Happy Life Pickleball Reviews

david Theobold 2026.10.10

     

I have had two lessons from John. The first one really helped me understand all the rules and how to hit the ball the correct way. The second one really showed me what movements I was doing wrong and how to correct them. John is very knowledgeable and is very patient. I really enjoyed my lessons and would recommend John to anyone that wants to get good at Pickleball.

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Christy 2026.10.08

     

John Carlock is a knowledgeable, skilled, and patient coach who tailors his instruction to each player’s strengths and style of play. His clear, constructive guidance has helped me refine my technique, develop new shots and strategies, and improve my consistency on the court. I highly recommend John to anyone seeking to elevate their pickleball game.

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Deb Brinza 2026.10.08

     

I can't say enough good things about John as a pickleball instructor! His knowledge, patience, and encouragement made every lesson both fun and productive. He has a wonderful way of explaining techniques, offering helpful feedback, and made me feel more confident in my game. What I appreciate most is his positive attitude and genuine enthusiasm for teaching. You’ll know immediately that he loves what he does. I feel fortunate to have him as an instructor and would highly recommend him to anyone looking to improve their game!

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.08

Thank you so much, Deb, for your wonderful review! It truly means a lot to hear that you’re enjoying your lessons and feeling more confident in your game. Your positive attitude and willingness to learn make teaching you a pleasure. I’m excited to see your continued progress and look forward to many more fun and productive lessons together. Keep up the great work on the court! 🏓😊

Linda Share 2026.10.07

     

John is a fantastic instructor and also just a great guy! I have learned so much from him and genuinely enjoy the lessons.

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.07

Linda, thank you so much for the kind words! I’ve really enjoyed working with you and watching your game develop. Knowing that you’re learning while genuinely enjoying the lessons means a lot to me. That’s exactly what I hope for as a coach. I appreciate your trust and look forward to continuing to help you take your game to the next level!

TOM WILSON 2026.10.07

     

John is awesome. I’ve had one or two lessons from others over the years and have observed other instructors do their thing. 90% of the time I heard slogans and clichés and always do this or never do that. Cookie cutter lessons, one size fits all. That’s not what John is about. It’s all about you the individual and what you want to change or improve upon. He loves his job and it shows.

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.07

Tom, thank you for such a thoughtful review. I really believe every player is different, so my goal is always to understand the individual and focus on what will help their game. I’m glad that approach has stood out to you. I truly love what I do, and working with players like you is a big part of why. I really appreciate your trust!

Michael Baum 2026.10.07

     

John is an excellent coach and player. He provides great pointers for all level players and I would highly recommend having John help you improve your game.

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.07

Michael, thank you for the kind words and recommendation! I really enjoy helping players identify those small adjustments that can make a big difference. I’ve enjoyed working with you and appreciate your confidence in me as a coach. Keep working on your game, keep learning, and most importantly, keep enjoying pickleball!

Paul Bean 2026.10.07

     

John has a true passion for teaching and a genuine desire to see you grow and move your game to the next level. His style of teaching is encouraging and uplifting. I will truly miss My sunrise lessons with him.

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.07

Paul, thank you so much! I’ve really enjoyed our lessons, and I’m going to miss those sunrise sessions. It’s been great watching your game develop while sharing plenty of laughs along the way. I truly appreciate the trust you placed in me as your coach, and I’m grateful to have been part of your pickleball journey.

lori gochenauer 2026.10.07

     

Adding John to your Pickleball arsenal will level up your game both physically and mentally. His knowledge and observations pinpoint my bad habits as he customizes drills to ensure my improved skills have staying power. Johns’s encouragement, enthusiasm and confidence is contagious! Best of all, he’s not only your coach but your friend!

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.07

Lori, thank you for such a meaningful review. I’m glad the lessons have helped you both physically and mentally, because confidence is such an important part of this game. You’ve put in the work and have been willing to make adjustments, which makes coaching you incredibly rewarding. And hearing you say I’m not only your coach but also your friend means more than you know. Thank you!

Michael Gregg 2026.10.06

     

After multiple lessons with John, I can confidently say he has brought my game up to a level that I could have never reached on my own. He is incredibly patient and critiques in a positive and encouraging manner. John has a knack for breaking down complex skills and explains techniques very well, making it easy to understand and apply on the court. If you want to elevate your pickleball game, look no further than John!

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.07

Michael, thank you for the great review. Hearing that you’ve taken your game to a level you didn’t think possible is incredibly rewarding. You’ve put in the work, trusted the process, and made the changes necessary to improve. I’ve really enjoyed working with you and watching your progress. I’m excited to see where you take your game next!

Jim Phillips 2026.10.06

     

I hadn’t picked up a paddle of any kind for years, and several pounds ago. I didn’t even know how to keep score. John’s approach was fun and tailored just for me. He brought fun, laughter and expertise each step of the way. Within a few lessons my abilities and knowledge sky rocketed. I’m glad I didn’t just show up to play. Having John as my coach made the entire journey a success. No matter what level you are John can coach you up!

