Swim Team & Club Ownership

Equity

Teams are owned and operated by various organizations including governments, municipalities, universities, high schools, and private and public entities. Each situation offers advantages if they are structured around the best interests of their members.

One option is a coach owned swim team.

If you are considering such a move or want to explore other options, ISCA has a highly accomplished group of coaches that are willing to share their experiences and expertise with our members. Please let us know if we can be of any help.

• Is a coach owned swim team right for you?

Many swim coaches dream of owning their own team.

Freedom and flexibility to set up, run, and control your program as you see fit (and not having to deal with the sometime whims of a parent run board) are usually at the top of the list of reasons for this type of venture. Also, there is nothing better than the pride that goes with ownership. Finally, if successful, this opens up opportunities to make a better living for you and your family.

Over the years, there have been numerous discussions and articles written on this topic. However the vast majority of the programs are still parent or corporate owned and operated.

The most obvious reason has to do with the fact that most facilities are owned and controlled by colleges, high schools, municipalities, and other organizations such as YMCA’s, parks & recreation, health clubs, country clubs, and the like. Building, purchasing, or leasing existing facilities are certainly options. However, a lack of financial resources make this difficult for many coaches.

If these and other hurdles can be overcome, you need to ask yourself some tough questions before taking a step in this direction.

• Is your targeted geographic area large enough to successfully support a new team (or do you have the option to take over and/or merge with an existing program)?
• Do you have plans in place for running the operation?
• Will you be able to put together a staff to help manage the facility, oversee additional programs such as learn-to-swim, developmental, masters besides coaching the age group and senior programs?
• Will you be depending on your staff, a booster club, and/or outside professional help with fund raising, meet management, accounting, legal, and other services?

You need to have your ducks in a row if you want this to be a success. 

In addition to having the coaching background, be sure that you have the business skills, financing, and other support in place. Do not put yourself in a position where running the business side results in spreading yourself so thin that you compromise your ability to coach and don’t have enough time to be with your family.

Finally, be sure to ask yourself whether you’ll be able to sleep at night knowing that there is no safety net if this doesn’t go as planned?

Disclaimer: All opinions stated within this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of ISCA.