Meet Long Island City Head Coach: Alonso Gerbaud

At CityPickle, we’re beyond lucky to have some of the best coaches in the world of pickleball. They’re not just great players, but passionate teachers, mentors, and members of the community.

So, we want to start introducing them to YOU.

First up: Meet Alonso Gerbaud.

Alonso has been part of the CityPickle coaching team since the very beginning, and over the years, he’s become a key part of our youth development programs. He leads our Long Island City after-school program, where he helps kids build their pickleball skills, grow their confidence, and develop love for the game.

His coaching philosophy is simple: have fun while learning.

For Alonso, pickleball is about more than just mastering the perfect shot. It’s about creating an environment where players feel comfortable trying new things, making mistakes, improving, and enjoying themselves along the way. His favorite skill to teach is serves and returns!

While pickleball takes up Alonso's time, it’s far from his only passion.

Alonso is trilingual, speaking English, Spanish, and Portuguese. When he’s not on the court, you can find him fly-fishing, golfing, or training in jiu-jitsu. He’s also a huge Jeopardy! fan and watches the show almost every day with his dad.

Even crazier, Alonso once spent a week surviving in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.

Whether he’s coaching kids in Long Island City, working on a player’s serve, or sharing his love of the game, Alonso brings the same energy to everything he does: curiosity, enthusiasm, and a whole lot of fun.

We’re so lucky to have Alonso on our team, and we can’t wait for you to get to know him.

Interested in taking a lesson? Our coaches are the best. Special for Sept: Book a private lesson and get the court for free.