It’s been just six years since Mini Athletics launched its very first class in the U.K. Today, there are thousands of children in the program across hundreds of classes in multiple countries. Global Franchise spoke with Kirk and Clare Bowyer, co-founders, to find out about their success story, why they are so different from other sports classes, and why Australia and New Zealand are next on their expansion plan.
The origins of Mini Athletics
Prior to establishing Mini Athletics, Kirk was a strength and conditioning coach for elite athletes and Clare Bowyer, a primary school teacher (PE specialist). Kirk worked with many professional athletes from tennis players to Formula 1 racing drivers. He has also worked with some of Great Britain’s most talented sporting juniors (in a wide range of sports, including athletics) to improve performance through physical training. Clare has a wealth of experience as a primary school teacher. As well as being a physical education specialist, she has spent much of her career educating the early years.
When Kirk and Clare’s first child reached two years old, they wanted to take him to a sporting class that he was going to enjoy, have fun, feel under no pressure and interact with boys and girls. Kirk said: “We only had the option to take our son to football/soccer or rugby classes. There were no other options available to us.
“However, we were really keen to take him to a class where he could learn global motor skills rather than the specific skills that were being taught in football and rugby classes. In addition, Caolan, more than anything, loved to run and we just wanted something that made this incredibly fun for him.
“We were also very keen for him to learn how to listen to instructions through play based learning so he was ‘school ready’. However, the class that we wanted didn’t exist so we cocreated Mini Athletics in 2016.”
Kirk and Clare completed a pilot year in their home city of Cambridge, U.K. to prove the model. They then sold that franchise to a PE teacher (one year later) who wanted a career change. She wanted to continue to make a difference to children’s lives but she also wanted a business that worked around her own family. Since then, the infrastructure of headquarters grew substantially and the franchise network has expanded to 33 franchisees across the U.K. and master franchises in Ireland and the U.A.E.
Focusing on what the child really wants
Mini Athletics takes what children love to do the most (running super fast, jumping high, and throwing far) and mixes it with imaginative themes, learning to follow instructions, making friends and developing gross motor skills. Clare goes on to say, “It is the magical combination of imaginative play, sport, and burning energy. Our franchisees are fantastic because they are really passionate about what they do. In fact, we recently re-branded our coaching program so that all coaches and franchisees are now called ‘Amazineers’. They really do engineer the amazing with every class that they deliver and new venue that they open’.
Expansion plans in 2022
After awarding master franchises in Ireland and the U.A.E., Mini Athletics has its eyes on the Australasian market. While Mini Athletics HQ receives multiple inquiries a day for master franchising around the world, they’ve chosen the Australasian market for its sporting and activity culture.
“We’ve chosen Australasia because they have a similar culture to us in terms of attending classes. They have a really good attitude when it comes to sport and they enjoy the participation as much as they enjoy the winning, which is our philosophy too,” said Kirk.
“This is a step that the staff at HQ has properly prepared for. They are ready to provide the comprehensive, detailed and unrivaled support that the new master franchisees in Australia will need.”
The sustained success and attractiveness of the brand, coupled with the sporting culture across Australasia, makes it the perfect opportunity for the right master franchisees in each of the states.
Ready to conquer the Australasian market
Mini Athletics has proven its credentials as a brand, evidenced by its strong growth in the U.K. and unparalleled franchisee support. With an existing culture of sport and participation from a young age, coupled with a unique brand, Mini Athletics will be the club of choice for many parents.
The same athletics-sized gap exists across the Australian and Kiwi markets, and no brand is better placed to fill it than Mini Athletics. Building on six years of continual improvement and refinement, the children’s development brand is well placed to open locations across the region.
Amer, master franchisee for the U.A.E.
“I found out about Mini Athletics following an advertisement for a local class on social media.
I took my children to the class and was completely blown away. My family are originally from the U.A.E. and knew this would be extremely popular there.
“I spoke to Mini Athletics HQ shortly after the class regarding my interest to bring Mini Athletics to the U.A.E. It was decided that I would take a regional franchise in the U.K. first (Romford and Horchurch). I ran this business for 12 months which was hugely popular and successful. I then sold this franchise and became the master franchisee for U.A.E.
“I am now in my second year in the U.A.E. and the business is going from strength to strength. I am currently saturating the Dubai market and I plan to start selling franchises in Abu Dhabi within the next two to three months. This has been an incredibly exciting journey!”
At a Glance Mini Athletics
Year established: 2016
Number of franchised outlets: 33
Locations of units: U.K., Ireland and UAE
Investment range: Varies by market
Minimum required capital: Varies by market
Contact: info@miniathletics.com
