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Elmira Avenue ParkPickleball Venue in Durham, NC

5.0(117 coach reviews)
•
1 coach•From $86 per lesson
Elmira Avenue Park - Pickleball venue🏓Durham, NC

Outdoor pickleball court in Durham

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Elmira Avenue Park - Pickleball venue🏓Durham, NC
Courts
8
Setting
Outdoor
open-air
Parking
On-site
Community park with parking available. Located in South Durham spanning 11.86 acres with various recreational facilities.

1 pickleball coach at Elmira Avenue Park

Every coach below teaches at Elmira Avenue Park. Pick the one that fits your level - they handle the rest.

Russ Lombardo profile
About Russ

Ready to Elevate Your Pickleball Game? Whether you’re picking up a paddle for the first time or looking to sharpen your skills, I offer expert, personalized coaching designed to meet you where you are—and take you further. As a PCI-certified Pickleball coach with years of experience guiding players from beginners to advanced, I create custom lesson plans that focus on your unique goals and areas for improvement. Let’s unlock your potential and have fun doing it. Book your first session today and see the difference personalized coaching makes!

What students say...

"Russ is helpful and makes good suggestions on how to inprove your game.

SuperCoach
SuperCoach
Russ
From$86per lesson

Russ

Bio: Ready to Elevate Your Pickleball Game? Whether you’re picking up a paddle for the first time or looking to sharpen your skills, I offer expert, personalized coaching designed to meet you where you are—and take you further. As a PCI-certified Pickleball coach with years of experience guiding players from beginners to advanced, I create custom lesson plans that focus on your unique goals and areas for improvement. Let’s unlock your potential and have fun doing it. Book your first session today and see the difference personalized coaching makes!
5.0
201 Lessons given
5.0
Available
Next: Tomorrow, 7:00 AM
PCI Certified
Sponsored Athlete
💰$86 for weekly lessons
Get pickleball lessons with Russ

About Elmira Avenue Park

Community park with 8 tennis courts featuring pickleball lines. Free outdoor courts available on first-come, first-serve basis in South Durham.

When to come
A steady-traffic venue. Lessons book up fastest on weekday evenings and weekend mornings.
Amenities
  • Parking: Community park with parking available. Located in South Durham spanning 11.86 acres with various recreational facilities.
  • Outdoor facility
  • Entrance: Located at 540 Elmira Ave in South Durham. Park features playground, basketball courts, tennis courts with pickleball lines, picnic shelters, and greenway trail access.
Hours

Courts open during park hours. Specific pickleball court times vary; contact Durham Parks & Recreation for detailed schedule.

Looking around? See more pickleball coaches in Durham.

Where you'll play

540 Elmira Ave, Durham, NC 27707, USA

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Lessons at Elmira Avenue Park, explained

Lessons at Elmira Avenue Park start at $86 per lesson. The exact price depends on the coach, the session length, and whether you book solo or split a group lesson with friends — and your first lesson is always free.

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Ready to play at Elmira Avenue Park?

Your first lesson is free. Pick from 1 pickleball coach who teach here and book a time that works for you.

