Player Development
Debuting in South Florida at The Fort in January 2025, APP Academy is the first-ever US and International boarding pickleball training and development program.
The program is designed to develop APP Next, Collegiate and Professional pickleball players, while building well-rounded student athletes.
Our family orientated environment encourages players to reach their goals by embracing challenges on the court, in the classroom, and through daily competition.
Thank you for visiting our site and showing interest working with our team overseeing both the APP Academy and Touring Pro Program - the APP High Performance Coaching Staff.
I strongly feel that this group of dedicated coaches and leaders in the pickleball industry, will make both of these player development programs the best worldwide training opportunities for any aspiring player junior to pro.
Ken Herrmann
Managing Owner, APP Player Development Program (APP Academy & APP Touring Pro Program)
The Fort
Premier sports facility in South Florida, the ultimate destination for athletes and enthusiasts
01
Premier Facility in United States
02
Located in South Florida
03
43 lighted courts (14 covered)
04
On-site fitness facility
05
Full service restaurant
06
2000 sq ft pro shop
07
Championship court seating 1200
Timeline
Aug 2026
Fall Semester
Aug 31 - Dec 19
Dec 2026
Winter Holiday Camp
Dec 21-23
Dec 28-30
Jan 2027
Winter/Spring Semester
Jan 4 - May 22
May 2027
Boot Camps
May 25-27
June 1-3
Summer 2027
APP High Performance Summer Program
June 7 to Aug 6
non-Boarding Programs
Programs Offered:
APP Touring Pros Program • APP Academy Full time (Non-Boarding) •APP After-School Program • APP Saturday Program • APP Holiday Boot Camp • APP High Performance Summer Program
Fall Session August 31 - December 19, 2026
Duration: 16 weeks
Days: Monday – Friday, plus Saturday
Winter Holiday Camp
December 21-23, 2026
December 28-30, 2026
Winter / Spring Session January 4 - May 22, 2027
Duration: 20 weeks
Days: Monday – Friday, plus Saturday
Boot Camps
May 25-27, 2027
June 1-3, 2027
Summer Session June 1 - August 7, 2027
Duration: 10 weeks
Days: Monday – Friday
Boarding program
The Fall 2026 (Aug 31-Dec 19) Academy on court and boarding programs are open for registration. This will be a 16 week semester.
The Winter / Spring (Jan 4-May 22) Academy and on-court boarding programs are currently taking applications. This will be a 20 week semester.
Annual Fort Junior Membership is required.
September 8, 2025 - May 2026
Holiday Break – December 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027
Graduation May 22, 2027
Fall Semester 2026
The Fall 2026 (Aug 31-Dec 19) Academy is open for registration. This will be a 16 week semester.
AM Session 11-2 p.m. | PM Session 4:30-7 p.m.
Annual Fort Junior Membership is required.
Full-Time Academy (Best Value)
$550 Per Week
Includes:
AM & PM Academy Sessions
Train 4 Sessions and receive your 5th session free (Friday or Saturday)
Must commit to the 16-week fall semester
4-Payment Plan Available
AM Academy (11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.)
$300 Per Week
Includes:
Train 4 Sessions and receive your 5th session free (Friday or Saturday)
Must commit to the 16-week fall semester
4-Payment Plan Available
PM Academy (4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.)
$250 Per Week
Includes:
Train 4 Sessions and receive your 5th session free (Friday or Saturday)
Must commit to the 16-week fall semester
4-Payment Plan Available
Part-Time Training (50-Hour Fall Training Package)
$1,500 ($30 per hour)
Includes:
50-hour minimum commitment for the Fall Semester
Flexible Scheduling
Paid in advance (full payment)
Player Training & Activities Schedule
6:45am Rise and Shine
7:30 am - 10:30 am Breakfast/ Studies
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Morning Session: On Court Training
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Lunch, Studies, Appointments, Admin
4:30 pm - 7:00 pm Afternoon Session: On Court Training
7:30 pm - 8:00 pm Dinner
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Study Hall
9:45 pm Curfew
10:30 pm Lights Out
Weekend:
- No scheduled activities
- APP Academy Saturday session or private lessons available
- Travel to local, regional/national tournaments supported
- Entertainment(movies, mall get-a-ways, entertainment)
Training Schedule & Rates
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Morning Session: on/off court training
2:00 pm - 4:30 pm Lunch, Studies, or rest
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Afternoon Session: on/off court training
Cost per training hour:
- Drop-in rate: $90/daily session ($30/training hour)
- Save $15 per Touring Pros Program/Full-Time (Non-boarding) session by purchasing bulk training hours in advance at $25/training hour – bulk training hours purchased are used in the season and can be mixed for the various training programs offered and private lessons. Email academy@theapp.global to purchase bulk training hours.
