The Winter Club Of Lake Forest

What The Winter Club Of Lake Forest does

The Winter Club of Lake Forest is a private, member-owned family recreation club incorporated in Illinois in 1902 (with a letter of incorporation dated July 8, 1902) and operated continuously since then from a single campus at 956 N. Sheridan Road, Lake Forest, Illinois. The club serves member families primarily in the Lake Forest and Lake Bluff communities of Northern Illinois through five core program divisions: Early Childhood Programs (a 50+ year play-based preschool for ages 3-5 with Kids Corner and Pre-K enrichment), Hockey (a 75+ year Tier II youth travel program spanning Mite through Bantam, plus Learn to Skate, Learn to Play, and a Figure Skating Academy), Racquets (tennis, pickleball, and platform tennis), Aquatics (pool and swim programming), and seasonal Camps. The Grille To-Go Menu provides food service under an Executive Chef. Revenue is generated entirely through membership dues, program fees, and on-site food and beverage sales — pricing is not publicly disclosed and the club relies on word-of-mouth referrals rather than formal marketing channels.

The club's operational backbone relies on industry-standard club-management and youth-sports software rather than proprietary technology: Buz Club Software powers the main membership platform and website, while Crossbar powers the dedicated hockey program site (wchockey.org) for registration, scheduling, and team management. No proprietary technology, AI/ML systems, patents, or technology IP are disclosed; the competitive differentiation is embodied in the physical facilities (artificial ice rinks installed 1959 and renovated 1989, four platform tennis courts, multiple tennis courts, swimming pool, preschool outdoor classrooms) and the 120-year institutional knowledge of running youth athletic and educational programs.

Governance is carried out by a General Manager (Chris Nickerson) supported by a Controller & Membership officer, Executive Chef, and program-level Directors covering Youth Programs, Hockey, Racquets, Preschool, Figure Skating, Events, and Facilities/Rinks. The ownership structure is consistent with a traditional private members club, with no parent company, no private equity or venture capital investment, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed funding rounds. The club is affiliated with multiple amateur hockey governing bodies (USA Hockey, AAU Ice Hockey, AHAI, NAIHF, Chicago United Hockey) to support competitive participation, and historical competitive milestones include State Championships in 1965 and 1968 with appearances at national championships in Lake Placid and Edina.

Name

The Winter Club Of Lake Forest

Legal name

The Winter Club of Lake Forest

Website

https://thewinterclub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1902

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Winter Club of Lake Forest is a 120+ year-old private member-owned family recreation club in Lake Forest, Illinois, offering youth hockey, figure skating, tennis, pickleball, platform tennis, aquatics, preschool, and summer camps to member families in the Lake Forest and Lake Bluff communities of Northern Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Family Recreation Club Services

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Winter Sports & Snow Training Schools (Ski, Snowboard, Ice Sports) (MPAKAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA), Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA), Club Sports Programs (EDALAIAB), Recreational & Intramural Sports Programs (MPAKACAG)

Keywords

• Private club membership
• Youth hockey programs
• Preschool education
• Racquet sports programs
• Family recreation facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Forest

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

The Winter Club of Lake Forest operates as a private family recreation club providing athletic and recreational programs to its member families. Core program divisions include Early Childhood Programs (play-based preschool for ages 3-5 with extended-care enrichment), Hockey (Tier II travel hockey for Mite through Bantam levels, plus Learn to Skate, Learn to Play, and a Figure Skating Academy), Racquets (tennis, pickleball, platform tennis, and private lessons), Aquatics (pool programming), Camp Programs, and on-site food service (The Grille To-Go). Programs are delivered on-site at the club's single campus in Lake Forest, IL and emphasize skill development, sportsmanship, teamwork, and long-term character development with a primary focus on the needs of children.

