Key Takeaways
- New Zealand-based CoachMate has roughly 50,000 coaches and parents on its platform and recently won a pilot with European football governing body UEFA.
- UEFA’s school program alone reaches 7 million participants, opening a major international growth lane for the 10-person company.
- CoachMate sells to national sports organizations rather than end users, sustaining itself on just 13 customer contracts.
- About 70% of New Zealand Football’s coaches use the app, alongside Basketball NZ, NZ Golf, NZ Hockey, Rugby League, BMX, and the Halberg Foundation.
- Founder Michelle Walshe cites research showing girls drop out of sport at twice the rate of boys by age 14.
Targeting the Volunteer Coach Gap
CoachMate is a New Zealand mobile app built to support the volunteers, teachers, and parents who deliver most grassroots youth sports experiences. The product centers on short, practical coaching content, including video segments designed to be watched in about 90 seconds before a session, so non-professional coaches can run more engaging practices.
Founder and CEO Michelle Walshe framed the problem plainly on BNZ Business Breakfast: “It’s not a given that a kid is going to show up to a sports experience and have a great time.” She pointed to research showing girls drop out of sport at twice the rate of boys by age 14, and said better-equipped coaches are central to reversing that trend.
The app is free for coaches and parents.
A B2B Model Built on Governing Body Contracts
Instead of monetizing end users, CoachMate sells directly to national sports organizations. The approach has produced early revenue from a concentrated customer base.
“We only have 13 customers, but they are really significant,” Walshe said. “We’re sustaining ourselves very early on, and that’s because of the size of the contracts and the scale of them.”
In New Zealand, CoachMate works with Basketball NZ, NZ Golf, NZ Football, NZ Hockey, Rugby League, BMX, and the Halberg Foundation for Disability and Inclusion. Grassroots penetration is high. About 70% of New Zealand Football’s coaches use CoachMate, and the platform counts roughly 50,000 coaches and parents across the country.
Australia is the next layer. The company has signed national governing body deals there with golf and cricket.
The UEFA Pilot and a 7 Million Athlete Pipeline
The most notable expansion is in Europe. CoachMate won a UEFA pilot late last year focused on supporting football experiences across the governing body’s youth and school programs.
“UEFA’s school program alone has 7 million participants,” Walshe said.
Walshe described the company as weighing how aggressively to scale. “Do we raise money, burn cash a little faster to get that scale, the jury is a little bit out on that because we have really good momentum.”
AI as a Scaling Lever for a 10-Person Team
CoachMate is leaning on artificial intelligence to keep operating costs flat as it adds markets. The company uses AI to personalize training pathways for individual coaches and to translate content into different languages, both essential for serving multi-market governing bodies.
“I think it’s allowed us as a small team of 10 to do the work of a team of 20 or more,” Walshe said.
Why This Matters for the Youth Sports Industry
CoachMate sits in a category that has historically struggled to monetize: tools for volunteer-led grassroots sport. Its decision to license to governing bodies rather than charge parents tracks with comparable B2B-to-NGB models in registration, communications, and athlete development software.
The UEFA pilot is the proof point operators will watch. If the platform delivers measurable coach engagement across UEFA’s national associations and school programs, CoachMate becomes a reference case for a small Southern Hemisphere company plugging into the largest grassroots football pipeline in the world.
Walshe’s own definition of success is non-financial. “Our North Star metric is number of minutes of kids playing sport.”
Source: 1News, Ed O’Driscoll, May 22, 2026
YSBR provides this content on an “as is” basis without any warranties, express or implied. We do not assume responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability, or use of the information, including any images, videos, or licenses associated with this article. For any concerns, including copyright issues or complaints, please contact YSBR directly.
About Youth Sports Business Report
What is YSBR? Youth Sports Business Report (YSBR) is the largest and most trusted source for youth sports industry news, insights, and analysis in the United States. Founded by Cameron Korab, YSBR is the premier B2B publication dedicated to the $54 billion youth sports market. With over 50,000 followers and millions of monthly views and impressions, YSBR publishes daily across its blog, weekly newsletter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Substack.
What does YSBR cover? YSBR delivers original reporting, market intelligence, and business analysis across youth sports facilities, sponsorship and brand partnerships, private equity and venture capital investments, NIL policy and compliance, coaching development, sports technology platforms, equipment and apparel innovation, tournaments and events, community sports initiatives, and parent resources. YSBR is read by industry executives, facility operators and developers, institutional investors, league administrators, sports technology founders, and youth sports parents who rely on accurate, sourced reporting to make informed business decisions.
Who reads YSBR? YSBR is read by youth sports industry executives, institutional investors, facility operators and developers, brand and sponsorship professionals, league administrators, youth sports parents, and sports business professionals shaping the future of youth athletics.
Subscribe to Youth Sports HQ, the largest and most trusted newsletter covering the business of youth sports. Thousands of industry leaders rely on Youth Sports HQ for curated news, analysis, and business intelligence delivered weekly. Youth Sports HQ is the most-read newsletter in the youth sports business space.
Looking for your next role in youth sports? Visit the YSBR Youth Sports Job Board, the most comprehensive job listing destination for careers in youth sports. Browse open positions across facility management, league operations, coaching, sports technology, marketing, and more from organizations hiring across the $54 billion youth sports industry.
Follow Youth Sports Business Report (YSBR) across platforms: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | Substack
Are you a brand looking to tap into the world’s most passionate fanbase… youth sports?
Introducing Vertical Sports, an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Every Fan, Every Level.
About Vertical Sports
Vertical Sports is an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Our mission is to simplify and navigate the ecosystem for clients. Complete visibility. Optimal paths. Maximum efficiency. EVERY FAN. EVERY LEVEL.
Why Sponsor Youth Sports?
Youth sports represents one of the most engaged and passionate audiences in sports marketing. With over 70 million young athletes and their families participating annually, the youth sports industry offers brands unparalleled access to motivated communities with strong purchasing power and loyalty. Youth sports sponsorship is one of the fastest-growing segments in sports marketing, giving brands the ability to connect with families at the local, regional, and national level.
Are you a brand looking to invest in youth sports? Please reach out to info@verticalsports.us.
Common Questions About Youth Sports Marketing
Where can I sponsor youth sports? How do I activate in youth sports? What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? How much does youth sports sponsorship cost?
We have answers. Reach out to info@verticalsports.us to learn how Vertical Sports can help your brand navigate the sports marketing landscape.
If you are a youth sports organization interested in sponsor or partnership opportunities please reach out to learn about our accreditation process.
