Star Sport Academies

What Star Sport Academies does

Star Sport Academies, operating as Shooting Star Sports Services LLC, is a Dubai-headquartered multi-sport youth academy that delivers professional coaching in football, basketball, badminton, gymnastics, and volleyball to children aged 3-18 across Dubai and Sharjah. Founded in 2017 by Anees Makrous (UEFA B Coaching Licence, FA Level 1/2/3), the company runs five sport-specific sub-brands (Star Football Academy, Star Basketball Academy, Star Badminton Academy, Star Rhythmic Gymnastics Club, Star Volleyball Academy) under a unified parent brand. It operates 43+ training locations spanning Al Barsha, Mirdif, Al Warqaa, Silicon Oasis, Mudon, Jadaf, Al Quoz, and Al Qusais, supplemented by partner school venues, and currently serves 3,000+ enrolled children with a roster of 30+ nationally and internationally certified coaches including three Level 3 Designated Safeguarding Leads.

The technology platform is mobile-first and consists of five sport-specific apps plus dedicated parent and coach apps that provide progress tracking, fitness assessments, coach feedback, session schedules, match invitations, online payments, nutrition guidance, and player profiles. Two proprietary platforms extend the stack: Custom League Software for managing matches, team progress, and rankings, and the Book With Star facility-booking platform for venue reservations and event organization. Affiliations with the UAE Football, Basketball, and Badminton Federations, registration with the General Authority of Sports (GAS), Dubai DED licensing with public liability insurance, and an NSPCC-aligned safeguarding framework with police-cleared coaches provide regulatory and trust infrastructure.

Revenue is generated through a direct-to-consumer model with multiple streams: recurring training session fees via multi-week subscription packages (4 to 40 weeks), seasonal sports camps (Summer, Winter, Spring, Mid-Term, Eid), tiered birthday party packages (Silver AED 2,000, Gold AED 2,750, Platinum AED 3,500), facility booking transaction fees via Book With Star, mandatory new-season uniform kit sales, and private one-to-one coaching. Go-to-market is multi-channel: website direct registration, mobile app stores, WhatsApp Business, on-site enrollment at training venues, and school partnership channels, supported by parent testimonials and international tournament participation (Gothia Cup, Paris World Games, Neon Cup) for brand visibility. Customer segments include children/families (primary) and schools/educational institutions (secondary channel).

Name

Star Sport Academies

Legal name

Shooting Star Sports Services LLC

Website

https://starsportacademies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Star Sport Academies is a Dubai-headquartered multi-sport youth academy delivering professional football, basketball, badminton, gymnastics, and volleyball coaching to 3,000+ children aged 3-18 across 43+ locations in Dubai and Sharjah, supported by a mobile app suite and proprietary league software.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Sports Training & Coaching Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF), Elite Performance Training Centers (High-Performance/Pro Prep) (MPAKAJAC)

Keywords

• Youth sports coaching
• Multi-sport academy
• Football training programs
• Basketball coaching
• School sports partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Training Session Fees: Recurring fees for structured sports training programs across football, basketball, badminton, volleyball, and gymnastics. Flexible payment packages from 4 to 40 weeks.
2. Sports Camps: Multi-sport and single-sport camps during school holidays including Summer, Winter, Spring, Mid-Term, and Eid camps.
3. Birthday Party Packages: Sports-themed birthday party packages (Silver AED 2,000, Gold AED 2,750, Platinum AED 3,500) with customizable themes, activities, decorations, catering options.
4. Facility Booking: Booking of sports facilities including football fields, cricket grounds, squash courts through the Book With Star platform.
5. Uniforms and Kits: Mandatory new season kits required every September for all participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Star Sport Academies runs professional coaching programs in football, basketball, badminton, gymnastics, and volleyball for children aged 3-18 across 43+ locations in Dubai and Sharjah. The offering packages recurring training sessions (4 to 40 weeks), seasonal sports camps, sports-themed birthday parties, and private one-to-one coaching, with all scheduling, progress tracking, and payments handled through a proprietary mobile app suite and the Book With Star booking platform.

Product overview

Star Sport Academies operates as a multi-sport youth development organization offering five core sport programs under dedicated sub-brands: Star Football Academy, Star Basketball Academy, Star Badminton Academy, Star Rhythmic Gymnastics Club, and Star Volleyball Academy. These programs share a common technology platform anchored by the Star Academy Mobile App suite, which provides unified progress tracking, coach feedback, and scheduling across all sports. Additional offerings include the Book With Star venue booking platform, Star Sport Camps seasonal programs, sports birthday party packages, private one-to-one coaching, and proprietary Custom League Software for match and ranking management. The portfolio is unified under a single parent brand (Star Sport Academies) while maintaining sport-specific identities and dedicated apps.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Star Football Academy: Specialized football training academy for boys and girls aged 3-18, offering professional coaching, league matches, and international tournament participation including Gothia Cup and Paris World Games.
• Star Basketball Academy
• Star Badminton Academy
• Star Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy
• Star Volleyball Academy
• Book With Star
• Star Sport Camps

