Athletic Skills Model
Athletic Skills Model is a Dutch movement education company that licenses a science-based training methodology, certifies 2,000+ instructors, designs sports facilities, and sells branded equipment to coaches, schools, physiotherapists, and senior care programs primarily in the Netherlands with growing UK, Belgian, and Japanese reach.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersLandsmeer, Netherlands
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Athletic Skills Model does
Athletic Skills Model (ASM) is a Dutch private company headquartered in Landsmeer, Netherlands, operating a science-based movement education framework grounded in nonlinear pedagogy and ecological dynamics theory. The company, founded in 2012 on methodology roots dating to 1995 at Ajax, serves sports coaches, physical education teachers, physiotherapists, and community health workers across the Netherlands and selected international markets. ASM operates through two subsidiaries: ASM BV (training and education) and ASM Track BV (facility design and equipment). Its core intellectual property is the Fundamental 10 (Schijf van 10), a taxonomy of ten universal movement skills, supported by eight registered trademarks and book IP published through Routledge and Kanekoshobo. The company runs ASM Academy instructor certifications, ASM Gallery video platform, ASM Campus online learning, and the Masters of Movement community and events program. Facility offerings include Skills Garden outdoor installations and PLAYCE indoor design, with branded equipment distributed via Janssen-Fritsen. Enterprise anchor clients include Ajax, PSV, Heracles Almelo, KNVB, and Almere City in Dutch football; ALO Amsterdam and Sterrenschool Zevenaar in education; and Nationaal Ouderenfonds in senior care via the ASM-OldStars program.
ASM generates revenue through four streams. (1) ASM Academy instructor certification courses priced at €695-€1,095 per course, monetizing the 2,000+ installed base of certified instructors. (2) Masters of Movement community membership at €595/year and festival/event tickets priced at €345-€445. (3) Facility design and consultancy revenue through ASM Track BV for Skills Garden and PLAYCE projects. (4) Branded equipment sales via the Janssen-Fritsen partnership and book royalties. The go-to-market is founder-led and ecosystem-driven: co-founders René Wormhoudt (former S&C coach at Ajax and Dutch national team) and Prof. Dr. Geert Savelsbergh (VU Amsterdam) carry the brand, while the certified instructor network, federation partnerships, and Dutch football club references drive bottom-up adoption. The company operates with 1-10 employees and is not externally funded, indicating a capital-light, founder-controlled operating model.
Athletic Skills Model firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Athletic Skills Model
- Legal name
- Athletic Skills Company BV
- Website
- https://www.athleticskillsmodel.nl/en
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Athletic Skills Model is a Dutch movement education company that licenses a science-based training methodology, certifies 2,000+ instructors, designs sports facilities, and sells branded equipment to coaches, schools, physiotherapists, and senior care programs primarily in the Netherlands with growing UK, Belgian, and Japanese reach.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Athletic Skills Model industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sports Education & Movement Training
- NAICS
- Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Strength & Conditioning / Athletic Performance Training (HSADAEAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Strength & Conditioning / Performance Training (EDALAIAI), Sport-Specific Skills Coaching (e.g., soccer, basketball, tennis) (HSADAEAA), Wellness Program Design & Accountability Coaching (HSADAGAC)
Keywords
Where Athletic Skills Model is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Landsmeer
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
Athletic Skills Model business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- ASM Academy Education Programs: Revenue from instructor certification courses (Advanced, Specialist), policy training, workshops, and ASM-OldStars trainer courses. Programs offered in multiple Dutch cities with accreditation from sports federations. Pricing from €695 to €1,095 per course.
- Masters of Movement Community & Events: Annual community membership and one-time masterclass/event ticket sales. Community membership provides access to all masterclasses and exclusive benefits. The annual Festival (October 2026, Woudenberg) sells tickets at €445 (single), €395/p (4+), €345/p (8+).
- Facility Design & Consultancy (PLAYCE, Skills Garden): Athletic Skills Track BV provides advice and consultancy for the design and development of sports and movement facilities (indoor and outdoor) using ASM principles. Revenue from design projects for schools, clubs, and professional sports organisations.
- ASM-Branded Equipment & Products: Sale of ASM-branded gymnastics equipment through Janssen-Fritsen partnership, books (Dutch, English, Japanese editions published via Routledge and Kanekoshobo), and branded merchandise. Also includes ASM Adaptaball and ASM REV3RSE products.