  1. Pickleball
  3. North Carolina
  5. Durham
  7. Elmira Avenue Park

Reviews for coaches at Elmira Avenue Park

5.0(117 coach reviews)
Sanjay D.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 1•Verified ✓
Finding Russ's lesson pretty helpful overall. He was very knowledgeable, patient, and quite instructive, which made understanding the basics more straightforward. Though there's room to keep developing on racquet technique and strategy, I appreciated his approach and the clear guidance he provided. Still, I’m hoping future lessons will focus more on extra tips for gameplay tactics. If you're interested in solid basics and a thoughtful instructor, you might consider trying Russ.
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Joanna P.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 17•Verified ✓
The lesson with Russ was quite helpful, especially in working on my pickleball skills at a comfortable pace. The focus on specific mechanics really helped me understand my game better, though I still see room for refinement. I appreciated the calm, clear manner in which he explained things, making the learning process feel natural. Still, I might try more lessons to build on what I covered. If you're looking for thoughtful instruction, I’d suggest giving Russ a try.
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Joanna P.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 17•Verified ✓
I found the lesson quite helpful, especially with the focus on controlling shot placement. Though I still need to practice more to really solidify what we covered, I think with consistent work I'll improve. Russ's approach was straightforward, and I appreciated the practical tips he shared. Still, more guided drills could make a real difference for me. If you're looking to refine your control, trying him out might be worth considering.
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Tim S.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
The lesson was quite helpful, especially in working on my serve accuracy, though I think I still need to improve my volley game. Russ explained some key strategies clearly and kept things pretty practical, which I appreciated. Still, I’m hoping future lessons will focus a bit more on footwork to really boost my overall play. If you're looking to get a balanced rundown of pickleball skills, you might want to give Russ a try.
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Rachel M.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
I really enjoyed gaining hands-on gameplay experience during the lesson with Russ. It helped me understand how to apply different techniques in real matches. For anyone wanting to improve their pickleball skills in a practical way, Russ’s lessons are a great choice. You’ll get plenty of chances to play and learn at the same time. Give it a try and see for yourself! 👋
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Tim S.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
What stood out most was Russ’s vast experience, which clearly matches our skill level and goals. The lesson was well-structured and enjoyable, providing solid guidance on technique. If you’re looking to improve your pickleball game, Russ’s sessions are definitely worth trying. The positive energy and clear tips make learning both fun and effective. Give it a go! 😊
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Rachel M.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
Honestly, I think Russ's lesson was quite helpful, especially with learning to apply skills in game settings, which I really enjoyed. Still, I hope to just be more consistent in my gameplay, though I feel like the lesson gave me a good foundation. If you're looking to refine your game without the hype, I suggest giving Russ a try.
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Melissa B.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
One of the highlights of the lesson was Russ’ patience and encouragement, which made the experience enjoyable and lighthearted. His positive attitude kept things fun throughout. If you’re thinking about trying pickleball, Russ’ lessons are definitely worth a shot. You’ll enjoy the friendly vibe and supportive coaching style.
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Tim S.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
I'm glad I booked a lesson with Russ because my wife was quite happy with how helpful her experience was. The one-on-one really seemed to make a difference and left her feeling more confident on the court. Though I didn't participate myself, it’s clear that his approach resonates, and I might give it a try myself next time.
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Kiran M.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 1•Verified ✓
I really appreciated Russ’s friendly and knowledgeable approach. I got the most out of his clear explanations and easygoing style, which made the lesson both fun and informative. If you’re thinking about improving your pickleball game, his lessons are definitely worth trying!
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Taha C.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
I loved the fun atmosphere and how patient and helpful Russ was throughout the lesson. It made learning pickleball enjoyable and comfortable. If you’re thinking about trying a lesson, Russ is a great coach to learn from. Looking forward to more sessions like this! 😊
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Kristen F.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
My husband and I had a great lesson with Russ! We are long-time tennis players and he had lots of good tips on how to transition to pickleball. He also has a wicked serve!! We are already looking forward to our next lesson!
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Tim S.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
Opening with a fresh angle, I felt Russ tailor tips for both of us, and the highlight about his versatility shows in real time, with steady improvement brewing, anticipating the next lesson.
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Amy B.Verified ✓
Lessons taken: 17•Verified ✓
That lesson with Russ was quite helpful and pretty fun, honestly, I learned a lot and feel more confident on the court. If you’re looking for a balanced approach, he'd be a good pick.
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Tim S.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
Bright progress today as Russ filled gaps with essential beginner shots. The foundation feels solid and ready to build on, and I’m excited to pursue higher-level work soon.
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Tim S.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
First time with Russ and I felt a real uptick in core skills, especially serving and pace, plus a sharper sense of how to build points , lesson left me eager for more.
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Amy B.Verified ✓
Lessons taken: 17•Verified ✓
Russ's lesson was quite helpful, especially the part about patience since I’d been away for a couple of months. I feel like I’ve got a good foundation now.
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Tracey H.Verified ✓
Lessons taken: 10•Verified ✓
Lesson #1 was a lot of fun. We learned a lot about how the game is played and enjoyed some time playing as well. We are looking forward to the next lesson.
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Jen S.Verified ✓
Level: Intermediate•Lessons taken: 2•Verified ✓
My lesson with Russ was very helpful. He has an expert eye on what I am doing wrong and how to correct it. I look forward to our lesson next week!
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Melissa B.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
Patient. Knowledgeable. Fun. I am totally new to the game and after the first lesson, I feel as if I could master the game.
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Carolee N.Verified ✓
Level: Intermediate•Lessons taken: 5•Verified ✓
Russ is helpful and makes good suggestions on how to inprove your game.
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Rachel M.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
Russ was such a joy! Made class so much fun!
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Jeff H.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 1•Verified ✓
Russ was great, very thorough and patient.
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Carolee N.Verified ✓
Level: Intermediate•Lessons taken: 5•Verified ✓
Great lesson on resetting skills
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Taha C.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
Very fun and informative
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Eileen C.Verified ✓
Lessons taken: 4•Verified ✓
Great instructor!!
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Melissa B.Verified ✓
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 9•Verified ✓
Great lesson
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Eileen C.Verified ✓
Lessons taken: 4•Verified ✓
Great!!
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