In Arizona, one club is proving that pickleball isn’t just an adult sport; it’s a pathway for young athletes to develop, compete, and dream big. Monster Athlete Juniors is building the next generation of pickleball players by blending high-level training, structured competition, and DUPR ratings into a program that rivals the established models of youth volleyball and soccer.

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From its humble beginnings with just 40 kids, Monster Athlete Juniors has grown to over 200 players and is on track to hit 300 this fall. The secret? A proven structure, a commitment to player development, and a belief that kids deserve the same opportunities to excel in pickleball as they do in other sports.

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From Volleyball to Pickleball: A Proven Model

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Howard Vernick, founder of Monster Athlete Juniors, spent over 30 years coaching club and high school volleyball. When he moved to Arizona, one of the fastest-growing states for pickleball, he noticed a major gap: there were no structured pickleball training programs for kids, like those long established in volleyball or soccer.

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So, he created it.

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“If volleyball, soccer, and basketball have developmental pipelines, why not pickleball?” Vernick explained.

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Initially, Monster Athlete Juniors offered both volleyball and pickleball, but the program soon focused entirely on pickleball for athletes ages 8–17. With partners and coaches experienced in both sports and a trademarked program name, Monster Athlete Juniors built a system from scratch that mirrored the proven success of club volleyball models: structured divisions, seasonal schedules, and tournament play.

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A Division for Every Junior Player

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The club has three core divisions:

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• Developmental:  Beginner players new to the game (8-week sessions).
  
  
• Competitive: Intermediate players ready to commit to structured training (12-week sessions).
  
  
• High Performance: Players near or above 3.5 DUPR ratings aiming for 4.0 and higher (12-week sessions).
  
  

Each team trains twice a week under dedicated coaches, with developmental teams practicing one hour per session and advanced teams training two hours. The curriculum combines singles, doubles, and even MLP-style team formats, ensuring players learn all aspects of competitive pickleball.

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Tournaments That Build Players and Grow the Sport

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Each 12-week season includes at least three tournaments, mixing indoor and outdoor venues, singles, doubles, and team events. These pickleball tournaments consistently draw 100+ junior competitors, a rare feat in youth pickleball.

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And the competition isn’t limited to just members. About 30% of tournament players come from outside the club, providing Monster athletes exposure to new opponents and styles of play, and giving families an exciting look at what competitive youth pickleball can be.

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Monster Athlete Juniors also offers “upgrade” tournament packages for players who want to test themselves at higher levels like PPA and NJP events within driving distance of Arizona. This model provides a clear competitive pathway, something few junior programs in the country currently offer.

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The DUPR Advantage

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One of Monster Athlete Juniors’ smartest moves was adopting DUPR ratings early.

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“We realized we needed a consistent way to evaluate kids,” Vernick said. “We’re not recreational; we’re competitive. DUPR gives kids a way to measure where they are and where they want to go.”

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DUPR helps the club with:

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• Fair matchups by placing players in appropriate divisions and seeding tournaments accurately;
  
  
• Recruitment by using DUPR’s search and messaging tools to find and connect with top junior talent;
  
  
• Showcasing talent by highlighting players achieving 4.0+ ratings to inspire others and attract families who want serious development.
  
  

It also helps parents understand the difference between perceived skill and verified performance:

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“Some parents say, ‘My kid’s a 3.5 because a coach told me so,’” Vernick explained. “But DUPR gives an unbiased, data-driven rating based on actual match results. That clarity is huge for families.”

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Partnerships and Expansion

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Monster Athlete Juniors is already building relationships with universities like Grand Canyon University and Arizona State University, providing clinics and connecting youth players to collegiate pickleball opportunities. The program also has its eyes on charter schools, high school club programs, and long-term integration with scholastic athletics.

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With plans to expand into Tucson, Flagstaff, California, Nevada, Utah, Texas, and even Naples, Florida, Monster Athlete Juniors is positioning itself as the national model for youth pickleball. Franchising and satellite clubs are on the horizon, bringing structure and opportunity to even more kids.

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The Future of Youth Pickleball

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Monster Athlete Juniors has cracked the code on how to grow youth pickleball:

• Structured divisions and seasonal schedules
  
  
• Frequent tournaments with verified DUPR ratings
  
  
• Strong developmental and high-performance pathways
  
  

For other club directors and leaders, Monster Athlete Juniors offers a blueprint for building sustainable youth programs that keep kids engaged and push the sport forward.

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“We’re preparing kids for competition, building community, and creating future pickleball athletes,” Vernick said.

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The result? A youth program that’s not just filling courts, but shaping the future of the sport.

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