3STEP Sports Acquires Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy

Elite Club and Event Operator a Major Addition to Volleyball Group

ANDOVER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--3STEP Sports, the nation’s largest and most impactful youth sports club and event operator, has acquired Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy, adding another nationally-recognized organization to the company’s growing volleyball vertical.

Michigan Elite was founded in 2010 by a group of dads who sought better opportunities and experiences for their children. Steve Sack and Scott Conrad were part of that original group who started Michigan Elite with 50 teams. Sack, whose background is in IT and youth sports, concentrated on the day-to-day operations of the business, while Conrad whose background is in finance helped make the club financially stable.

The formula worked as Michigan Elite tripled its number of teams and revenue in the first eight years. The club now has 150 teams and operates out of two primary locations: The United Wholesale Mortgage Sports Complex, an eight-court, 95,000 square foot facility in Pontiac, MI; and the Trinity Health Sports Complex at Schoolcraft College, an eight-court, 65,000 square foot space. Michigan Elite also has two satellite locations in Washington Township, MI, and Midland, MI.

“We’ve been very cautious about the growth of our club because we want to keep the experience the same for everyone,” said Conrad. “It has been important to us that we remain focused on training and preparing kids for not only the next level, whatever that next level is, but also developing the entire athlete.

“Joining the 3Step family affords Michigan Elite athletes, teams, and coaches to be part a larger collection of outstanding clubs, which includes Munciana, KIVA, FaR Out, K2, The Academy and several other 3Step programs. While we will still compete on the court, we will work collectively to strengthen our organizations and further establish Michigan Elite’s status as the premier club in the area.”

Added Sack, “We invest a lot in our people. Our people are our product. We’ve built a team of coaches who truly care about the kids and we make sure that there is support at every level. We all work together and we have an incredibly hard-working administrative team that sets the table for our coaches.”

In addition to the club, which includes five boys teams, Michigan Elite hosts tournaments and power leagues 20 weekends a year. Motor City Madness is its largest tournament with 600 teams, followed closely by the President’s Day Challenge—which Michigan Elite co-hosts with 3STEP clubs Munciana and FaR Out—with 560 teams. There is also the Great Lakes Festival (350 teams) and the Erie and Michiana power leagues.

“Michigan Elite, led by Kristin Eddy and Vince Muscat, is one of the top clubs in the country,” said 3STEP Founder and Executive Chairman David Geaslen. “The staff and coaches they have are incredible. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome them to the 3STEP family and add them to the best group of volleyball clubs in the nation.”

ABOUT 3STEP SPORTS

The reach of 3STEP Sports LLC spans 43 states and serves more than 3.2 million athletes across nine sports through industry-leading events, nationally spanning club programs, premier media content and more. 3STEP was founded by David Geaslen, who sought to create better experiences and more opportunities for athletes and their families. The mission of 3STEP is to be the standard of the youth sports experience and create consistency in the industry. 3STEP also partners with the non-profit charity Mission Win, which aims to transform the lives of children through sports participation, leadership training and professional development. To learn more about 3STEP Sports, go to www.threestep.com. For more on Michigan Elite, go to www.mielite.com.