“When I came off the tour, I realised I had to start at the bottom in business and work my way up, just like when I joined the professional squash tour” admits Aaron Frankcomb, The Academy’s founder and managing director. “What I quickly realised, with input from my business mentor, is that it’s every elite athlete’s challenge – to make the transition from sport to business. Not many athletes are successful because they lack the fundamental business skills needed to make an honest go of it.”
“What I wanted to do was create a system that places the professional players in the spotlight to inspire and motivate others to join and participate in the sport – AND support them with a business that rewards them based on performance” adds Frankcomb.
The Academy’s no-risk model enables existing squash clubs to sign up, currently at no cost (this will change soon and will require a reasonable, one-time licensing fee) and with no risk. The Academy takes care of everything on a profit-sharing basis with the squash facility with the intention of adding $10,000 to as much as $40,000 per court, per year for rural and urban squash centres respectively.
“The key difference is the role of the professional player” explains Dr Marc Dussault, Frankcomb’s business mentor, “Elite and professional players have, energy, perseverance, tenacity and discipline. They know how to train and become the best they can be. Those principles (of deliberate practice) are the same in business – the Academy provides the structure for them to excel and ultimately succeed as business people. Without it, they often spin their wheels and quickly run out of steam and (too many) end up abandoning the sport they love.”
The East Coast Squash Academy has willingly chosen NOT to franchise its model (at least for the foreseeable future) choosing instead to be selective and work with well established clubs and hand-pick its professional players.
“Even though we would love to take the world by storm and expand globally, we recognise there is a finite inventory of qualified players and an even smaller number that have the desire and fortitude to make squash a (successful) life-long career beyond their professional playing days” professes Frankcomb. “We need to match the pro with the squash facility’s culture and membership base to ensure there is a suitable match”.
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The East Coast Squash Academy:
Founded in 2011 when Aaron Frankcomb retired from the Professional Squash Tour, the East Coast Squash Academy set out to create a business model to expand the presence of squash within local communities surrounding squash centres. The first installation was at Willoughby Squash Club where Frankcomb was hired as the club’s resident squash pro.
Since inception, the Academy has produced some stellar results including: Attracting a handful of junior players with aspirations of going on the professional (PSA) tour. Its junior program has the biggest contingent of players on the NSW Squash Junior ranking list, with players on the NSW junior state teams, Australian junior teams and Australian senior players. The Academy has developed NSW and Australian Junior Champions.
The Academy is home base to two full time senior players that have reached careers highs of top 240 in the world on the Men’s PSA Tour. Its best female professional reached a top world ranking of 130.
The junior program now boasts over 500 children participating in weekly squads and training sessions. Memberships and participation in squads have increased by 100% and 300% respectively and tournament registrations are at an all-time high.
The Bondi Waverley Squash Club is the second squash club to join the Academy, in 2014.
Contact details:
Tel: 0424 474 001
Email: [email protected]
Website: EastCoastSquashAcademy.com.au
Facebook: East Coast Squash Academy
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Aaron Frankcomb:
Aaron Frankcomb was ranked in the top 100 professional squash players for 8 years, 4 years in the top 50, winning 3 PSA titles. He represented Australia at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, was a Junior Champion in all age groups including 2 times in the Under 19 category and holder of scholarships in the Tasmanian and Australian Institutes Of Sport. He now coaches professionally and remains Sydney’s top ranked squash player and is still considered within the top 5 players in Australia.
Contact details:
Tel: 0424 474 001
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.AaronFrankcomb.com.au
Facebook: Aaron Head Pro WilloughbySquash
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The Exponential Growth Strategist – Dr Marc Dussault:
As The Exponential Growth Strategist , Dr Marc Dussault has helped thousands of business executives and entrepreneurs grow their businesses leveraging exponential marketing strategies since 2006.
Exponential Programs Pty Ltd
Contact details:
Tel: 0421 516 689
Email: [email protected],au
Website: www.ExponentialPrograms.com