Leading2Play
Organization
Leading2Play is the brain child of Dr. George Selleck, who has spent his life using sports and sport analogies to develop relationships that stimulate personal growth in young people. Leading2Play enables students to design, lead, and manage their own sports and fitness activities in schools and other venues with the purpose of providing the fun of participation to everyone, regardless of the score or talent. The program design is based on proven child development, leadership principles, and established research relating to exercise, health, and academic outcomes. George has been developing the program for the last several years, and has delivered it for free in a handful of situations.
Situation
Leading2Play has been focused on developing its product but hasn’t yet formulated the strategy and plans needed to bring it to its potential.
Project Overview
Leading2Play asked an ACT team to provide guidance relating to the issues of long-range planning, business development, board structure, and entrepreneurship, all of which are required to expand this program.
Key Recommendations
Leading2Play needs to determine the salient benefits it can provide and its most attractive market opportunities. The ACT team recommended that current projects be the pilot tests—to test, iterate, and evaluate program specifics, methods of delivery, users, sources of support, and results—to guide product and market definitions. To help with the analysis, the team developed a framework for tracking the various dimensions of each project.
To mature as an organization, Leading2Play needs to raise funds to hire an Executive Director to focus development and operations. George should play to his strengths and evangelize, utilize his network, and work with the leadership of the programs to expand their reach. Supporters seem willing to fund Leading2Play to complete the pilot phase, evaluation, and initial ramp-up. An important decision will be to choose Leading2Play’s role as either a stand-alone provider, a partner who will incorporate Leading2Play into other’s programs, or an academy offering training and materials to those wanting to have Leading2Play programs.
Key Conclusions
The Leading2Play idea has promise and support, and is ready to be molded into a product for volume delivery. Leading2Play should use its upcoming projects to test, select, and develop its basic tenets. Insights gained during a similar gestation process were key to the successes of the organizations using sports as a medium for youth development that we interviewed.
After Leading2Play has developed an idea of its place in the market, it could seek further ACT assistance.
Final Report Outline
- Original plan
- Environmental scan
- Mid-project recommendation
- Completion activity
- Final recommendations