About Us

The Next Level Basketball Academy was founded with the best interest of all passionate student-athletes who desire to be the best! The most important thing we do at The Next Level Basketball Academy is meet individuals where they are in skill, talent, and confidence, then build from there. We thoroughly enjoy making meaningful connections with all our participants we train as we truly care about their development both on and off the court. What sets The Next Level Basketball Academy apart from similar programs is that we acknowledge that although most student-athletes have a common goal to be the best, we realize there is not a “cookie cutter” format for each individual to achieve their goals. We meet each individual we train where they are through sports specific I.Q. development and individual skill breakdown resulting in our student-athletes taking their game to THE NEXT LEVEL!  

Our Staff

Basketball

Program Director
Jared Bledsoe

Coaching

Minnesota State University at Moorhead
Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach 2003-04
2009-12 Oak Grove Lutheran
Girl’s Varsity Head Basketball Coach
2012-13 Concordia College
Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach
NCAA Appearance

College

University of Tennessee at Martin
Minnesota State at Moorhead
2-time 1st Team NSIC All-Conference
1st Team NSIC All-Tournament
Team Captain and MVP
Lead Minnesota State Moorhead to School’s 1st NSIC Conference Tournament Championship Appearance
All-time Steals Leader in a Season

Professional

IBL: 2005, Grand Rapids Flight
2006 Holland Blast MVP
2006 IBL-ALL-STAR
2006 China: BCI Edge
KSA: Saudi Arabia 2006-2007
2007 NBA Summer Workouts with the Minnesota Timberwolves
2008 IBL-ALL-STAR
NLBA AAU Basketball Head Coach/ Trainer
Tim Bergstraser

Tim Bergstraser is in his first season as the Head Basketball Coach of the Minnesota State University Moorhead Men’s Basketball Team. Tim is the Lead Post Player Trainer for The Next Level Basketball Academy. As the Head Coach of The Next Level Basketball Academy 12U AAU Team he captured a championship at the Sanford Pentagon’s Summer Slam Tournament in Sioux Falls, SD. 
Bergstraser is no stranger to the Fargo-Moorhead area having served as a graduate assistant from 2015-17 at MSUM.  During his time at MSUM, the Dragons went 54-12, won two division championships and an overall NSIC conference championship in 2016-2017.  The Dragons also went to two consecutive NCAA tournaments with Bergstraser on staff.
Bergstraser received the NABC Under Armour 30-Under-30 Coach’s Award.  He spent the 2017-18 season as an assistant coach at Quincy University (Ill.)
During the 2014-2015 season, Bergstraser served as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
In his playing career, Bergstraser attended St. Cloud State University.  As a Huskie, Bergstraser made a trip to the NCAA Final Four in the 2009-2010 season.  Bergstraser was a NSIC all conference performer in 2011-2012, averaging 12.8 points per game and grabbing 7.5 rebounds per game.  

Assistant Program Director/ NLBA AAU Basketball Head Coach
Brandon Bradford

Brandon Bradford is in his 7th year with The Next Level Basketball Academy. As the Assistant Director of The Next Level Basketball Academy, Brandon currently leads the NLBA Elite Basketball Training Program. Coach Bradford has been the Head Coach of the following Next Level Basketball Academy’s AAU Teams: 14U, 15U, 16U & 17U. He has also played an instrumental role as assistant coach with the other teams in The Next Level Basketball Academy AAU Program while winning multiple tournament championships with each age group that the NLBA AAU Program offers.  Bradford played collegiately at Rainy River Community College in International Falls, MN, which was ranked #10 in the nation. He also played at North Dakota School of Science (NDSCS) where they were ranked #28th in the nation. Bradford has accumulated coaching experience at the semi-professional level with The Twin Cities Elite as an assistant coach. In his first season as an assistant coach in 2018 they were crowned Midwest Basketball League Champions.  Brandon has also experienced coaching success as a Head Coach at the local youth level with the Fargo-Moorhead 7th & 8th Elite team going 37-8 in 2 seasons. In addition, Coach Bradford in just his 1st season as the Head Basketball Coach of the Shanley Deacon Boy’s 9th grade team lead them to a 12-2 record and an impressive tournament championship appearance! Building on his success, Bradford has been named Varsity Boys’ Basketball Assistant Coach at Valley City High School in Valley City, ND.

Volleyball

Volleyball Trainer
Natalia Kellerman
Natalia played college volleyball at Iowa Central Community College that was ranked #2 in the nation last season. She competed at the varsity level for 4 years at Oak Grove Lutheran High School in Fargo, ND. Natalia helped lead the Grovers to the North Dakota Region 1 Championship and was named to the All-Tournament Team. She was also selection to the All Region Team as a senior.