Paddletek Malaysia Announces First 5 Junior Talents Sponsored
Andrew LeePaddletek Malaysia, run by MyPickleball as the brand's exclusive distributor in the country, has unveiled the first cohort of its Junior Talent Support Program.
The five athletes now form the Paddletek Malaysia Juniors Team, sponsored for a full 12 months as they chase national and regional pride.
This is not a one off giveaway. It is a development pathway with structure behind it.
Meet The Team
Five players. Two academies. One clear goal. They train under 002 Pickleball Club and Academy in Ipoh, led by Coach Colin Tan, and Gee Pickleball Academy in USJ1, led by Coach Gee Ci Long.
Norman Wong (15, Miri, Sarawak)
- Champion, Team Event DUPR U18, EPIC Singapore Open 2026
- Gold, U18 Mixed Doubles, TOBC Borneo Open 2026
Koay Janson (11, Ipoh, Perak)
- Champion, U12 Junior Doubles, ISEIGUR Cup 2026
- Bronze, U13 Boys Doubles, Volvo Penang Grand Slam 2025
Catherine Liew (17, Tanjung Malim, Perak)
- 2nd Runner-Up, PCL Asia Rising Stars Malaysia Selection 2026
- Champion, Mixed Doubles, Honolulu Pickleball Tournament 2026
Muhammad Ariq (12, Kajang, Selangor)
- Champion, Boys Singles U12, National Junior Open 2026
- Champion, Boys Singles U12, Amverton Pickleball Championship 2026
Kimberly Tan (11, Selangor)
- Champion, Girls U12 Singles, Empire NextGen Series 2026
- 1st Runner-Up, Girls U12 Singles, Kejohanan Terbuka Junior Putrajaya 2026
The youngest is 10. The oldest is still in her teens. Every one of them is already winning.
What Lands In Their Bag
Selected athletes receive real equipment support, not tokens. Players receive Paddletek paddles, Pro Bag, caps, wristbands and overgrips. Add Paddletek Malaysia team shirts, with Sqairz footwear (for some players).
Most of the team is already swinging the Paddletek TKO and ESQ, the Bantam carbon line built for power and control. It is the same gear the brand's pros compete with.
Paddletek is one of the original American paddle makers, with a roster that includes Zane Navratil, JW Johnson and Christian Alshon. Follow @paddletekmalaysia and @paddletek to see what the team is running.
Two Academies, One Pathway
002 Pickleball Club and Academy, led by Coach Colin Tan, brings a deep bench of competitive juniors out of Ipoh. Gee Pickleball Academy, founded by MPA certified Coach Gee Ci Long, runs one of the busiest coaching operations in the country with more than 100 students a month.
Gee left a full time tennis coaching career to build Malaysia's junior pickleball pathway from the ground up. This program gives that mission a supply line.
More Than A Paddle
The support comes with expectations, and that is the point. Sponsored athletes commit to structured training, active tournament play, and professional conduct as ambassadors for the sport. Their academies and parents file monthly reports on training, results and development goals.
That accountability is what turns a sponsorship into a pathway. It teaches young players that representing a brand and building a career carry responsibility.
The Direction Forward
Malaysia has never lacked junior talent. What it has lacked is structure and backing before the talent becomes famous.
This team is a step towards fixing that. Five players are now carrying Paddletek onto courts across Malaysia and the region, with a full year of support behind them. The first cohort is set. The next group of juniors is already training for their shot.
Paddletek has been well known for identifying and supporting young talents. Paddletek signed Anna Leigh Waters, the GOAT, when she was 12. Now, another young talent, Elsie Hendershot, at 13, is competing in MLP as a kep player of Chicago Slice.
Malaysia juniors can take inspiration from these great stories.
Want to play what the team plays? The full Paddletek range, including the latest Honeyfoam TKO-X and ESQ paddles, are available now at MyPickleball. Follow the team. This is where the next level starts.