Products and services

• Star Football Academy Professional football coaching program for boys and girls aged 3-18, offering structured training, weekend matches, league games, and international tournament participation.
• Star Basketball Academy Structured basketball development program for boys and girls aged 5-18 with weekly sessions, league competitions, and the Star Basketball League hosted at RIT University and Jumeirah Baccalaureate School.
• Star Badminton Academy Badminton training program for boys and girls aged 5-18 with performance assessments, personalized skill targets, weekly Saturday tournaments, and competitive development pathways.
• Star Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy Rhythmic gymnastics program for girls aged 5-18 focusing on strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination, with performances and local and international competitions.
• Star Volleyball Academy Volleyball training program for boys and girls aged 5-18 offering strength and agility testing, performance targets, competitive matches, and UAE Federation competition participation.
• Star Academy Mobile App Suite Comprehensive mobile application suite with dedicated apps for each sport (Football, Basketball, Badminton, Volleyball, Gymnastics) plus Parent and Coach apps, enabling parents to track progress, view schedules, receive coach feedback, access performance reports, and manage payments.
• Book With Star Facility booking platform providing access to top sports venues in Dubai for training sessions, friendly matches, private events, and sports-themed birthday parties, with dual apps for players and organizers.
• Star Sport Camps Multi-sport seasonal camps covering Summer, Winter, Spring, Mid-Term, and Eid holidays for ages 4-18, with fully indoor air-conditioned venues and optional transport with live GPS tracking.
• Sports Birthday Party Packages Customizable sports-themed birthday party packages (Silver AED 2,000, Gold AED 2,750, Platinum AED 3,500) including organized sports activities, themed decorations, catering options, entertainment, and professional coaches.
• Private One-to-One Coaching Intensive personalized coaching sessions available in Football, Badminton, Gymnastics, and Volleyball for players seeking focused individual development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000+ young athletes currently enrolled and developing skills
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Uptown International SchoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSchool sports partnership providing sports programs, PE classes, and after-school activities. Star Sport Academies serves as the chosen sports partner for the school.
• RIT University DubaicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for Star Basketball League and sports programs. Star serves as the university's sports program provider.
• GEMS Founders SchoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSchool sports partnership providing sports programs and after-school activities.
• Jumeira Baccalaureate SchoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for Star Basketball League and sports programs.
• Sharjah Wanderers ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSports venue partner and sports program collaborator in Sharjah.
• UAE Football FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial affiliation ensuring programs meet national governing-body standards. Required for league registrations and tournament participation.
• UAE Basketball FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial affiliation ensuring programs meet national governing-body standards.
• UAE Badminton FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial affiliation ensuring programs meet national governing-body standards.
• General Authority of Sports (GAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial registration as a recognized sports academy under UAE sports governance.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• La Liga Academy Dubai: La Liga's official youth football development program with a Dubai presence. Competes directly with Star Football Academy for premium expatriate families seeking elite coaching and globally recognized football pathways in the UAE.
• Manchester City Football Schools UAE: Premier League club's branded youth football training program operating in the UAE. Targets the same 3–18 age group with structured coaching, international tournament pathways and globally credible brand cachet — direct competitor for high-end football enrollment.
• Koora Football Academy: UAE-based youth football academy operating training programs across Dubai and the wider region. Comparable direct competitor for football coaching market share, school partnerships and weekend league participation.
• British Football Academy UAE: Dubai-headquartered football academy offering year-round coaching, camps and leagues for children. Direct peer in the youth football segment with overlapping school channels and venue-based model.
• Future Sports Academy Dubai: UAE multi-sport youth academy offering football, basketball and other sports programs. Closest direct competitor to Star's multi-sport positioning for Dubai families seeking bundled youth sports access.
• Little Kickers: Global franchise running early-years football programs (ages 18 months to 7 years) across multiple countries. Comparable model for the foundational, parent-paid toddler segment that feeds into Star's 3–18 pipeline.
• Champions UK Football Academy Dubai: UK-franchised youth football coaching provider with Dubai operations. Targets similar age groups with after-school, weekend and holiday programs, competing for the same school partnership and parent-pay segments.

Broad incumbents

• ASPIRE Academy: Large, well-funded elite multi-sport youth development academy in Doha, Qatar. Sets the regional benchmark for talent pathways, federation ties and infrastructure, indirectly defining the premium tier in which Star's competitive squads compete.
• IMG Academy: US-based global leader in youth sports education across multiple disciplines. Comparable as a multi-sport, technology-enabled youth development brand with strong international tournament pipelines and a benchmark for Star's longer-term global aspirations.

Emerging players

• Sportsetta: Tech-enabled sports booking and youth academy marketplace operating in the MENA region. Comparable as a digital layer on top of facility booking and academy discovery that overlaps with Star's Book With Star platform and app-driven parent experience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 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 Star Sport Academies