- Late Cancellation Fee –any player who has signed up for a program then cancels within 24 hours of the scheduled program will be billed 50% of the group session or 100% of the private lesson. Instructor services are scheduled in advance based upon enrollment.
Weekly schedule includes Monday through Friday
The APP Academy After-School program is designed for athletes who attend a traditional school and wish to attend the high-performance development training program offered by the APP Academy.
- 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM on court training
- Plus, Saturday Noon – 3:00 PM
Cost per training hour:
- Drop-in rate: $90/daily session ($30/training hour)
- Save $15 per After School session by purchasing bulk training hours in advance at $25/training hour – bulk training hours purchased are used in the season and can be mixed for the various training programs offered and private lessons. Email academy@theapp.global to purchase bulk training hours.
- Late Cancellation Fee –any player who has signed up for a program then cancels within 24 hours of the scheduled program will be billed 50% of the group session or 100% of the private lesson. Instructor services are scheduled in advance based upon enrollment.
Saturday Program Overview
The APP Academy Saturday program is designed for athletes who wish to attend the high-performance development training program offered by the APP Academy.
Saturday Noon - 3:00 PM
Cost per training hour:
- Drop-in rate: $90/daily session ($30/training hour)
- Save $15 per Saturday session by purchasing bulk training hours in advance at $25/training hour – bulk training hours purchased are used in the season and can be mixed for the various training programs offered and private lessons. Email academy@theapp.global to purchase bulk training hours.
- Late Cancellation Fee –any player who has signed up for a program then cancels within 24 hours of the scheduled program will be billed 50% of the group session or 100% of the private lesson. Instructor services are scheduled in advance based upon enrollment.
Full-Time Boarding: Education
APP Academy is dedicated to academic success, ensuring education remains a priority alongside performance training. Our methods create well-rounded student-athletes through advanced technology, tutorial support, ACT/SAT prep, and the flexibility needed by serious athletes.
Our goal is for 100% of APP Academy athletes to earn academic or athletic scholarships and continue playing pickleball at the collegiate level.
- Online / Public /Private
- Registration Assistance
- Coordinating Tutoring
Pathway to Competing at the Highest Levels
A continued pathway of development for an aspiring player wanting to compete at the highest levels of the sport
FAQs
A player in the APP Academy is still playing amateur tournaments with a skill level 5.0 or below. When they are committed to playing full-time pro and meet APP Co-Director’s approval, they can move to the Touring Pro Program (TPP).
Registrations are now being accepted for the non-boarding full-day program and after-school program. Fall session begins September 8, 2025; winter session begins January 5, 2026 and spring session begins April 6, 2026.
Registrations are now being accepted for the Winter/Spring APP Academy Boarding Program (player age 18 and younger). The Winter/Spring session will be January 5th through May 16, 2026.
Please email academy@theapp.global for additional information.
We will move the academy to the covered courts in case of rain.
6:1
A player with a 3.5 skill level or higher is invited to participate in the APP Player Development Program. A player’s skill level can be assessed using their UTR-P rating, current tournament results, and/or a 30-minute evaluation with one of the APP Academy High Performance Coaches. The APP Academy After-School program or Saturday program are great places for players with a 3.5 skill level to start.
Players with advanced skill levels will be invited to participate in the APP Academy Touring Pro training sessions held during the day-time.
To inquire, please send your pickleball history and goals via email to: academy@theapp.global
The APP Academy’s staff will review and schedule your next steps.
A student can arrange a private lesson with one of the academy's high-performance coaches by contacting Missy Sipe at academy@theapp.global
A junior will have the opportunity to obtain a junior membership at the Fort to play additionally with family and friends if enrolled in either the APP Academy or the Fort’s junior program. For additional information contact Fort Membership Director, John (JT) Jackson at: Johnj@playthefort.com
Subscribe to get The Latest Pickleball News
Tour Updates, registration, player stories and more.
