To meet the relentless demands of travel, training, and elite-level competition, professional pickleball players rely on expert guidance to keep their bodies performing at their best. That’s where trainers like Connor Derrickson make a difference.

A strength and conditioning coach, Derrickson has carved out a key role within the pro circuit, becoming deeply embedded in the sport’s rapidly growing landscape.

“I started playing pickleball in 2021. An old colleague of mine reached out to me and said that he had this pro pickleball player who was looking for a full-time trainer. He saw on Instagram that I’d played pickleball, and he thought I’d be a good fit for her,” recalled Derrickson. “But I’d literally only played pickleball twice. I was at the point where I was getting smoked by grandmas out there. I didn’t even know it was a pro sport.”

That aforementioned athlete was none other than Catherine Parenteau.

“When I met her, we hit it off. She was No. 2 in the world, so it really took off from there. I started traveling and training with her full-time and doing everything, including fitness, recovery, and nutrition. I loved it. I worked with her for about two years,” he said. “After about a year of traveling with her, I wanted to share what I knew with people around the country, so I started an online program and coaching cohort, and I’ve been doing that for about five years.”

Constant exposure to elite players, both in training and competition, has helped Derrickson develop into a high-level player himself.

He’s collaborated with some of the sport’s top talent, including Anna Bright, Hayden Patriquin, Federico Staksrud, Hurricane Tyra Black, Andrei Daescu, and Kate Fahey.

“I’ve worked with some of the pros full-time, and for others I’m more of a consultant,” confirmed Derrickson. 

Derrickson’s Instagram account, @thatpickleballtrainer, is where his expertise truly comes to life. He regularly shares valuable fitness, mobility, and quick-hit tips for players of all levels, from beginners to advanced competitors.

He also offers a behind-the-scenes look at training sessions with players like Bright, Patriquin, and Jaume Martinez Vich, content that’s sure to inspire you to level up your off-court training.

Today, Derrickson is a familiar presence on both the PPA and MLP Tours.

Before entering the pickleball world, he worked in professional baseball as a strength and conditioning coach. Making the leap to pickleball was a risk, but one that has clearly paid off.

“The transition was weird at first because it was so different than baseball, but it’s been great,” praised Derrickson. “I wouldn’t change it for anything. I definitely made the right decision.” 

In addition to traveling on tour to support pro players, Derrickson was recently named general manager of MLP’s Florida Smash.

“I honestly was just in the right place at the right time. It’s stressful and fun at the same time,” he concluded. “It can be tough managing a lot of different personalities and keeping good relationships with everyone because a team atmosphere can get political, but it’s been a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”

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