i9 Sports® Introduces New Franchisees

December training class will soon open their first leagues.

i9 Sports® is thriving, with new owners bringing our brand and values to new locations throughout the country. With spring on the horizon, kids and their families are looking forward to getting outdoors and playing, and we’re ready, too! Meet some of our owners who recently completed training and are opening their new locations:

Arlynn and Ebony Hall – Greater Dayton, Ohio. Arlynn and Ebony first got involved with i9 Sports through their 7-year-old son, Jaxson, who has been playing in the leagues since he was 5. “He is learning valuable lessons about collaboration, teamwork, and integrity,” says Arlynn. The Halls aim to build a diverse sports program that welcomes all children, giving other kids an opportunity to play sports and learn the same values. Originally from Chicago, Arlynn is an engineer who has worked as a program manager for the Air Force for nearly two decades. Ebony is a licensed clinical social worker for the state of Ohio and a professor of social work.

Mark Hillen – Northwest Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mark grew up playing multiple sports and continued his athletic career in college, playing soccer at West Point. He served in the Army for 8 years, including two overseas deployments. He spent 11 years in consulting, but he grew tired of constant travel taking away family time. He is married to Kari, who was born and raised in Maple Grove, Minnesota, where they run their i9 Sports leagues. They have two young children.

Kate and Brandon Harper – Vancouver, Washington. The couple learned about i9 Sports while searching for a flag football league for their then 3-year-old son. Brandon found there was a need for youth sports on the east side of Portland, so he partnered with his father-in-law, Dan Jacobson, to start the business there. Now Kate and Brandon are opening a franchise in Vancouver. “We wholeheartedly believe that sports teaches kids teamwork, leadership, discipline, and many other crucial life skills,” Brandon says. The couple hopes to grow the business and leave it for their children to take over someday.

Justin Ward – Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Florida. Originally from Inverness, Florida, Justin first got involved with i9 Sports as a Program Director. He also worked with the YMCA for six years as a Sports and Camp Director. Justin’s goal has always been to provide high-quality sports programming for busy families. His daughter Cori is very active in soccer, and he understands the importance of keeping children active in sports. “I know the impact sports had on me growing up. I am thrilled to be able to give that back to families in my community.” In school, Justin played basketball, baseball, and soccer and ran track. He still plays in men’s basketball leagues.

Carlito Beach – Hempstead, New York. Carlito spent 18 years as a New York City police officer, and believes sports can “promote good sportsmanship, teamwork, healthy competition, discipline, creativity, tactics, leadership skills, goal-setting, healthy risk-taking, problem-solving” and more outstanding qualities. “But for most of our youths, somewhere along the line they lose the enjoyment of sports. At i9 Sports, we are here to keep that enjoyment going. Youth sports is about learning and having fun in the process.” He is excited to provide leagues that put a firm emphasis on fun, learning, and building character. “Through i9 Sports, “We don’t just help kids become better athletes; we help them become better people.”

DeMarcus Hill – Greensboro and Kernersville, North Carolina. DeMarcus was an IT manager for Ford Motor Co. before deciding to open an i9 Sports franchise. The former North Carolina Central football player graduated with a degree in Computer Information Systems before earning an MBA at Syracuse University. He has remained active in youth sports — coaching and running his own youth basketball organization in the past and managing weekend USSSA basketball tournaments in North Carolina.

Starting your youth sports business

Our franchise system and support team provide everything from comprehensive training to a business coach who will help guide you toward your business goals. Franchisees start 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, lacrosse, and volleyball. Because i9 Sports is a home-based business, startup costs and overhead are low.