The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) is building the future of professional pickleball through APP Next, combining competitive opportunity, expert mentorship and a direct connection to the APP Tour. With a history of champions that includes Jack Munro, Richard Livornese, Jr., Ronan Camron, Tristan Dussault, Riley Bohnert, Emilia Schmidt and more, the program demonstrates the APP’s longstanding commitment to identifying and developing the athletes who will shape the sport’s next chapter.

For external stakeholders and prospective investors, APP Next represents a strategic investment in professional pickleball’s most essential resource: its players. A consistent pipeline of emerging talent can strengthen competition, introduce compelling new personalities to fans and create opportunities for partners to build relationships with athletes early in their careers.

APP Next’s track record provides a foundation for that vision. Former champions Munro, Livornese, Camron and others have went on to earn APP Tour professional gold medals and etch their names into the record books, demonstrating the connection between developmental competition and success on the professional stage. Munro, in particular, has ascended to the number one men's doubles pro on the APP Tour, and ranks top 10 all-time in several APP Tour medal categories. Similarly, Camron's name now sits atop the APP Tour men's pro singles rankings as the top player on tour. Their accomplishments give the program a tangible success story and reinforce its standing at the forefront of pickleball player development.

Designed primarily for players ages 16–23, APP Next combines three-day tournaments with on-court instruction and educational seminars. Participants gain access to experienced coaches while competing for a $15,000 purse, distributed equally between the top five male and female finishers. Eligible matches also offer APP Tour professional ranking points, giving aspiring professionals a practical route toward the next level.

“APP Next is one of the most meaningful things we do at the APP because it gives young players the opportunity to discover how far they can go,” said APP Founder Ken Herrmann. “Watching players gain confidence, grow through competition and take that next step toward a professional career is incredibly rewarding to me. Pickleball’s future depends on the opportunities we create for its young athletes today, and we have a responsibility to give them the coaching, encouragement and competitive foundation to succeed. That is why this series means so much to the APP, and why it will remain central to our vision for the sport.”

The 2026 circuit has included events in Kansas City, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and St. Louis, providing recurring opportunities for young athletes to test their progress. That continuing presence gives the APP a platform for nurturing talent across multiple markets while connecting host facilities and local communities with the sport’s emerging competitors.

Since 2023, the APP Next program has expanded to include the APP U.S. National Team roster, comprised of 10-12 of the fastest-rising pickleball professionals in the world, dedicated to representing the APP at home and abroad. These players are carefully selected based on a variety of criteria, including current rankings and ratings, tournament results, head-to-head match results, and overall development potential. Over the years, the rosters have included collegiate pickleball champions, APP Tour medalists, top-ranked APP Next players, and even members as young as 14 years old.

This past weekend, Oct. 23-25, the APP Next series ventured to Kansas City for its latest event. Chicken N Pickle in Overland Park, Kansas, welcomed 35 athletes representing 12 states. Tristan Dussault and Averry Chew earned the overall titles, highlighted by Triple Crown gold medal performances by both. In addition to hard-fought competition on the courts, the APP Next participants received invaluable mentorship and coaching off the court from APP Founder Ken Herrmann, and APP U.S. National Team head coaches Chad Edwards and Lee Whitwell.

Within the broader APP ecosystem, APP Next serves a clear purpose: helping promising players become better prepared for professional competition. Its combination of instruction, tournament experience and ranking opportunities supports a repeatable development model—one that can deepen the competitive field and strengthen the foundation for the APP’s long-term growth.

APP Next continues Dec. 11–13 at The Fort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and its 2027 schedule will be announced soon. Program details and registration information are available at TheAPP.global/APP-Next.