Product overview

The Winter Club of Lake Forest is a private family recreation club offering multiple program divisions: Early Childhood Programs (preschool, Kids Corner, Pre-Kindergarten), Hockey (travel hockey, learn to skate, figure skating), Racquets (tennis, pickleball), Aquatics, and Camps. The club also provides food service via The Grille To-Go. Programs serve members and their families with a primary focus on youth development through athletics and recreational activities. The club operates its hockey program through a dedicated website (wchockey.org) using the Crossbar platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Winter Club Hockey: A youth travel hockey program operating for over 75 years, providing Tier II youth hockey at mite, squirt, pee wee, and bantam levels. Operates from the same location at 956 N. Sheridan Road, Lake Forest, IL 60045.

Products and services

• Early Childhood Programs Play-based preschool program for children ages 3-5, including mixed-age classroom environment, outdoor learning activities, and seasonal skating/sledding. Programs run September through May with options for extended care via Kids Corner and Pre-Kindergarten enrichment. The preschool has been part of the Winter Club tradition for over 50 years.
• Hockey Programs
• Racquets Programs

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.

• USA HockeycoreOthersThe Winter Club Hockey program is affiliated with USA Hockey, one of the national governing bodies for amateur hockey in the United States. The hockey program participates under USA Hockey guidelines and standards.
• AAU Ice HockeycoreOthersThe Winter Club Hockey program is affiliated with AAU Ice Hockey, providing additional competitive league participation and governance for youth hockey.
• American Hockey Association (AHAI)coreOthersThe Winter Club Hockey program is affiliated with AHAI, the governing body for amateur hockey in Illinois, facilitating participation in state championships and regional competitions.
• North American Ice Hockey Federation (NAIHF)coreOthersThe Winter Club Hockey program maintains affiliation with NAIHF, supporting competitive travel hockey programs at the Tier II level.
• Chicago United HockeyminorOthersThe Winter Club Hockey program is affiliated with Chicago United Hockey, a local hockey organization providing league play and competitive opportunities in the Chicago area.
• Buz Club SoftwaresupportingTechnology or IntegrationThe Winter Club's website and member management systems are powered by Buz Club Software, a club management software provider for private clubs.
• CrossbarsupportingTechnology or IntegrationThe Winter Club Hockey program website is powered by Crossbar, a hockey club management platform that provides registration, scheduling, and team management functionality.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Sunset Ridge Country Club: Private family-oriented country club in Northfield, IL offering swimming, tennis, dining, and youth programs — comparable North Shore private club with similar multi-generational member economics.
• Exmoor Country Club: Established private country club in Highland Park, IL with golf, racquets, aquatics, dining, and youth programming — comparable North Shore private club serving a similar affluent family demographic with a slightly broader portfolio.
• Skokie Country Club: Private member club in Glencoe, IL with racquets, aquatics, dining, and youth programming — comparable North Shore private family club in an adjacent affluent suburb.
• North Shore Country Club: Glenview, IL-based private country club with golf, racquets, swimming, dining, and family programming — comparable North Shore private club with multi-generational membership and similar dues-driven economics.

Direct peers

• Indian Hill Club: Private member club in Winnetka, IL on Chicago's North Shore offering racquets, aquatics, dining, and family programming — comparable multi-generational private club serving an adjacent affluent Lake County/Cook County market.
• Knollwood Club: Private member club in Lake Forest, IL offering golf, racquets, swimming, dining, and family programming — directly comparable in mission, geography, and multi-generational member base.
• Onwentsia Club: Historic private member club located in Lake Forest, IL — directly comparable as a fellow multi-generational North Shore private club offering similar family recreation, dining, and sports programming to the same local demographic.
• Lake Forest Club: Long-standing private recreation club in Lake Forest, IL serving families with sports and social programming — same community, same North Shore demographic, and similar private club economics.

Emerging players

• Chicago Mission Hockey: Competitive youth travel hockey organization in the Chicago area — partial comparability through its Tier I/Tier II youth hockey programming targeting the same families the Winter Club Hockey program serves, though structured as a club hockey team rather than a private facility-based member club.

Regional players

• Evanston Golf Club: Private member club in Skokie, IL on Chicago's North Shore offering racquets, aquatics, dining, and family programming — comparable private-club model and member economics serving an adjacent but distinct affluent North Shore catchment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/winter-club-of-lake-forest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 The Winter Club Of Lake Forest