Start Your Pickleball Journey

Pickleball was popular with the older population because they could play for hours, be active, social, and competitive. Youth are finally realizing they love pickleball for similar reasons, but they want to play with other kids.

Next Gen Pickleball Academy was started by 2 dads, Sam and Amine, to provide a structured pathway for growth for all ages and skill levels in Montgomery County, MD. With a color-based grouping to help kids find the right group, weekly meetups at premier dedicated indoor pickleball courts, and top coaching, we are ready to help your child start their pickleball journey that will last them a lifetime.

Schedule your free evaluation to get started with Next Gen Pickleball Academy.

Schedule

Meet the Coaches and Cofounders

  • Cofounder

    My journey started simply: as a player and coach on public courts. But I quickly realized that passion alone wasn't enough—players needed organized structure to thrive. Therefore, I launched Pickleball Climb 5.0 to professionalize the outdoor game.

    As the sport grew, I transitioned indoors, initially hired as an Assistant Manager for a future Dill Dinkers in Rockville. But during my training, leadership recognized that my experience could serve a bigger purpose. Therefore, before I even started, I was promoted to Director of Programming for the North Bethesda location.

    I spent the next year cultivating a thriving community there, but the new Rockville facility needed that same level of dedicated stewardship. Therefore, less than a year later, I expanded my role to direct both locations, building two distinct, flourishing communities side-by-side.

    I had successfully organized the adult scene, but I saw two major gaps: the lack of youth development and the difficulty players faced connecting offline. Therefore, I founded the Next Gen Pickleball Academy to train the future of the sport, and created Link and Dink, a free online platform to ensure every player can find their community.

    Coach Sam believes pickleball is more than a sport—it's a way to help kids and families grow stronger together. Drawing from his background in physical education, he creates sessions that are safe, structured, and fun, while always emphasizing the Academy's EASE values: Ethics, Attitude, Skills, and Excellence.

  • Cofounder

    Coach Amine brings over 30 years of experience to the court, with a lifelong passion for racquet sports. Originally from Casablanca, Morocco, he began playing tennis at age 15 and went on to compete at a high level, winning multiple K-Swiss Ultimate Tennis league championships.

    A USPTA Certified Tennis Professional and PTR Certified Coach, Amine has trained athletes of all ages. When introduced to pickleball, he quickly developed a love for its speed, strategy, and fun. Together with Coach Sam, they've created a unique progression system to help juniors develop in a structured manner while keeping the game fun and engaging.