Launchpad Tennis

What Launchpad Tennis does

Launchpad Tennis is a privately-held, single-site indoor tennis facility operator headquartered at 5400 West Central Avenue in Toledo, Ohio, founded in 2020 by Zach Barden and currently led by CEO & Co-Founder Dan Barden and Director of Tennis & Partner Cole Shoults. The company operates Launchpad Central, a 5-court indoor hard tennis facility with brand-new LED overhead lighting (installed April 2023), a renovated lounge with 5 HDTVs and a wet-bar, an on-site pro-shop with racket stringing, a Playmate iGenie programmable ball machine, and full 4K video recording capability. Its programming portfolio spans a structured seven-tier Junior Development Pathway (Red, Orange, Green, Yellow, Challengers, Next Gen, Summer Academy / World Tour), Adult Intro and Intermediate courses, drop-in classes (Live Ball, Cardio Tennis, 3.0+ Drills), private and semi-private lessons ($72–$125/hour), USTA League team coordination, and pickleball programming under the "Launchpickle" sub-brand.

The business generates revenue through a diversified mix of monthly memberships ($43.10–$145.46/month across Junior, Adult Individual, Couple, and Family tiers), usage-based court rentals ($48–$64/hour), session-based junior and adult courses ($100–$525/session), drop-in classes ($15–$25), pickleball lessons and court rentals, ball machine rentals, gift certificates, pro-shop retail and stringing, USTA league coordination fees, and a distribution arrangement selling Toledo Tennis Club (TTC) first-time memberships. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the facility front desk, phone/text, a Squarespace e-commerce storefront, and the BallButton mobile app; summer programming (June–mid-August) is hosted at the partner TTC's 15-court outdoor facility in Ottawa Hills. Reciprocal member-pricing agreements with Inverness Club, Sylvania Country Club, and TTC broaden the addressable member base. The company is organized under two Ohio LLCs (Launchpad Tennis, LLC and Launchpad Operations, LLC), employs 11–50 staff, and has no disclosed institutional funding, parent company, or M&A activity.

Name

Launchpad Tennis

Legal name

Launchpad Tennis, LLC

Website

https://launchpadtennis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Launchpad Tennis operates a single 5-court indoor tennis facility in Toledo, Ohio, offering memberships, a structured junior development pathway, adult courses, drop-in classes, private lessons, USTA leagues, and pickleball programming for recreational and competitive players in the Toledo market.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tennis Facility Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Tennis & Racquet Sports Clubs (Tennis, Padel, Pickleball, Squash) (MPAKABAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tennis & Racquet Sports Facilities (MPAKAEAE)

Keywords

• Indoor tennis facility
• Junior tennis development
• Tennis instruction services
• Court rental services
• Tennis membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Toledo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Monthly Memberships: Recurring monthly dues with four tiers — Junior ($43.10), Adult Individual ($75.43), Couple ($129.30), and Family ($145.46) — including sales tax, freely cancellable with notice before month-end. Provides recurring subscription revenue and a member base for walk-on court time, discounts, and member events.
2. Court Time Rentals: One-off and Permanent Court Time (PCT) rentals priced at $48/hour (members and summer) and $64/hour (non-members indoor); PCT available to members of Launchpad, Inverness, TTC and Sylvania CC. Cancellation policies with 24-hour notice.
3. Private and Semi-Private Lessons: $72/hour for staff pros, $125/hour for Director of Tennis Cole Shoults; semi-private for up to 4 people at the same flat rate; larger groups priced per participant ($15/hour, $22.50/1.5hr); 30% retained by Launchpad for court/operations.
4. Junior Group Courses (Red / Orange / Green / Yellow / Challengers / Next Gen / Summer Academy): Session-based (5- or 6-week) recurring group instruction sold per day per week at $20/hour (members) or $25/hour (non-members), with advanced classes up to $525/session (Summer Academy non-members).
5. Adult Courses (Intro and Intermediate): 6-week structured courses priced at $120 ($100 for courses with July 4th off); includes automatic Launchpad Membership for the duration of the course for up to 18 total weeks across Intro/Intermediate.
6. Drop-In Classes (Live Ball, Cardio Tennis, 3.0+ Drills): Walk-up/online drop-in classes priced $15–$25 per class depending on duration and membership status; booked via BallButton app, phone, or text.
7. Pickleball Programming and Court Rentals: Pickleball private lessons ($36/$72/$96) and court rentals at $48/hour for both courts; complimentary walk-on time for Launchpad members.
8. Ball Machine Rentals: $20/hour walk-on (members indoor), $48/hour reserved, $64/hour non-members indoor, $48/hour summer; reciprocity pricing for Inverness, Sylvania CC, TTC members.
9. Gift Certificates: Denominations from $10 to $300 redeemable across all Launchpad offerings including classes, lessons, pro shop goods, and racket restringing; no expiration.
10. TTC Membership Distribution: Launchpad sells Toledo Tennis Club first-time memberships on its website ($76.50–$850 tiers) acting as a distribution channel for TTC.
11. Pro-Shop Retail and Racket Stringing: On-site sale of rackets, apparel, tennis balls, grips and quick-turnaround racket stringing services.
12. USTA League Coordination: Facility collects USTA Membership referral ($44/year), league fees (~$50), and an $18 court fee per match from league participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Launchpad Tennis operates Launchpad Central, a 5-court indoor hard tennis facility in Toledo, Ohio, offering year-round tennis programming including junior group courses, adult courses, drop-in fitness classes, private lessons, court rentals, ball machine time, USTA league teams, and pickleball programming. The business also resells Toledo Tennis Club (TTC) memberships and runs summer outdoor programming at TTC's 15-court facility.

