The only real snag you might have when starting is finding a place for your training business.  

And this will probably be the hardest part for you if you’re just getting started.  After that, everything else is easier. 

The specific sport you coach will dictate where you conduct  your training sessions. Some are easier to find places for than others.

For my basketball lessons, I had problems finding a school that would let me use a gym.  

All the public schools were dead ends.  

I don’t know about your area, but in mine, I think they are kind of “backward” in their thinking.  I won’t go into detail here, but they wouldn’t even give me a chance.

It took me over 3 months to find a gym. 

Renting facilities at a private school

So let me give you advice based on my experience: try to find a private school who will rent you the gym or let you use space (a field if you are doing outside sports) on their property.

Find out what it costs to rent the gym or use their facility.  

Then try to make a deal with the head of the school or athletic director where you’ll give discounts to the players at their school if you can use the gym or field for discounted rental fees.  

You’ll have to decide what fees you can pay for renting the facilities, and what you can charge for your services in your area, so make sure the numbers work out for you.

If you go this route, you will have a built-in customer base you can tap into. 

Private schools have a built-in customer base for the training you provide

The private school where you are using the facilities probably has enough students who are interested in getting individualized personal training.

Can you use outdoor facilities?

I’ve never had to do this, but if forced to, I would have used an outdoor court for my basketball training.  

It’s nice to have an indoor court because then you don’t have to worry about canceling lessons if there is bad weather.

But if forced to, I would have used an outdoor court.  I know several coaches who do that for their lessons.

If you coach a sport that doesn’t require a gym to be the place for your training business, that’s even better.  

You can usually use a school’s field (if their team isn’t using it – just get permission or ask if you can rent time) or find a public park area with some space.  

For example, if you teach baseball pitching, you can get a pitching mound rubber, a home plate, and a backstop net and go to a park with open space.

Getting space in athletic clubs / YMCA

Another option is to find a local YMCA or athletic club that has space and time slots for you to rent.

You might run into a problem with time slots available for doing your lessons and training.

If you have to go this route, approach the facility manager about setting up skills clinics for players.  

You’ll be more likely to get to rent the facilities if you explain how it will benefit their members or explain to them that you’ll be bringing money in for them.

The best place for your training business?

No matter where you conduct your training, the best place is the one that you can use.

You might have to use more than one site.

And each location might have its own problems (times available, equipment, travel distance, dealing with outdoor elements).

But as long as you focus on teaching the skills that each athlete needs, and you are able to do that at whatever location you have, that is the most important thing.