In episode 30, Erica Barnes, the director of business development at NinjaZone, details about challenges and opportunities facing community recreation centers. Specifically, she explains demand from families is strong, but many centers struggle to align with what they truly want — high-quality, affordable and inclusive family programming that engages all ages. She argues marketing is often blamed unfairly, and the real issues are program quality, retention and staff engagement, including continuous staff education.
Barnes outlines best practices she sees among successful centers: offering kids programs that demonstrate visible progress, creating programming that genuinely appeals to children and making operations easier so staff aren’t constantly scrambling to fill schedules. She highlights a major industry trend toward non-traditional, inclusive activities serving kids who aren’t drawn to traditional sports.
NinjaZone fits this shift by providing inclusive family programming plus a comprehensive support system. They tailor implementations to each center’s goals and spaces, from racquetball courts to aquatic viewing areas. Barnes’ key advice is to start thoughtfully, choose partners carefully, plan long term and avoid last-minute program launches that burden staff.
Watch the podcast now for expert advice from an industry thought leader.
Enjoy!
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