Suburban coach turns teamwork into business

Tim Fahey of Bartlett has coached youth sports for years - and served in everything from park district leagues to Little League boards. He has seen firsthand how grueling practice schedules and competitive coaching can swipe the fun from a sport and burn out a young athlete.

Fahey even saw it in his own son, who after playing baseball since the age of 4, opted not to try out for the sophomore baseball team. "We put so much stress on the kids to be good," Fahey said. "All the kids really want is to go out and have fun."

So, the father of three is attempting to bring some of the fun and lessons learned through sports back to the playing field through i9 Sports, a growing franchise in the Bartlett area. The Florida-based company has 125 franchises, with five in Illinois, including Lake Forest, Highland Park, Chicago and Orland Park. Fahey, just wrapping up his first flag-football season, is expanding to St. Charles and South Elgin in the fall.

With an emphasis on good sportsmanship and self-esteem building, i9 Sports leagues put an emphasis on having fun and not on winning. The teams, for students aged 4 to 14, do keep score to help teach how to lose, said Christy Atlas, VP of Marketing with i9 Sports.

Founded five years ago, the company mainly offers flag football, basketball, soccer and cheerleading. There are no drafts or tryouts. Another key component is to keep the leagues convenient for parents. There are no practices during the week. The volunteer parent coaches, who are trained in the positive coaching philosophy, hold practice before the game on the weekends.

"For this to be successful, we have to present a great experience for the family. It has to work in the parents' lives," said Fahey, who left his corporate career in the telecommunications industry to launch the sports business.

After coaching his three children, now aged 18, 16 and 12, he strongly believes that if kids aren't having fun, they will drop out of the sport. "Then they'll never learn the life lessons that sports teach," he said.

During his first spring flag football season, Fahey has seen young athletes learn how to work better as a team and to involve all members to make the entire unit better. "This is an important lesson that they can take back to their main sport," he added.

He works with coaches so they also understand the culture and how to get all the kids involved. Every week, the coach focuses on a different aspect of sportsmanship, from being a good listener to encouraging other players.

Fahey continues to coach his daughter's travel softball and basketball teams. He believes there's a place for that level of competition as well.

The price to participate in an i9 program ranges from $135 to $165 per season.

The franchises are growing across the country. Revenue at i9 Sports is up this year 48 percent over last year, Atlas said. There are more than 190,000 athletes involved in 750 communities across the country. Entrepreneur Magazine recently ranked the company as the 15th Top New Franchise in America. For more information, visit i9sports.com.