matching the right players with the right competition that has him so excited for all the different group play options offered at the New England Pickleball Club.
A multiple-medal winning tournament player, Stephen is also a certified instructor. When not playing, or organizing group pickleball play, Stephen leads students in various Comm/Jour courses on college campuses in MA.
Stephen received his BA from Villanova University, MS from Boston University and had a 20+ year career in broadcast/print journalism, covering some of the biggest stories in the nation. Many friends joke that Stephen’s days revolve around pickleball, dinner and his rescue dog, Mia. Simple things bring the most pleasure. Good vibes only.
Krista Trefethen
Krista is currently the Assistant Recreation Director for the City of Dover, NH.
She helped get the first dedicated outdoor pickleball courts built in the Seacoast and has experience running large group drop in play, shootouts, round robins, tournaments, and all things pickleball related.
When she isn’t organizing pickleball activities – you’ll find her on the court playing!
RILEY STOCKWELL
Coaching
Approach: To make players feel at ease on the court and break down the mental barriers that hold players back from reaching their potential. Observing a player’s strengths and weaknesses, working with them to balance their game while further highlighting their personal style.
Strengths: Team building (partner communication, court positioning, doubles strategy). Helping players slow down OR speed up their game as needed. Roll volleys, backhand comfort, proper dinking technique/dinking to set up advantage. Training 4.0-4.5 level players in softening their game, high level strategy, and reaching new levels of patience using micro-aggression. Teaching 3.0 and 3.5 players how to balance their game, develop a healthy confidence, and empowering players to take up space, and embrace aggressive play.
Competition Background
- 5.0+ rated player
- Experience playing with/against top pros.
Teaching Background
PPR Certified (Pro Level)
2+ Years of Private Instruction, workshops, clinics.
DUPR ambassador and experience helping hundreds of players find their rating.
Head coach at Pickles Hanover, MA.
High performance pickleball coach at Quail Ridge Country Club Acton, MA.
Assistant coach for Tyson Mcguffin PB camps.
10+ years private guitar instruction.
TED WELCH
Administration and Education Background
38 Years in Education as a Teacher, Coach and Administrator in the York School Department.
- Served 28 years as the Athletic Director at York High School (YHS).
- !8 years as a teacher and coach including Varsity Football and Tennis Presently the Boys Varsity Tennis Coach at YHS.
Pickleball Teaching Background
Upon retiring from Athletic Administration I returned to my roots as a teacher and coach.
- Seven years teaching pickleball in The Seacoast Area.
- Launched the Pickleball Program at York and Kittery Parks and Recreation in 2015 which has become an integral part of adult recreation in the surrounding communities. ● Introduced Pickleball to the Lifetime Activity Program at The University Of New Hampshire (UNH) Durham in 2018.
Presently an Adjunct Professor teaching pickleball at UNH. Pickleball Instructor and Program Coordinator at Kennebunk River Club (KRC) in Kennebunkport, Maine 2021 – present.
Teaching strengths include:
- Making personal connections with students of all ages and varying skill levels and athletic backgrounds.
- A solid foundation in teaching fundamentals and understanding the importance of proper progressions in skill development.
- Great appreciation of the physical, social, emotional, fun and competitive benefits of athletic activities.
- Open minded to new ideas and teaching techniques and the importance of evolving as a teacher and coach.
Ted’s Academy Goals
Assist and enhance the Pickleball Players experience at NEPC. Provide personalized, fun and quality instruction and programs for all skill levels. Lay the foundation for success from beginner to advanced play by utilizing the Four Bases.
Sue Haskell
She’s working behind the scenes, as well as in the limelight to provide NEPClub and it’s members an avenue to help out those in our local community.
Chris Ouellette
Chris is one of the top players in New England and has been on a streak of winning gold medals at the 5.0 level in New England and New York.
Chris will be organizing competitive money balls for the players who are near the top of the NEPC Ladder.
Players not initially included in the “top” group will be able to “earn” their way into this or other competitive club plays (for example at the 4.5 and 4.0 levels).
DAVID VELARDO
Competition Background
After playing first pro match against Ben Johns as the bottom seed, progressed up the seedings over a few years playing men’s and mixed doubles, reached the #27 ranked pickleballer in the world (based on DUPR’s summer 2021 rankings which analyzed pro tour results from the previous few years).
Coaching
Approach: helping players find the technique that works for their unique grip/style/game; highly customized coaching & showing players what to prioritize via private lessons, playing lessons, and video coaching.
Strengths: Kitchen-line volley defense for beginners intermediate and advanced players, helping 3.5-4.0 achieve 4.5 skill level, helping 4.5 players achieve 5.0 skill level, skinny singles with 4.0-5.0 players, on-ramping new players into the game, kitchen play for 4.0-5.0 players, soft game for 3.5+ players, serving “yips”, tournament preparation and tournament strategy for intermediate and advanced players.
