*EL CAMINO is by invitation. Contact jerichohillpickleball@gmail.com to apply.
I’ve been cordially invited to join the visceral realists. I accepted, of course.Roberto Bolaño, The Savage Detectives
El Camino is a pickleball camp for those who believe there should be a little alchemy in something called pickleball camp. (But you’ll enjoy the absurdity of it too.) It’s for those who believe a cleft of saguaro cacti has something real to show us about ready position, and that sand dunes might unlock our latent understanding of the transition zone. It’s for those who believe in both journey and path—and the infinite possibility of the Baja coast.
In the mornings, you’ll work closely with coaches and other campers, honing strokes that flow seamlessly as waves breaking off the Pacific. You’ll unravel the game’s complicated positioning mysteries, as you overlook a sea which Jacques Cousteau once called, “the aquarium of the world.”
Before, after, and in between, you’ll integrate a pickleball specific “wellness” experience. (Sometimes around the court, sometimes in the sand on the beach.) Deep movement sequences—beyond ball and paddle. Real mindset work to support the physical movements. Video work. Old fashioned notebook work. Role playing exercises. Passionate, moderated discussions. Those open to it will have opportunities to weave their inward looking journey into a local cultural narrative. Our aim is to create moments where you can discover your true “pickleball” identity, in a setting without limits. At El Camino, you can become anything you want.
DATES: December 2024.
INCLUDED:
- 7 days/6 nights accommodation.
- Transportation from airport to resort.
- Fresh daily breakfast adapted to any diet.
- 12+ hours “on court” clinics with two coaches. (Maximum 8:1 player to coach ratio.)
- Six “learning lunches” in the Player’s Lounge.
- 12+ hours afternoon/evening free play.
- Welcome Reception and LUCHE LIBRE PICKLEBALL.
- Special Edition Friday Night Lights Grand Jamboree.
- Video analysis on first and last day of camp.
- “Happy Hour” classic match viewing events.
- Daily access to a professional mindset and performance coach.
- Goal setting workshop.
- Daily guided breath work + dynamic warm ups.
- Opportunities to engage with real local players.
- Optional Thursday art/culture walk and optional dinner in Old San Jose Del Cabo.
- Deluxe gift bag, which will include choice of limited edition hat, shirt, notebook, and ball.
A place belongs forever to whoever claims it hardest, remembers it most obsessively, wrenches it from itself, shapes it, renders it, loves it so radically that they remake it in their image.Joan Didion, The White Album (1979)
NOT INCLUDED:
- Airfare. (There is a direct flight from YVR to SJD.)
- Drinks/dinners.
REALLY NOT INCLUDED:
Hand holding. El Camino is for thoughtful pickleball players who expect their fellow campers to help build a real community for the week. Please complete the pre-trip material and participate in the pre-trip group Zoom call. Please commit to arriving on time, drilling sharply, staying hydrated, nourished, contributing thoughtfully to group discussions, listening thoughtfully when other participants share, supporting others with an open mind, taking time for yourself when needed, treating our hosts with respect.
Each participant in this camp has been invited because they have a lifetime of enlightening experiences to share with others. This is a unique opportunity to train and play with those who are on similar paths, converging in Baja to put their entire body, mind, and soul into a group experience. As we create training groups and different routes through each day’s schedule, we want your feedback on how to make the most out of every minute of this experience.
DEPOSIT: $1000.00 non-refundable deposit will be due by September 22 along with completion of pre-registration application package. In order to maximize group chemistry, El Camino carefully vets all participants.
PRE-REGISTRATION APPLICATION: El Camino needs a constructive mixture of players. If we can’t guarantee you the right challenge or group dynamic, we will refund your deposit and attempt to find you a place in our next camp.
The purpose of these questionnaires is to help each participant find situations where transformative learning can take place alongside participants who are as into it as you.
*Final itinerary TBD.
**Please let us know if you’re travelling with participants who are not interested in the pickleball program.
LOCATION: Baja’s East Cape is where restless dreamers have journeyed to escape, to reflect, to reinvent, just down the road from where Hotel California was written. In recent years, Los Cabos has become a haven for healing and wellness. The pickleball courts sit at the intersection of desert dunes and rugged mountains, where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez. It’s a vibe.
El Camino 2023 | Los Cabos Edition