About Sam
Coach. Builder. Dad.
A Chinese-born, US-adopted former Physical Educator turned pickleball programming leader. Helping families and kids develop a growth mindset through competitive play.
My story
From Takoma Park to tournament gold.
Grew up in Takoma Park, MD. Played varsity baseball and soccer at Montgomery Blair, earned a B.S. from McDaniel and an M.S. in Coaching from Ball State.
Spent nine years as a PE teacher across five MCPS schools — PK through 8th, plus high school baseball and basketball. Discovered pickleball in 2019, never looked back.
Today: independent coach, three-time founder, husband to Kelly, and dad to Kobe and Owen — building the kind of programs I'd want for my own kids.
Credentials
The receipts.
✓M.S. Coaching — Ball State University
✓B.S. Exercise Science — McDaniel College
✓PPR Certified Pickleball Professional
✓DUPR Certified Coach
✓RPO Certified
✓5.0+ Competitive Player
✓9 yrs MCPS Physical Educator
✓Mixed Gender Gold — Legends Open Division
The journey
How we got here.
1989
Hong Kong to Takoma Park
Adopted from Hong Kong at 1.5 years old, grew up in Takoma Park, MD.
2006
Montgomery Blair HS
Varsity baseball and soccer. Class of 2006.
2010
McDaniel College
B.S. Exercise Science with minor in Education.
2012
Ball State University
M.S. Coaching with Physical Education specialization.
2012–2021
Physical Educator
9 years as a PE teacher across five schools: Saint Bernadette, Montgomery Blair HS, The Potomac School, Brooke Lee MS, Weller Road Elementary.
2019
Discovered Pickleball
Introduced by adult softball teammates. Went deep during the pandemic.
2022
Pickleball Climb 5.0
First pickleball business — organized competitive play for 3.5+ players.
Fall 2025
Co-founded Next Gen Pickleball Academy
Co-founded NGA with Amine Lahlou — youth pickleball pathway for ages 8–16 across Montgomery County, MD. Current focus.
Coaching philosophy
Every drill has a purpose. Every milestone gets celebrated.
“Pickleball is more than a sport — it's a way to help kids and families grow stronger together. Drawing from my background in physical education, I create sessions that are safe, structured, and fun, while always emphasizing EASE values. Every drill has purpose, every milestone is celebrated, and every lesson is designed to build confidence on the court and resilience in life.”
Current ventures
What I'm building now.
Youth Academy
Next Gen Pickleball Academy
Co-founded with Amine Lahlou. A structured youth pathway — Red (private bridge), Orange, Green, Yellow — building confidence and competitive skill in players ages 8–16 who can rally, across Montgomery County.
Visit nextgenpbacademy.com ↗
Want to work with Sam?
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