Teaching Background
- 5+ years teaching all over the San Francisco Bay Area and New England, teaching all levels from true beginners all the way up to 5.0 national-level tournament players.
- Got into teaching pickleball to 1) be an innovator and leader in defining how this new sport will be taught for decades to come, and, 2) provide customized teaching to contrast a lot of the non-customized teaching that is common in the sport.
- Original teaching background in piano & golf.
STEPHEN IANDOLI
Stephen’s passion for pickleball picked up in 2020 when he founded The Midtown Pickleball Club to connect core players with the appropriate competition in a fun, social, setting. MPC players (men and women) won nearly 40 medals in 2021. It’s that experience of matching the right players with the right competition that has him so excited for all the different group play options offered at the New England Pickleball Club.
A multiple-medal winning tournament player, Stephen is also a certified instructor. When not playing, or organizing group pickleball play, Stephen leads students in various Comm/Jour courses on college campuses in MA.
Stephen received his BA from Villanova University, MS from Boston University and had a 20+ year career in broadcast/print journalism, covering some of the biggest stories in the nation. Many friends joke that Stephen’s days revolve around pickleball, dinner and his rescue dog, Mia. Simple things bring the most pleasure. Good vibes only.
Krista Trefethen
Krista is currently the Assistant Recreation Director for the City of Dover, NH.
She helped get the first dedicated outdoor pickleball courts built in the Seacoast and has experience running large group drop in play, shootouts, round robins, tournaments, and all things pickleball related.
When she isn’t organizing pickleball activities – you’ll find her on the court playing!
RILEY STOCKWELL
Coaching
Approach: To make players feel at ease on the court and break down the mental barriers that hold players back from reaching their potential. Observing a player’s strengths and weaknesses, working with them to balance their game while further highlighting their personal style.
Strengths: Team building (partner communication, court positioning, doubles strategy). Helping players slow down OR speed up their game as needed. Roll volleys, backhand comfort, proper dinking technique/dinking to set up advantage. Training 4.0-4.5 level players in softening their game, high level strategy, and reaching new levels of patience using micro-aggression. Teaching 3.0 and 3.5 players how to balance their game, develop a healthy confidence, and empowering players to take up space, and embrace aggressive play.
Competition Background
- Gold/Silver Medals in National/Regional tournaments at 5.0 (US Open Naples, NY Open at Flushing Meadows, Atlantic Regionals, Boston Pickleball Classic)
- 5.0+ rated player
- Experience playing with/against top pros.
Teaching Background
PPR Certified (Pro Level)
2+ Years of Private Instruction, workshops, clinics.
DUPR ambassador and experience helping hundreds of players find their rating.
Head coach at Pickles Hanover, MA.
High performance pickleball coach at Quail Ridge Country Club Acton, MA.
Assistant coach for Tyson Mcguffin PB camps.
10+ years private guitar instruction.
TED WELCH
Administration and Education Background
38 Years in Education as a Teacher, Coach and Administrator in the York School Department.
- Served 28 years as the Athletic Director at York High School (YHS).
- !8 years as a teacher and coach including Varsity Football and Tennis Presently the Boys Varsity Tennis Coach at YHS.
Pickleball Teaching Background
Upon retiring from Athletic Administration I returned to my roots as a teacher and coach.
- Seven years teaching pickleball in The Seacoast Area.
- Launched the Pickleball Program at York and Kittery Parks and Recreation in 2015 which has become an integral part of adult recreation in the surrounding communities. ● Introduced Pickleball to the Lifetime Activity Program at The University Of New Hampshire (UNH) Durham in 2018.
Presently an Adjunct Professor teaching pickleball at UNH. Pickleball Instructor and Program Coordinator at Kennebunk River Club (KRC) in Kennebunkport, Maine 2021 – present.
Teaching strengths include:
- Making personal connections with students of all ages and varying skill levels and athletic backgrounds.
- A solid foundation in teaching fundamentals and understanding the importance of proper progressions in skill development.
- Great appreciation of the physical, social, emotional, fun and competitive benefits of athletic activities.
- Open minded to new ideas and teaching techniques and the importance of evolving as a teacher and coach.
Ted’s Academy Goals
Assist and enhance the Pickleball Players experience at NEPC. Provide personalized, fun and quality instruction and programs for all skill levels. Lay the foundation for success from beginner to advanced play by utilizing the Four Bases.
Sue Haskell
Sue is NEPC’s Giving Coordinator and will also be organizing some club play.
…
description of types of group play(s) sue plans to offer (and any relevant experience)?
Chris Ouellette
Chris is one of the top players in New England and has been on a streak of winning gold medals at the 5.0 level in New England and New York.
Chris will be organizing competitive money balls for the players who are near the top of the NEPC Ladder.
Players not initially included in the “top” group will be able to “earn” their way into this or other competitive club plays (for example at the 4.5 and 4.0 levels).