Five new franchisees have joined the i9 Sports franchise family, marking an uptick in our growth as demand grows for healthy, safe, physical activities for children. Our franchise has always provided a much-needed and welcome outlet for children ages 3-14, and the long quarantine periods that have marked 2020 have made consumer demand even greater.
With every new franchise territory, i9 Sports owners will be able to offer great opportunities for children and families in their communities. Here are the newest players on our franchise owner team:
Danielle Smith — McDonough, Stockbridge & Covington, GA. Smith recently purchased the south Atlanta territory, which encompasses McDonough, Covington, Stockbridge, Ellenwood, Rex and Locust Grove, GA. She is an officer in the Georgia Army National Guard and was an active guard member before joining i9 Sports. Smith is the proud mother of a six-year-old boy who played two seasons with i9 Sports. As a child, Smith ran track, played tennis, was a competitive cheerleader and a dance team captain, and then well into her adult years became an international judo competitor. She was a member of the 2013 US Armed Forces Judo Team, where she traveled to Kazakhstan to compete in the World Military Judo Championship. In addition to i9 Sports, she plans to start her son in judo as well in the coming year.
Jon Torine — Eastern and Central Monmouth County, NJ. Torine enjoyed a career as a strength and conditioning coach for the Buffalo Bills and the Indianapolis Colts and also worked with an organization to help current and retired NFL players transitioning to the next step in their lives. He founded his own coaching and consulting business in 2012. Torine is also a Sports Safety Program Educator for the Hospital for Special Surgery, where they deliver programs and workshops for the PE and youth sports world on injury prevention and movement.
Dimari Porterfield — Rockwall, Wylie, Forney & Mesquite, TX. Porterfield started working for i9 Sports in 2015 while still in college. “I had the privilege to start with Justin Cannon in Austin, TX,” he says. “At the time, I was only looking for a temporary job to help me get through college. At the end of every season, I was awarded the bonus for my consistency and great program scores.” After a year, Porterfield moved back home and joined Isaiah Rojas in Frisco, TX, where Rojas promoted him to Program Director and inspired him to invest in the business himself. “I love i9 Sports and I look forward to this amazing journey for myself and my family!” Porterfield says.
Matt Sanders — East Pierce, South King counties, WA. Before owning an i9 Sports franchise, Sanders taught high school history and coached football and basketball in Austin, Texas. After a year of teaching and coaching basketball in Shanghai, China, Sanders and his wife returned to Texas. “i9 Sports has allowed me to pursue my passion in sports and working with the young people in our communities,” says Sanders, who has served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in the foster system and has participated in volunteer reading groups and a mentor program in his daughters’ school for the past few years as well.
Mark Fields — Northern Kentucky. For the past 14 years, Fields has worked in sports sponsorships for the University of Maine, University of Wisconsin, University of Louisville and the Cincinnati Reds. He currently works for 700 WLW, the radio flagship of the Reds and Bengals. Fields was drawn to i9 Sports for a few reasons but mostly because he felt youth sports in Northern Kentucky, just south of Cincinnati, could be done better. “Since COVID hit I feel it has exposed how unorganized and poorly run youth sports in my area have been the last few years,” Fields says. “This is my opportunity to make a difference in the community where my wife and I have chosen to raise our family.”
A sports franchise with unique purpose
i9 Sports is a different kind of youth sports franchise that stands out from the pack. We focus on fun for the kids and convenience for the parents, with all practices and games held on the same day. Our simple, scalable business model offers something equally enticing to franchise buyers, with a proven track record for entrepreneurs to run their own business while doing something they love.
Our mission is to help improve the lives of kids through sports, and we believe that how you play the game is even more important than winning. It’s a value we instill in every player, every parent and every coach. That’s one of the ways i9 Sports makes a difference in these young people’s lives.
We also strive to make a difference in the lives of our franchise owners. Our startup investment is affordable, especially with our five-year purchase option. You’ll work for home and make use of a staffing model that relies on community volunteers and part-timers. Our experienced leadership will support you through ramp-up and grand opening, and you will be assigned a business coach who will help you grow your business.
Learn more
If you’d like to learn more about the business opportunity with i9 Sports, fill out the form on this page to download our free franchise report.
