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

Coach and Founder of NLBA
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
2009 Inducted into the IBL HALL OF FAME
AAU Basketball Coach/ Trainer
Tim Bergstraser

Tim Bergstraser is in his first season as a full-time assistant for Minnesota State University Moorhead Men’s Basketball Team in 2018-19. In 2017 Tim was the Lead Post Player Trainer for The Next Level Basketball Academy. He also was the Head Coach for The Next Level Basketball Academy 12U AAU Team which included 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.  

AAU Basketball Coach/ Trainer
Brandon Bradford

Brandon Bradford is in his 3rd year with The Next Level Basketball Academy. Brandon has served as a Trainer and Head Coach of The Next Level Basketball Academy 8th Grade/14U AAU Team. He has also played an instrumental role as assistant coach with the other teams in Next Level Basketball Academy AAU Program.  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 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, Bradford finds time to give back to his hometown community in Minneapolis by working with Alan Anderson’s Jr. NBA Camp.

Volleyball

Lead Volleyball Trainer
Kali Erickson

Played 4 years of College Volleyball at the University of Minnesota Crookston.  Competed at Fargo Davies H.S. in Fargo, N.D…Erickson was named to the North Dakota Class A All-State First Team, as well as the Class A All-Tournament Team. In addition, she was a unanimous selection to the All-Eastern Dakota Conference team as a senior…Erickson is the school record holder for season kills with 444…She also holds the school record for kills in a match with 25…Erickson accumulated 470 digs, 41 blocks and 56 aces…Was nominated for the EDC Outstanding Senior of the Year…In her four seasons of high school volleyball she had 1,262 kills…Erickson played her first three seasons of volleyball at Denbigh Baptist Christian School in Newport News, Va…As a junior, was named to the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) All-State Team…She was an All-Metro Conference selection as a sophomore…Erickson is second all-time at Denbigh Baptist Christian School in career kills with 818…She played club ball for the North Dakota Blue Ice Elite in 2013 and for the Hampton Roads Juniors while she lived in Virginia.

Volleyball Trainer
Marley Holt
Played College Volleyball at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Competed 5 years at the  Varsity level for Oak Grove Lutheran High School. Took 3rd at National AAU Volleyball Tournament at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, FL. Marley was selection to All Conference team as a senior…Holt recorded 862 career kills…She also recorded 213 career blocks.