- Equipment Sales (Athletic Skills Track BV): Athletic Skills Track BV handles the sale of ASM-designed sports equipment, including gymnastics apparatus, as part of the facility design and equipment supply offering.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | ASM Academy Advanced Instructor Course |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | ASM Academy Specialist Instructor Course |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Masters of Movement Festival - Single Ticket |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Masters of Movement Festival - Group (4+) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Masters of Movement Festival - Group (8+) |
| Subscription | Annual | Masters of Movement Community Annual Membership |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Athletic Skills Model product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Athletic Skills Model is a science-based movement education framework company that delivers instructor certification courses, online learning platforms, facility design services (Skills Garden outdoor spaces and PLAYCE indoor facilities), branded training equipment, and a professional community (Masters of Movement) for coaches, physical education teachers, physiotherapists, sports clubs, and elderly care organizations. The methodology combines nonlinear pedagogy and ecological dynamics theory to develop versatile movement skills across sports, education, rehabilitation, and community health.
Product overview
The Athletic Skills Model (ASM) is a movement education methodology combining a core scientific framework with multiple products, platforms, and services. The core consists of the ASM philosophy and the Fundamental 10! concept, which informs all offerings. Educational services include the ASM Academy (instructor certifications, Advanced/Specialist courses, policy training, OldStars), ASM Campus (online learning), and Masters of Movement (masterclasses). Physical products include Skills Garden® (outdoor movement spaces) and PLAYCE® (indoor/outdoor facility design), plus branded equipment like ASM PowerHill®, ASM REV3RSE®, ASM Adaptaball®, and ASM Graphics. Digital platforms include ASM Gallery (video content) and Growth Calculator (development tool). The portfolio targets sports, education, healthcare, and elderly care sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fundamental 10!: A universal concept combining ten basic movement skills within ASM to promote versatile movement, informing structured movement programmes, designing of facilities, and upskilling of professionals.
- Skills Garden
- PLAYCE
- ASM Gallery
- ASM Campus
- ASM-OldStars
- Masters of Movement
- ASM Growth Calculation
- ASM PowerHill
Products and services
- ASM Academy Educational institution offering instructor certification courses (Advanced, Specialist), policy training, workshops, and OldStars trainerscursus for sport, education, and healthcare professionals. Courses held across multiple Dutch cities with accreditation from KNVB and other sports federations.
- ASM Campus Online learning platform for exploring ASM philosophy, scientific principles, and hands-on application through online courses and video content for professional development.
- ASM Gallery Online video platform showcasing thousands of ASM practice videos categorised by ASM Building Blocks, enabling instructors worldwide to share and discover movement education content.
- Skills Garden Tailor-made outdoor movement-friendly public space designed for all ages, featuring artificial turf fields, hills, specialised equipment, urban parks, courts, and natural play areas. Designed and built based on ASM principles for versatile movement. Over 50 locations implemented across the Netherlands and abroad.
- PLAYCE Design and planning service for indoor sports facilities (swimming pools, sports halls, rehabilitation centres) and outdoor sports facilities (multi-courts, padel courts, playgrounds, rehabilitation areas, warm-up fields) that promotes versatile movement through challenging, engaging, and functional spatial design.
- Masters of Movement Annual community of learners subscription and event series featuring masterclasses led by top international coaches, scientists, and medical experts (e.g., Guus Hiddink, Vern Gambetta, Dr. Joe Eisenmann, Prof. Dr. James Rudd, Prof. Dr. Evert Verhagen), plus the annual Masters of Movement Festival.
- ASM-OldStars Movement programme and trainer certification for elderly, delivered in partnership with Nationaal Ouderenfonds, focusing on adapted sports (walking football, basketball, handball, hockey, tennis, table tennis, volleyball, rugby) for 55+ participants. Reaches 7,000-8,000 elderly participants at 435 sports clubs.
- ASM Growth Calculator Online tool to estimate a child's stage of physical development and biological age, supporting responsible training during growth spurts and peak height velocity timing.
