A Shropshire sports coaching company has come under pressure to expand by franchising the firm across the UK after people were left inspired by Team GB.
Bosses at the Telford-based Ball Sports Community Coaching said they had not only seen a surge in interest from youngsters wanting to take part in coaching sessions but also from people who wanted to become coaches, along with qualified coaches who wanted to be a part of their firm.
Co-owners of Ball Sports, Neil Prescott from Telford, Steve Lalley from Market Drayton and Paul Marshall from Oswestry, said they were now planning to franchise their coaching company across the UK.
Mr Prescott said: “We have received a massive increase in calls from parents requesting specific coaching sessions outside of school holidays.
“The children have certainly been inspired and now want to get involved more than ever before which is fantastic.
“But the expansion plans of the company came after we received calls from people interested in working for our company.
“This has resulted in plans to franchise across the region as they were not just local people.”
Mr Lalley said the interested coaches liked the Ball Sports Community Coaching model and wanted to help find and coach the Olympic stars of the future.
“The London 2012 Olympics has resulted in our company expanding across the UK which could potentially result in hundreds of new jobs which is fantastic news.
“If this is the effect it has had on our company, it will be interesting to see how other companies across the UK benefit too. It has been a wonderful few months for the world of sport, especially for enthusiasts such as us,” Mr Prescott added.
The three coaches said they would be offering a limited number of franchise opportunities in the first phase of franchising the company and would then be building on that once they were up and running.
“We are giving people the chance to make a living out of the most enjoyable career you can have if you love sport like we do.
“Whilst the Olympics has been the catalyst for this expansion which is fantastic, we are also getting interest in the Quick Feet Soccer Skills Schools that we are running.
“This is an advanced coaching system developed by Matrix Sports for whom we are an affiliate supplier licensed to both coach, sell and hire the units as well as deliver the coaching programme.
“The units are extensively used at academies across clubs in the Premier League as well as many top European Clubs,” Mr Prescott said.
Anybody interested in a franchise opportunity will have to undertake a detailed assessment of their coaching abilities.