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.07

Jim, thank you! Your journey from not knowing how to keep score to seeing your skills and confidence take off has been a lot of fun to watch. You brought a great attitude, a willingness to learn, and plenty of humor to every lesson. I’m so glad you decided to really learn the game. I’ve truly enjoyed being part of your pickleball journey!

gina pascalli 2026.10.06

     

Ive taken lesson with John in both group lessons and private lessons and he is a great pickleball coach. He has patience and understands when I try to explain where I feel im struggling at the moment. I would definitely recommend John to anyone looking to take lessons from beginners to advanced players.

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.07

Gina, thank you so much! I’ve really enjoyed working with you in both group and private lessons. I appreciate how openly you communicate what you’re feeling and where you want to improve—that makes it much easier to personalize each lesson. Thank you for trusting me with your game and for the wonderful recommendation. I’m looking forward to seeing your continued progress!

Larry Perez 2026.10.06

     

Love John and his approach. I’ve taken several lessons from him and I really like his style. Very positive attitude in his lessons which helped increase my confidence. He has an eye for spotting areas of your game that need work, and he tailors his lessons towards those. Be prepared to work during his lessons because he gives you tons of strokes during the lesson to really focus on the areas you need work on!

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.07

Larry, thank you for the kind words! I’m especially glad you mentioned confidence because it’s such an important part of becoming a better player. And yes, I do believe in getting plenty of strokes in during a lesson! The repetition is what helps things become natural. I’ve really enjoyed working with you, Larry, and appreciate you trusting my approach.

Camille Samuel 2026.10.06

     

My wife and I have taken several private classes with John which have helped us improve our game tremendously. Having never played before, John was patient with us and explained the rules and proper technique so we could understand how best to play the game while also having fun.

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.07

Camille, thank you so much! It’s been a pleasure working with you and your wife. Starting a new sport can be a lot to take in, so I’m glad we’ve been able to make the rules, technique, and strategy understandable while still having fun. Watching you both learn and improve has been very rewarding. Thank you for trusting me to help get you started!

Nancy Durand 2026.10.06

     

I was lucky enough to have a lesson with John. I took a lesson with two other friends. John gave individual help to each of us. Helping us with our weaknesses while also being very supportive. I highly recommend and would definitely keep taking lessons from him.

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.07

Nancy, thank you! I really enjoyed working with you and your friends. Even in a group lesson, I believe each player deserves individual attention, so I’m glad you felt we were able to focus on your specific needs. Thank you for your kind words and recommendation. I’d be happy to work with you again anytime!

Trent Oberholtzer 2026.10.06

     

If you are looking for a coach that can help fine tune your game and take it to the next level, John is your guy. He has played a key role in taking my game from a 3.0 to a sub 4.0 in just 12-18 months…and we had a lot of fun along the way.

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.07

Trent, thank you! Going from a 3.0 to approaching 4.0 is something you should be very proud of. I can provide the coaching, drills, and strategy, but you’re the one who has put in the work. I’ve really enjoyed being part of your progress—and having plenty of fun along the way. Let’s see how much farther we can take your game!

Joe Durand 2026.10.06

     

John is the Best! I'm an intermediate player, and my wife and I have taken lessons from John. His approach is interactive. He applies both technique and strategy in his lessons. Highly recommend!

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.07

Joe, thank you so much! I’ve really enjoyed working with you and your wife. I believe lessons should be interactive, with technique and strategy working together to help you become a better player. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed that approach and appreciate your trust in me as your coach. Thanks again for the recommendation!

Bill Aube 2026.10.06

     

I’m new to pickleball and knew that I was in desperate need of instruction and understanding the game. Took a chance, found John online, read some reviews which were very positive. I’ve been working with John one on one for a month now and he’s fantastic to work with drilling me on the skills needed to improve my game and also has a great supportive coaching demeanor that helps you see what he’s trying to teach. My game has improved immensely in a short period of time and I can hear him in my head as I go through my shot progressions during a match lol. I highly recommend lessons with John, you won’t regret it!

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Reply from Happy Life Pickleball 2026.10.07

Bill, thank you for such a great review! I’m glad you took that chance and found me online. One of my favorite parts of your review was hearing that you can hear me in your head during your shot progressions! That tells me the lessons are making their way into your actual game. You’ve made tremendous progress, and I really enjoy working with you. Keep it going!

Mark Bouchard 2026.05.27

     

John is an excellent pickleball instructor. I have had two lessons to date and have learned a tremendous amount - learning proper footwork, positioning, and swing motion. He possesses a positive and friendly personality. I immediately fit with him on my first lesson. Thanks.

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Maryann B 2026.05.11

     

I have taken a few lessons with John and each lesson I have gained knowledge to help along my journey to the next level. He is a great instructor who can explain himself very well. He is able to quickly point out corrections needed and steps to correct the mistake. Take the lesson from John. You will not regret it!

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Nora Duffin 2026.05.11

     

John is an awesome coach! Learning the game of Pickleball is so much more than just hitting the ball. Paddle position to ball placement John teaches to each individuals level of play. I will be taking many more lessons to come with John.

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