4A- Forming an Opportunity Belief

    An opportunity that I believe exists comes from the unmet need of basketball training. This applies to all high-level basketball players from middle school athletes all the way up to professional players. This need already existed for some players who do not live near any basketball skills trainers, but now all players have this unmet need due to the coronavirus pandemic. To try to fulfill this need, players are purchasing general online basketball programs that are the same for every player. They are not customized for the player and sometimes require equipment that the players do not have access to. I am 100% this opportunity exists as I have seen multiple players complain about not having access to trainers during this time.

    The protypical customer for this opportunity is high-level high school and college basketball players. I interviewed Omar Brown, the starting point guard for Saint Francis Catholic Academy, to discuss this opportunity. Omar said that he needs training customized for his skillset like he would have with his regular trainer before the coronavirus. This need was created as soon as the basketball courts closed due to the pandemic. Currently, he is following two separate online training programs from two separate trainers. However, he is unsatisfied with both programs because he feels as if it is tailored towards lower-level players and requires a full court at times which he does not have access to. He also does not like the lack of communication between himself and the trainers who made the program so he cannot ask questions to learn more about the drill and its application. 

    I learned that this opportunity is much more important than I initially believed. I was most surprised hearing that communication was the largest issue Omar had. I had not considered lack of communication as a barrier towards skill development for players using online training programs. I also learned that the format of most of these programs is very similar to a list with basic descriptions, which is very difficult to improve from. 

    I also interviewed Caleb Townsend, a college basketball player, to find out more about this opportunity. Caleb does not have much experience working with basketball skills trainers. However, after having a relative unsuccesful first season playing college basketball, he realized he needed a trainer to improve his game. This means he's been training with a trainer for a little less than a year. He thinks training has helped him improve his game as it provides him more structure than he ever has had. However, currently he has no way to fulfill this unmet need because of the coronavirus. He has access to a basketball court but no trainers are training right now. Instead, he has been playing and practicing by himself. He does not believe he is getting any better by practicing on his own, but instead he is just trying to maintain his skill and conditioning. This is not great for a player who did not have a great first year, but he believes he is doing everything he can given the circumstances.

    I learned that this opportunity for Caleb can be fulfilled much easier than Omar. I believe current available online training programs could provide Caleb with enough structure to improve his game. I was most surprised that he did not seem to think he needed the accountability of basketball trainers but more so just needed to know what he should do. 

    Lastly, I interviewed Ethan Miller, a starting forward for Creekside High School. Ethan's biggest need is online skills training that requires nothing except for a basketball and a flat surface, as that is all he has access to. He said that he's researched many existing online training programs, but they all require more equipment than he has available. This need began as soon as the stay-at-home orders were issued, as his trainer immediately stopped working with his clients. He currently is training by himself in his driveway to stay in shape. He is very unsatisfied with this alternative because he is limited to working on skills he already has because he does not have a trainer to teach him. He also finds it very difficult to remain motivated when he knows he is just trying to maintain his skill level and not improve it.

    The most surprising thing I learned about this opportunity was how important trainers are for motivating players. I think this specific unmet need comes from the lack of communication he currently has with other players and trainers. I also learned the unmet need is magnified when the player does not have the resources, such as a basketball hoop, to improve most parts of their game. I now know most players do not know how to get better without a basketball hoop or court simulating the context of a real game. 

    I believe the opportunity is larger than I previously thought. This pandemic has created unprecedented circumstances for many of these athletes, so the need for direction and motivation is more important than ever. Given that this is unprecedented, entrepreneurs should absolutely adapt their opportunities according to customer feedback. After interviewing these three players, I learned that all the online training programs mentioned are flawed and do not create as much value as they could for the athletes. I think a solution to their unmet needs is to have training sessions through Zoom or Facetime. This would allow the trainers to customize their training programs to their athletes' cirumstances. Additionally, consistent communication through these video calls will also increase and improve learning for these players.