Product overview

Launchpad Tennis operates Launchpad Central, a single 5-court indoor tennis facility located at 5400 West Central Avenue in Toledo, Ohio, and runs a unified suite of tennis programming products and services centered on that facility (with summer programming also hosted outdoors at the Toledo Tennis Club). Its portfolio is structured as a core facility plus several program modules: membership tiers (Junior, Adult Individual, Couple, Family), group instruction (Junior Courses broken into Red Ball, Orange Ball, Green Ball, Yellow Ball, Challengers, Next Gen, and Summer Academy; Adult Courses split into Adult Intro and Adult Intermediate), drop-in fitness and point-play classes (Live Ball, Cardio Tennis, 3.0+ Drills), Private Lessons and Private Group Lessons, USTA League teams, Court Time / Permanent Court Time rentals, Ball Machine rentals, Pickleball courts and lessons, Junior Development Pathway, a Pro-Shop, Gift Certificates, and an optional 4K Video Content production service. These products interlock: memberships unlock walk-on time and discounts across the rental, lesson, and drop-in products; the Junior Development Pathway governs progression between Red/Orange/Green/Yellow Ball, Challengers, Next Gen, and Summer Academy modules; and Adult Intro/Intermediate course participants automatically receive Launchpad Membership for the duration of their course to bridge into Drop-In Classes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Launchpickle: The branded pickleball programming offering at Launchpad Tennis, referenced on the Pickleball page.