Quantifiable outcome
- Research by Joe Eisenmann indicates that bio-banding and training adjustments based on biological age can reduce injury risk by up to 90%
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Athletic Skills Model
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Athletic Skills Model technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Athletic Skills Model partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Nationaal Ouderenfonds (National Seniors Fund)coreASM partnered with the Nationaal Ouderenfonds to develop and deliver the ASM-OldStars trainerscursus, a specialised program for elderly movement. The partnership leverages the fund's OldStars network of 435 sports clubs and 7,000-8,000 elderly participants. ASM provides the content programming from the Schijf van 10! framework.
- Janssen-FritsencoreJanssen-Fritsen manufactures and distributes innovative gymnastics equipment designed by ASM (#DesignedbyASM Gymnastics). The partnership brings variety and creativity to PE, training, fitness, and health settings through purpose-built apparatus. Products are available through the ASM shop and Janssen-Fritsen's distribution network.
- VU Amsterdam (Prof. Dr. Geert Savelsbergh)coreProf. Dr. Geert Savelsbergh, motor learning professor at VU Amsterdam, co-developed the Athletic Skills Model alongside René Wormhoudt in 2012. Savelsbergh serves as founder of ASM and initiatiefnemer of Masters of Movement, providing academic credibility and ongoing research input.
- KNVB (Royal Dutch Football Union)coreThe KNVB hosts ASM Academy courses at the KNVB Campus in Zeist and has an ASM-designed training facility. René Wormhoudt has served as S&C coach for the Dutch national football team (KNVB) for 12 years. The KNVB accreditation is sought for ASM masterclasses.
- Academie voor Lichamelijke Opvoeding (ALO) Amsterdam / Hogeschool van AmsterdamcoreALO Amsterdam hosts ASM Academy instructor courses at its facility, serving as a key venue partner for the Advanced instructor training program. The partnership supports the training of future PE teachers in ASM methodology.
- Hogeschool PXL (Belgium)minorASM partnered with Hogeschool PXL in Belgium to promote better movement education in Belgian schools and sports organisations, extending ASM's geographic reach beyond the Netherlands.
- AFC AjaxcoreAjax was the first professional football club (in 2012) to implement the Skills Garden concept, pioneering ASM's approach in elite football. René Wormhoudt applied ASM at Ajax starting in 1995.
- Heracles AlmelocoreHeracles Almelo opened an ASM-designed Skills Garden (2,000 m² performance environment) at their training complex in November 2024. The second professional football club after Ajax to implement the concept. Funded by 'Vrienden van Heracles' investors.
- Prof. Dr. Geert Savelsbergh (VU Amsterdam)coreCo-author of the book 'Nonlinear Pedagogy and the Athletic Skills Model' alongside Prof. Dr. James Rudd (Norwegian School of Sport Sciences). Savelsbergh positions ASM within ecological dynamics theory and nonlinear pedagogy academic frameworks.
- Prof. Dr. James Rudd (Norwegian School of Sport Sciences)coreProfessor in Physical Education at Norwegian School of Sport Sciences in Oslo. Co-author of 'Nonlinear Pedagogy and the Athletic Skills Model'. Keynote speaker at Masters of Movement Festival 2026, delivering workshops on nonlinear pedagogy in physical education.
- Prof. Dr. Evert VerhagencoreProfessor of Sport, Exercise and Health at Amsterdam UMC; Senior Medical & Anti-Doping Research Expert at UEFA; former Consulting Research Director Performance Medicine at Cirque du Soleil. Keynote speaker at Masters of Movement Festival 2026 on injury prevention.
- Routledge (Taylor & Francis)minorPublisher of the English-language edition of 'The Athletic Skills Model: Optimizing Talent Development Through Movement Education' by Wormhoudt, Savelsbergh, Teunissen, and Davids (9781138707337).
- Kanekoshobo (Japan)minorJapanese publisher of the translated edition of 'The Athletic Skills Model' book, extending ASM's reach into the Japanese market.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Athletic Skills Model competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Functional Movement Systems (FMS): FMS is a movement-assessment and education company that certifies trainers and sells screening tools. It is directly comparable to ASM in that it turns a proprietary movement methodology (Functional Movement Screen) into a paid certification ecosystem serving coaches, physiotherapists, and performance professionals.
