Youth sports club using rented gyms and fields

Parents and guardians pay seasonal membership or registration fees. Some clubs also get small local sponsorships or municipal grants.

Seasonal fees per player cover facility rental, coaches, equipment, insurance and league or tournament costs. The surplus is what you keep, or reinvest if you set the club up as a non-profit.

• Coaching or teaching young people
• Organizing schedules and volunteers
• Clear communication with parents
• Budgeting and record keeping

• Commercial general liability insurance, and often proof of it to rent facilities
• Police record or vulnerable sector checks for coaches and volunteers working with children, check provincial and sport body requirements
• Whether to register as a non-profit or run as a business, and when GST/HST registration applies, ask an accountant
• Affiliation with the provincial or national sport body, which may be needed to enter leagues
• Safety rules such as first aid and concussion protocols
• Winter and facility availability, indoor time can be scarce and costly in busy seasons

Estimated startup costs are typically around $1,500 to $8,000, depending on the sport, the equipment you need, and what you pay to rent gyms, fields or arenas.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on membership numbers, fees and any sponsorships or grants. Indoor space can be scarce and costly in winter. The idea assumes at least about 10 hours a week.

Check liability insurance, which facilities may ask to see, and police or vulnerable sector checks for coaches and volunteers. Also check non-profit versus business status and GST/HST with an accountant, sport body affiliation, first aid and concussion protocols.