Products and services

• Launchpad Central Indoor Tennis Facility 5-court indoor hard tennis facility featuring new LED overhead lighting, divider nets, court nets, a renovated lounge with 5 HDTVs, a wet-bar serving food and beverages, and an on-site pro-shop with racket stringing.
• Junior Membership Monthly membership for players 18 years old or younger priced at $43.10/month (incl. sales tax), providing free walk-on court time, discounts on court rental, and discounts on Launchpad Tennis programming.
• Adult Individual Membership Monthly membership for a single adult priced at $75.43/month (incl. sales tax), providing free walk-on court time, discounts on court rental, and discounts on Launchpad programming.
• Couple Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 indoor hard tennis courts operating year-round with new LED lighting installed April 2023
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Toledo Tennis Club (TTC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerToledo Tennis Club, founded in 1885 (15th oldest tennis club in the U.S.), is Launchpad's primary summer operating partner. Launchpad runs all of its summer junior and adult programming at TTC's outdoor facility (corner of Talmadge and Indian Roads, Ottawa Hills), which has 10 Har-Tru and 5 hard tennis courts plus 4 pickleball courts. Launchpad also resells TTC first-time memberships on its website ($76.50–$850 for the 2025 season).
• Inverness ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReciprocal pricing partnership. Members of Inverness Club automatically receive Launchpad Member Pricing on One-Off Court Time, Permanent Court Time, and Ball Machine reservations. Lisa "LB" Bialorucki is also Tennis Director at Inverness during the outdoor season and serves as Launchpad's co-head pro for the indoor season.
• Sylvania Country ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReciprocal pricing partnership. Members of Sylvania Country Club automatically receive Launchpad Member Pricing on One-Off Court Time, Permanent Court Time, and Ball Machine reservations. Head Pro Jeff Harst serves concurrently as Director of Tennis at Sylvania Country Club.
• BallButton (mobile app)coreTechnology or IntegrationLaunchpad recommends the BallButton app (Apple App Store and Google Play) as the primary self-serve booking surface for all drop-in classes. Users set up a profile, navigate to Lessons, and sign up for Live Ball, Cardio Tennis, or 3.0+ Drills directly inside the app.
• Zacharias Barden Legacy FoundationminorOthersNonprofit foundation created by the family of Launchpad Founder Zach Barden (who passed away November 8, 2022) through the Greater Toledo Community Foundation. Supports good works in areas of his passions including improving tennis and fitness opportunities for community members.
• University of Toledo Men's Tennis TeamcoreOthersLaunchpad Director Cole Shoults played for UT Men's Tennis from 2018–2022 and captained the team 2020–2022. UT Head Coach Al Wermer endorsed Cole's return to Launchpad. Launchpad Cat Rhegness is currently on the UT Women's Tennis team as an NCAA D1 player.
• Gooding Todero Academy (Orlando, FL)minorOthersDirector Cole Shoults coached at Gooding Todero Academy in Orlando, FL after graduating from UT in 2022, training under current ATP/WTA coaches and working with top USTA/ITF juniors before rejoining Launchpad.
• Rockets CaféminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal restaurant at 2023 N Reynolds Road founded by Launchpad Top Pro Ali Merhi; cross-promoted on the Team page as a complementary local business ("Tennis, teamwork, and passion are his constants").
• Orchard Lake Country ClubminorOthersJeff Harst previously served as Director of Tennis and Paddle at the Orchard Lake Country Club before joining Launchpad as a Head Pro.
• Central Catholic High SchoolminorOthersHead Pro Lisa "LB" Bialorucki has coached the Central Catholic Varsity Girls' Tennis Team for over 20 seasons (in addition to playing both tennis and basketball at Central Catholic herself and being inducted into the Central Catholic Hall of Fame).
• Start High School (Toledo Public Schools)minorOthersTop Pro Matt Damschroder has been head coach of Start High School's tennis program for 15 years and serves as Launchpad's director of compression-ball courses and runs adult beginner clinics. He is also a teacher in Toledo Public Schools.
• Indiana University EastminorOthersHead of Academy Development Sebastian Torrealba is a former college tennis player for Indiana University East (graduated 2022, Business degree); junior career ITF Junior Circuit world ranking 1207.
• Bowling Green State University (BGSU)minorOthersHead Pro Jeff Harst completed his USPTA certification at age 19 and earned a BS in Education (Recreation Administration and Sports Management) at BGSU.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• BallButton: Mobile booking app used by tennis and pickleball facilities for self-serve class registration. Launchpad recommends BallButton as its primary booking surface for drop-in classes — enabling technology rather than competitor.
• USTA (United States Tennis Association): National governing body for tennis that sanctions leagues and tournaments — Launchpad acts as a USTA League home club and collects referral/league fees. Important ecosystem partner rather than a competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Life Time Fitness: National premium fitness club chain operating indoor tennis courts, lessons, leagues, and junior programming at most locations. Overlaps with Launchpad on indoor tennis programming and membership model, but as part of a much broader fitness portfolio.
• IMG Academy (Nick Bollettieri Tennis): Premier multi-sport academy with a renowned high-performance tennis program (college-prep, ITF/ATP pathway). Comparable to Launchpad's Summer Academy / World Tour tier but at vastly larger scale and national draw.

Emerging players

• TGA Premier Tennis: Youth tennis franchise bringing coached tennis programming into schools and communities nationwide. Overlaps with Launchpad's junior compression-ball pathway but operates via after-school and franchise model rather than owned facility.

Direct peers

• Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC): Non-profit junior tennis training center with a codified long-term player development pathway and collegiate placement track. Comparable to Launchpad's structured Junior Development Pathway on a larger scale.
• Midtown Tennis Club: Multi-court indoor tennis club in Chicago offering year-round programming, junior pathways, lessons, leagues, and drop-in classes. Closely analogous to Launchpad's mix of facility, structured junior development, and adult recreational/competitive programming.
• Court 16: Boutique indoor tennis club concept founded in Brooklyn with a strong focus on juniors and adult beginners, offering structured curricula and modern facility design. Closely mirrors Launchpad's indoor-club + pathway model in a different metro.

Regional players

• Rochester Athletic Club: Mid-sized Midwest athletic club operating indoor tennis courts, lessons, leagues, and junior programming. Comparable scope and Midwest-club positioning to Launchpad.
• Five Seasons Family Sports Club: Multi-location indoor tennis and fitness club in the Midwest offering lessons, leagues, junior programming, and court rentals. Comparable to Launchpad on indoor tennis programming within a Midwestern geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/launchpad.tennis
• Instagraminstagram.com/launchpad.tennis
• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=EpWbTogEEhg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/launchpad-tennis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Launchpad Tennis