It goes without saying that the size of sports market of present day is vast, where tens of millions of youths playing sports every day. But, like with so many other industries, it had been too fragmented, too time consuming and too confusing. As a consumer, one has to deal with several different vendors for uniforms, equipment, trophies, etc. In addition, the focus was more on the sport itself instead of on the individual athlete.
Since 2008, Destination Athlete® is building better communities through athletes. The company exists to help the youth and high school teams get to their personal destination by providing a one-stop resource with everything a team needs in order to thrive and succeed.
A Visionary Chief
As parents are involved in the coaching of youth sports in his town, Destination Athlete’s® Founder and Chairman, Doug Dickison, had ideas for a better way of doing things. He seized the opportunity to drastically change the youth sports market by spending the next two years creating a business plan, researching the existing vendors in the market and looking to companies that put their customers first. On July 14, 2008, Destination Athlete® became the first and only one-source solution for the very lucrative youth sports market. The company’s vision: “Everything Team, Everything Better™.”
Comprehensive Offering
Destination Athlete® came out of a need for much more than the market was providing to the athletes, parents, and coaches. Hence, the most comprehensive offering was born. Four key areas were identified as the main focus including apparel, equipment, fundraising, and performance. Doug says “We view ourselves as the most thoughtful company in the athletic community, taking care of youth sports teams with our comprehensive holistic solutions and world-class service”. Further, he says “We strive to be the single recognizable choice of teams who have a quest for development and/or winning.” He adds, “The first ten years of this company have focused on providing superior customer service and a fervent devotion to changing the conversation around sports. We are looking forward to what the next ten years will bring.”
Since the very beginning, Doug Dickison recognized that the industry was also lacking a focus on holistic development. The need for a more all-inclusive approach to address athlete needs resulting in the creation of Complete Athlete®360. It is a holistic, customizable development program led by a best-in-class team of experts proficient in various facets of personal development in areas often overlooked in youth sports. The goal of Complete Athlete®360 services is to develop successful teams and organizations by helping to create winning cultures, respected leaders and connected people.
The Complete Athlete®360 approach allows these experts to embed themselves in a team or organization’s culture and become a part of it. They get to know people and make personal connections. This allows them to provide a lens for the leaders to help reinforce their goals and develop their own people. These services are then customized to meet the specific needs of each client. The Complete Athlete®360 team of professionals collaborates throughout the entire process to ultimately deliver transformational, sustainable results.
That sentiment is echoed in this customer’s recent experience with Destination Athlete®: “Wanted to let you know both the girls and boys team as well as us coaches are thrilled with the teams’ new clothing! Most importantly, I would like to let you know that, hands down, you have been the best company that I have ever worked with in almost 30 years of coaching! Great products, great artwork, speed in delivery and awesome communication made this experience with Destination Athlete® wonderful! We look forward to working with you through the years.” ~Mike Schiavo, Mainland swimming
Turning Consistency into Achievement
In his experience as a small business owner, Doug’s unwavering belief in the business is the key to his success along with a good business plan and a full understanding of the economics of the market. Destination Athlete® is now a national company with 96 franchises in 17 states and continues to grow. For the fourth year in a row, Destination Athlete® has been named a Top 500 Franchise ranked #216 by Entrepreneur Magazine. Each year Destination Athlete’s® ranking has continued to climb. This positive exposure has given prospective entrepreneurs the ability to see the value in owning their own Destination Athlete® business. It allows them the opportunity to combine their passion for sports with a rewarding career in the evergrowing youth and high school sports industry.
Testimonials
“Complete Athlete®360 is truly an all-inclusive program designed to help our entire community reach their optimal performance goals. Whether on the field, in the classroom, or out in the world, we are better prepared to engage in and reach our full potential” ~Meredith Santowasso, Director of Summer Programs, Rutgers Preparatory School
“We chose to partner with Complete Athlete®360 because of the depth and quality of the programs it offers and its topnotch professionals with whom we can work. We have had an excellent experience and are excited about the development it has and continues, to offer our coaches and students.” ~Jan Hathorn, Director of Athletics, Washington and Lee University
Doug Dickison | Founder & Chairman | Destination Athlete
