Brooklyn Pickleball Team Jr Academy Pilot Program
Train like a pro, with Brooklyn's Major League Pickleball team.

Brooklyn Pickleball Team is launching NYC's first MLP-backed junior academy: a 5-week intensive for advanced junior players looking to develop the skills needed to get to the next level and beyond. Players train on a proprietary curriculum designed by BKPT Pro Head Coach Kyle McKenzie. It's a structured progression of targeted drills, competitive games, and live-play scenarios that build pro-level habits one week at a time.

BKPT Jr MLP Coach Erik Forsythe leads each Sunday session on court. Every session is built around high-paced action stations. Players rotate through focused, high-repetition drills designed to build skills, while the fast pace and variety keep the energy high and the experience engaging. They then test those skills in point-based games built to mirror real match situations.

• When: Sundays, 9–11am. Nov 8, 15, 22, Dec 6, and 13 (no session Thanksgiving weekend)
• Where: Gotham Pickleball, 52-37 2nd Street, Long Island City, NY 11101
• Who: Juniors ages 10–16, rated DUPR ~4.0+ range
• Spots: Limited to 8 players
• Cost: $500 for all 5 sessions
• Register: To officially join the program, players must complete their registration via this form and purchase this program. 

The BKPT Jr Academy Curriculum

The BKPT Jr Academy Training Program: a proprietary, pro-level curriculum designed by BKPT Pro Head Coach Kyle McKenzie. Each week combines high-paced action stations and skill-specific drills with competitive games that put those skills to work.

Week 1 (Nov 8): All Things Dinking. Build the patience and control that win points at the net. Players work on cross-court and straight-ahead dinks, placement to move opponents, resets, and recognizing when a dink sets up an attack.

Week 2 (Nov 15): Kitchen Attacks & Counterattacks. Learn when and how to speed the ball up, and how to survive when it comes back fast. The focus is hand battles, reading the opponent's paddle, blocking, and turning defense into offense.

Week 3 (Nov 22): Advanced Third Shot Strategies. Drop, drive, or drive-then-drop? Players learn to read the return and choose the right third shot, aiming at targets that get their team to the kitchen.

Week 4 (Dec 6): Fourth Shot Aggression & the Transition Zone. Learn to own your positional advantage with the right combination of spin and aggression. Training covers volleying, split-step timing, and resetting from the transition zone to earn your way forward.

Week 5 (Dec 13): Weaponizing the First 4 Shots, Lobs & Overheads. Put it all together. Players use serve and return depth to gain an edge from the first ball, hit offensive and defensive shots, and finish with confidence.