The Newtown Youth Academy: Filling the Holes in the School System’s Physical Education Program
It All Started During the Pandemic
When schools shut down in 2020, Matt Giordano and his wife started offering a place for kids to do their homework with a teacher on-site at the dental practice where his wife works. The owner of the dental practice, who was a member of Giordano’s gym at the time, saw the online options for physical education as less than optimal for children and asked Giordano to create a kids’ class one day a week.
Expanding the Program
After the kids returned to school, they still wanted to attend the gym. So, Giordano decided to keep the program and expand it. Today, nearly five years after COVID-19 hit, Giordano has a thriving youth program with over 100 kids and an eight-person coaching team. He estimates that around 10% of the youth are “the original kids” who started five years ago.
The Details
Giordano offers three different youth programs as part of his Newtown Youth Academy.
Class for Children Ages 5-12
Giordano runs a class for children between ages 5 and 12 on Saturdays, which costs $99 every four weeks. Generally, 20 to 25 kids attend each four-week session.
Small Group Youth Program
The small group youth program is limited to eight kids maximum, and Giordano offers a variety of classes, including early-elementary and late-elementary, high-school and middle-school, and middle-school and high-school classes for girls only.
Fusion Class
Giordano also offers specialty programs for youth, including a “fusion class” that mixes soccer with strength and conditioning.
Earnings
In all, Giordano’s youth program brings in between $5,000 and $7,000 a month and usually accounts for around 10-12% of his monthly revenue. However, he notes that this number is trending up, and he expects it to continue growing.
Key Takeaways
Giordano’s success has been largely due to referrals, with most parents discovering the program through word-of-mouth. He emphasizes the importance of getting Google reviews and mentions that the majority of the kids in the program are not from athletic backgrounds, but rather kids who haven’t found a sport they love yet.
The Big Picture
Giordano believes that offering a youth program is a no-brainer for gym owners who have the capacity and bandwidth. He sees it as a way to give back to the community and address the lack of physical education in the school system.
Conclusion
Giordano’s Newtown Youth Academy is an example of the impact that can be made when gym owners recognize the importance of filling the gaps in the school system’s physical education program. By offering a variety of classes and programs, Giordano has created a thriving community for kids to get active and engaged.
FAQs
* How did the Newtown Youth Academy come about?
Matt Giordano and his wife started offering a place for kids to do their homework with a teacher on-site at the dental practice where his wife works. The owner of the dental practice, who was a member of Giordano’s gym, saw the need for a physical education program and asked Giordano to create a kids’ class one day a week.
* What type of classes do you offer for youth?
Giordano offers three types of classes: a class for children ages 5-12 on Saturdays, a small group youth program limited to eight kids maximum, and specialty programs for youth, including a “fusion class” that mixes soccer with strength and conditioning.
* What is the cost of the program?
The cost of the program varies, with the Saturday class costing $99 every four weeks and the small group program costing $120 for four sessions.
* What is the size of the youth program?
The youth program has over 100 kids and an eight-person coaching team.
* How do you market your program?
Giordano’s program is largely referral-based, with most parents discovering it through word-of-mouth. He also emphasizes the importance of getting Google reviews and mentions that he has put in a lot of effort to improve his online presence.
