Meet the newest i9 Sports franchisees, who are just about to launch their businesses.
i9 Sports has been growing rapidly, with new franchisees bringing the brand to new areas throughout the United States. Business is booming as families embrace the opportunity for healthy play. Here’s a look at a few owners who recently completed training and will be opening soon:
Erik and Yunuen Miller – York, Lancaster, and Gaston counties, NC/SC. Erik and Yunuen first got involved with i9 Sports during the COVID lockdown. “The kids were stuck at home, and it took a mental and physical toll on them,” Erik says. Yunuen and Erik were already researching franchises and found i9 Sports through a friend who is an i9 franchise owner. “i9 just had a great mission. It aligned with our values,” says Yunuen. Their younger kids, who are 9 and 12, will be playing with i9 Sports. Yunuen says, “It’s an important part of child development. And the focus is on teamwork and leadership. Those are the reasons I like i9; it’s not over-competitive.” Their older son, who is 25, will be part of their staff, and the Millers hope their franchise will become a family business.
Erik McGuffin – NE Dallas/NE Dallas County, TX. Erik has 34 years of experience in Texas public education as both a teacher and a coach. He started his sports career at Texas Tech as a walk-on and eventually became Graduate Assistant Coach. He has been a Regional Director of the Texas High School Powerlifting Association for the past 15 years. “I know first-hand that the experience kids gain through sports go far beyond the game,” Erik says. His goal is to provide a coed sports program for kids ages 3 and up. “I believe that participation in an organized youth sport activity is about more than just kids playing sports. It’s about creating an unparalleled experience in organization, convenience, safety, instruction, and fun!” says Erik.
Chris and Joslyn McGaughy – North Nashville/Davidson County, TN. Chris and Joslyn are originally from Colorado. When they relocated to Nashville, they wanted a fun way to engage in their new community with their three boys. While living in Colorado, their family participated in i9 Sports. They saw firsthand the benefits of a fun and supportive sports environment. i9 Sports provides children an opportunity to play sports such as flag football, basketball, soccer, baseball, and volleyball. As a growing family, the McGaughys valued the convenience of i9 Sports with once-a-week practice and same-day games. Most importantly, their children had fun and learned valuable lifelong lessons such as sportsmanship.
Janson and Amy Kinsley – Wright, Sherburne, and NW Hennepin counties, MN. Janson grew up playing sports and continued his athletic career at West Point where he played football. He was then in the Army for 6 years, completing a 15-month tour in Iraq. He also has coached high school football in Georgia and Utah. Amy grew up in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and played sports at Park Center High School. She continued her athletic career at the University of Wisconsin – Stout, playing basketball. Both spent over 10 years working in store leadership with Target. To achieve their mission of helping kids succeed in life through sports, they focus on teaching the importance of good sportsmanship on the field and in life.
Jacob Contreras – W. Olathe and Leavenworth, KS. Jacob has been a personal trainer for more than 5 years and is still taking clients as he gets ready to launch his i9 Sports franchise. He played sports throughout childhood and has a degree in applied science in personal training and the body. “I love sports. I think it builds a ton of character, builds teamwork, and relationships with people.” Part of what attracted Jacob to i9 is its approach to youth sports. He says, “Everybody gets to play. It makes kids feel comfortable and helps out the kid who might not have loved sports otherwise.” Jacob’s wife Stacy — who works in pediatric dentistry — will also be involved, and they will open their i9 Sports franchise in spring 2022.
Anthony Begonia – Los Angeles County, CA. Anthony has a background in the nonprofit, performing arts, and media fields which cultivated a smooth transition when he decided to start his i9 Sports business. While Anthony and his family were cooped up because of the coronavirus shutdowns, Anthony was creating a new recreational sport, and “i9 found me. It kept popping up online. I really like what the nine i’s stand for (innovative, imaginative, impassioned, inspirational, interactive, insightful, inclusive, instructional, and integrity-driven),” he says. Anthony and his wife have three kids. “Kids get to play, to learn sports, and it helps them balance their electronics addiction.”
A Franchise That Helps Build Community
Our franchise system and support team provide everything from comprehensive franchisee training to a business coach who will help guide you toward your business goals. Franchisees start out with a game plan for marketing and growing their businesses — and resources to help them make it happen.
i9 Sports is seeking people who believe in our mission of shaping young leaders and inspiring them to adopt values like integrity and teamwork while having fun and learning age-appropriate basics in several sports: flag football, soccer, basketball, baseball, ZIP Lacrosse™, and volleyball. Because i9 Sports is a home-based business, startup costs and overhead are low.
Learn more
We have lots of open territories. To find out more about becoming a franchise owner with i9 Sports, fill out the form on this page to download our free franchise report.