- Gray Institute: Gray Institute sells the Applied Functional Science (AFS) movement-based certification curriculum to fitness, rehab, and performance professionals. Highly analogue to ASM's Academy model: a proprietary methodology delivered through paid certification courses and a community of certified practitioners.
- Chek Institute (Paul Chek): C.H.E.K. Institute sells holistic health and corrective-exercise certifications (e.g., C.H.E.K Practitioner, Holistic Lifestyle Coaching) targeted at trainers and physiotherapists. Same go-to-market structure as ASM: a founder-led methodology, paid tiered certifications, and a global practitioner community.
Broad incumbents
- EXOS: EXOS is a global human-performance company that combines elite athletic training, education, and curriculum design (e.g., EXOS Training, Mentorship, certifications). Comparable to ASM in selling a branded movement-preparation methodology and certifying trainers, but at meaningfully larger scale and across multiple geographies.
- NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine): NASM is a major US fitness-education and certification body (CPT, PES, CES) addressing personal trainers, coaches, and physiotherapists. Comparable to ASM as a broad sports-and-fitness certification platform, though offered at a much larger scale and through a more diversified catalogue.
- NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association): NSCA is a global S&C certification body (CSCS, NSCA-CPT) backed by research and journal publishing. Directly comparable to ASM's Academy credentials for the strength-and-conditioning segment, with parallel academic credibility and formal accreditation signals.
- UK Coaching: UK Coaching is the national body for coach education in the UK, providing certified training, CPD, and accreditation to sports coaches. Matches ASM's positioning as a methodology-plus-accreditation platform for working coaches and is a logical geographic-adjacent peer given ASM's UK expansion (UK Coaching articles, PLAYCE Pompey).
Emerging players
- Motus Global: Motus Global (now under K-Motion) provides sensor-based baseball swing-analysis and biomechanics education for coaches. Adjacent to ASM: it layers technology and motion analytics on top of coach certification, similar to how ASM combines scientific methodology with structured instructor training.
- Sportplan: Sportplan is a digital coaching platform with hundreds of sport-specific drills and the Sportplan Coach Academy. Comparable to ASM as a content-plus-education platform for coaches, with a stronger digital-content library and weaker scientific-academic backbone.
Others
- Eleiko: Eleiko is a premium strength-equipment and education brand selling bars, racks, and curriculum to performance facilities. Echoes ASM's hybrid model of selling both an educational curriculum (coaching courses) and proprietary hardware (Skills Garden, ASM PowerHill, equipment via Janssen-Fritsen).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Athletic Skills Model social profiles
Digital presenceAthletic Skills Model financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Athletic Skills Model leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Athletic Skills Model subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Athletic Skills Model funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Athletic Skills Model M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Athletic Skills Model
What does Athletic Skills Model do?
Athletic Skills Model is a science-based movement education framework company that delivers instructor certification courses, online learning platforms, facility design services (Skills Garden outdoor spaces and PLAYCE indoor facilities), branded training equipment, and a professional community (Masters of Movement) for coaches, physical education teachers, physiotherapists, sports clubs, and elderly care organizations. The methodology combines nonlinear pedagogy and ecological dynamics theory to develop versatile movement skills across sports, education, rehabilitation, and community health.
Is Athletic Skills Model a public or private company?
Athletic Skills Model is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Athletic Skills Model founded?
Athletic Skills Model was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Athletic Skills Model based?
Athletic Skills Model is headquartered in Landsmeer, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Athletic Skills Model make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. ASM Academy Education Programs are the primary driver. The others are masters of Movement Community & Events, facility Design & Consultancy (PLAYCE, Skills Garden), ASM-Branded Equipment & Products and equipment Sales (Athletic Skills Track BV).
Who are Athletic Skills Model's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Functional Movement Systems (FMS), Gray Institute and Chek Institute (Paul Chek). Broad incumbents are EXOS, NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) and UK Coaching. Emerging players are Motus Global and Sportplan. Eleiko is listed as an others.
Does Athletic Skills Model have an API?
No public API is recorded for Athletic Skills Model.
What industry is Athletic Skills Model in?
Athletic Skills Model's product category is Sports Education & Movement Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSADAEAB, Strength & Conditioning / Athletic Performance Training, with a secondary code of EDALAIAI, Strength & Conditioning / Performance Training. Its NAICS code is 61162 and its SIC code is 8200.