Monster Athlete Juniors Youth Pickleball: Monster Athlete Juniors in Arizona is quickly becoming a major name in youth pickleball. The club started with just 40 kids and now has more than 200. It is expected to grow to 300 players by fall 2025. The program is helping young athletes between ages 8 and 17 train, compete, and improve using DUPR ratings. The club was founded by Howard Vernick, who created a system like those in youth volleyball and soccer.
A New Sport Option for Kids in Arizona
Howard Vernick, who coached volleyball for over 30 years, saw a gap in Arizona: no structured pickleball training for kids. When he moved to the state, he decided to change that.
“If volleyball, soccer, and basketball have developmental pipelines, why not pickleball?”(Howard Vernick).
Monster Athlete Juniors first offered both volleyball and pickleball. Soon, it focused only on pickleball. The program includes structured divisions, regular seasons, and tournaments. It is designed to give young athletes the same serious training available in other youth sports.
Programs for All Skill Levels
Monster Athlete Juniors offers three types of training:
Developmental Division: For beginners (8-week sessions)
Competitive Division: For players ready to commit (12-week sessions)
High Performance Division: For players near or above 3.5 DUPR rating (12-week sessions)
All players train twice a week. Beginners train for one hour per session, while advanced players train for two hours. Sessions include singles, doubles, and team matches. The team format follows the Major League Pickleball style, giving kids a full view of the game.
Regular Tournaments Encourage Growth
Each 12-week season includes three tournaments. These events are held at indoor and outdoor courts and include singles, doubles, and team play. More than 100 kids compete in each tournament.
About 30% of the players come from outside the club. This gives Monster Athlete Juniors kids a chance to face new players and helps parents see what competitive pickleball looks like.
The club also offers special tournament packages. These events allow advanced players to participate in high-level competitions, such as those hosted by the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and the National Junior Pickleball (NJP) organization, near Arizona.
Using DUPR to Track Player Growth
Monster Athlete Juniors uses DUPR ratings to measure player skill.
“We realized we needed a consistent way to evaluate kids,”. “We’re not recreational; we’re competitive. DUPR gives kids a way to measure where they are and where they want to go.”(Howard Vernick)
DUPR helps the club in many ways:
Players are grouped fairly.
Coaches can find new talent.
Players with 4.0+ ratings get highlighted.
It also helps families better understand how their child is doing.
“Some parents say, ‘My kid’s a 3.5 because a coach told me so,’”. “But DUPR gives an unbiased, data-driven rating based on actual match results. That clarity is huge for families.”(Howard Vernick)
Building Partnerships and Looking Ahead
Monster Athlete Juniors is working with Grand Canyon University and Arizona State University. It holds clinics and helps youth players learn about college-level pickleball.
The club plans to expand to other places, including Tucson, Flagstaff, California, Nevada, Utah, Texas, and Naples, Florida. It may open satellite clubs or even start a franchise. The goal is to bring organized pickleball training to more kids across the country.
Shaping the Future of Pickleball for Kids
Monster Athlete Juniors has shown how to build a strong youth pickleball program. It uses a clear structure, real competition, and DUPR ratings to help kids succeed. Other clubs can learn from its approach.
“We’re preparing kids for competition, building community, and creating future pickleball athletes,” (Howard Vernick).
News in Brief: Monster Athlete Juniors Youth Pickleball
Monster Athlete Juniors in Arizona is leading the rise of youth pickleball. With over 200 players aged 8–17, the program uses DUPR ratings and competitive play to help kids grow. Founder Howard Vernick built a proven system that may soon expand across the U.S.
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