FAQs

Global Pickleball Academy (GPA) is a global coach-development network. It brings coaches, players and organizations together through a three-level coach certification, continuing education, mentorship and an annual membership — built around the full arc of a coaching career rather than a single workshop certificate.

GPA launches in September 2026. You can register interest in certification, membership, mentorship and our educator and ambassador programs today. A few features — coach development courses, the coach directory, liability insurance and player training — are marked "coming soon" because they genuinely aren't ready yet.

GPA is designed around what happens after the initial certification workshop: three progressive levels, specialty education, continuing-education credits that keep your certification current, mentorship, and a pathway into educator and leadership roles.

GPA was co-founded by Sarah Ansboury and Kim Bastien. You can read more about them on our About page.

Everywhere pickleball is played. Coaches, players and organizations from any country can register interest, and programs are delivered locally through GPA Educators and partner organizations as the network grows.

It depends on who you are:

• •Coaches — complete the Coach Interest Form on the Coaches page.
• •Players — join the waitlist on the Players page.
• •Organizations — federations, clubs and schools can start the conversation through the Organizations page.

Our team reviews your submission and replies by email. Submitting a form is not a commitment — it doesn't reserve a place or create a contract. It simply tells us who you are and what you're interested in, so we can point you to the right next step.

Not yet. The coach portal opens alongside membership. Until then, there is nothing to log into — everything runs through the forms on this site and email.

No. Certification and membership are separate. Certification (Level 1 → 2 → 3) is the qualification; membership is the ongoing relationship — community, continuing education and member benefits. You can join either first.

Yes. Tell us about your existing certifications and experience on the Coach Interest Form and our team will confirm the right entry point for you.

• •Level 1 — Foundation Coach. The fundamentals of good coaching: safe, well-organized sessions for beginner and recreational players.
• •Level 2 — Development Coach. Technical diagnosis, tactical development and progression planning for intermediate players, in private and group settings.
• •Level 3 — Performance Coach. GPA's highest core certification: competitive and advanced player development, performance planning and mental resilience.

No. Level 1 is the entry point into GPA and is designed for new coaches, recreational leaders and anyone looking to formalize how they teach the game.

The levels build on each other. Level 1 is the prerequisite for Level 2, and Level 2 for Level 3. Level 2 is intended for certified Level 1 coaches or experienced teachers ready for tactical and technical work; Level 3 is for experienced coaches already working with competitive players. If you have significant prior experience, note it on the interest form and we'll confirm where you should begin.

Through hands-on training workshops led by GPA Educators, supported by continuing-education content. Format, dates and locations are confirmed when your cohort is scheduled.

GPA certifications are kept current through continuing education. Continuing-education (CE) requirements and any renewal conditions are published in your program materials, and we'll give you reasonable notice of any change.

No certification can. GPA certification confirms that you met the assessment standard for that level. Whether a federation, employer, venue or insurer recognizes it is their decision — and one we're working with partner organizations to make easier.

Yes. You may describe your certification accurately (for example, "GPA Level 2 Development Coach") and use the badge we issue, in line with our usage guidelines. Please don't claim a level you haven't achieved or keep using GPA marks if a certification lapses.

Membership is an annual program for coaches — the relationship that keeps you growing after certification. It gives you access to the GPA community, the continuing-education library and the coach benefits GPA builds over time.

• •A GPA digital coach profile
• •Continuing-education library
• •Monthly education and webinar sessions
• •New drills, lesson plans and resources
• •Community and forum access
• •Discounts on specialty courses
• •Access to mentorship opportunities
• •Certification status tracking
• •Visibility within GPA's network of partner federations and organizations

Liability insurance and a coach directory listing are coming soon.

Join the membership interest list on the Membership page. We'll email you when enrollment opens, with full details of what's included and the membership terms, so you can decide whether it's right for you.

We'll publish membership details, including pricing, when enrollment opens. Membership is not currently sold through this website. Joining the interest list is free and carries no commitment.

It's how you keep improving after certification. Coach Development covers two things: specialty education pathways that go deep on a particular area, and continuing education (CE) that keeps your certification current. It launches in September 2026.

Planned pathways include junior development, facility programming, federation development, high school and PE coaching, event management, competitive player development, recreational programming, DUPR and player assessment, adaptive pickleball, and coach mentorship. Sign up for education updates on the Coach Development page to hear when each opens.

Technical, tactical and high-performance education, monthly webinars and in-person workshops, tracked as CE credits through your GPA profile.

GPA's mentor network pairs coaches with more experienced coaches for real, ongoing feedback — a relationship, not another course. It runs alongside certification, not instead of it. Many coaches start by finding a mentor and later become one themselves.

Any coach on the GPA pathway who wants guidance from someone who's already done it. Tell us where you are in your certification and what you're working on through the Mentorship form, and we'll connect you with a mentor who fits.

Mentors are certified GPA coaches ready to give back. Apply through the Mentorship form; our team assesses eligibility and will walk you through the role if you're accepted.

GPA Educators deliver certification workshops and continuing education on GPA's behalf. The pathway has three tiers — from delivering regional Level 1 workshops, to running advanced Level 2 programs and assessing new instructor candidates, to Master Educators who shape curriculum, lead Level 3 programs and train new Educators.

Apply through the Educator Pathway page. We look for experienced, respected coaches who care about standardizing high-quality coaching. Educators work with GPA under a separate written agreement.

Ambassadors are the face of GPA where they play — introducing coaches and players to GPA at clubs, events and tournaments, helping identify coaches and facilities, and helping GPA grow in their region. Ambassadors get early access to program drops, ambassador roundtables and a direct line to the GPA team, and can earn referral compensation for the coaches and members they bring in, under a separate ambassador agreement.

No. Coaches, players and club or facility staff are all welcome to apply.

Yes. We work with three kinds of organization:

• •Federations and associations — building national coach-education systems, training national and regional educators, and junior and player-development pathways.
• •Facilities and clubs — staff education, a clear beginner-to-competitive player pathway, and consistent programming across coaches and locations.
• •Schools, colleges and universities — program strategy and design, coach, player and student-leader development, and inclusive programming.

Start the conversation through the Organizations page.

No. It starts the conversation, not a contract. Any partnership — including what's delivered and on what terms — is agreed in a separate written agreement.

Where it makes sense, yes. Federations can co-brand coach education and certification with GPA while retaining ownership of their local ecosystem. Tell us what you're looking to build and we'll shape the approach together.

It will be. GPA is coach-focused today, and player-facing training — junior, recreational and competitive — is coming, built on the same standards we certify coaches against. Join the waitlist on the Players page to be first to know.

A coach directory is coming soon. In the meantime, contact us through the About page and we'll help where we can.

Junior programs are part of what's coming. When they launch, a parent or guardian will need to complete any sign-up on behalf of a child. All GPA coaches agree to safeguarding standards for working with minors.

No. This website doesn't publish pricing or take payments, and you will never be asked to enter card details here. If a program you apply for carries a fee, we'll send you the full terms in writing before you're asked to pay anything.

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Use the contact form on the About page for general questions, press and partnership enquiries. For privacy or legal matters, email hello@globalpickleballacademy.com. We aim to reply within three business days.