In this episode of Emerging Franchise Brands, Frank Fiume interviews Aaron Locks, founder and CEO of the National Academy of Athletics (NAofA)—a youth sports franchise that’s disrupting the space by doing something rare: working with municipalities instead of against them.
Rather than renting space or opening fields, NAofA partners directly with parks and recreation departments, schools, and local leagues to offer camps, clinics, leagues, and now even school-day physical education. This public-private partnership model allows franchisees to operate without the cost or complexity of real estate, while helping cities expand their youth programming with minimal staff and zero risk.
Aaron, who started his career working under legendary coach John Wooden, brings decades of experience and a mission-first mindset to his franchise. His motto, rooted in Wooden’s “pyramid of success,” is simple: play hard, have fun. And it shows—NAofA is active in over 300 communities and now offers a full library of systems, curriculum, and tools that franchisees can use to scale quickly and authentically.
Franchisees pay around $36,000 to get started, including equipment, training, and on-site launch support from Aaron himself. With territory sizes based on real community data—like school counts and youth population—each franchise is built to deliver consistent, long-term results.
Whether it’s basketball, flag football, pickleball for kids, or multi-sport camps, NAofA helps kids fall in love with sports again—without the pressure of early specialization. And for entrepreneurs, it offers a business with heart, flexibility, and a rock-solid foundation.
October 20, 2025
