Slate Pickleball Club opened in Northbrook in fall 2024 as an upscale indoor club with seven courts, founded by Sam, a former program director at Midtown Athletic Club, and Abe, a pickleball convert since a 2016 trip to Longboat Key. The club’s signature is its Level system, a coach-guided evaluation that sorts players from Beginner through the top Professor tier, unlocking level-based open play, an in-house competitive Algorithm League, and interclub matches against nearby clubs through CIPA. A dedicated junior pathway divides kids ages 3 to 17 by age and stage using a long-term athlete development model. Membership runs $45 a month with no contract or initiation fee, plus a free evaluation to get started; a free junior membership covers kids. The club also hosts upscale private events, corporate parties, and even bar/bat mitzvahs, with an on-site bar and catering partner. Open daily, weekdays 6 AM to 11 PM (Friday and Saturday to midnight), it holds a 4.9 rating across 67 Google reviews.