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CUSTOMER STORY
How Sogility is Using Technology and Data to Fuel Athlete Growth
Building a soccer training facility requires more than just passion — it takes innovation, vision, and a commitment to athlete development. At Sogility, technology isn’t just part of the process—it’s the driving force behind every success story.
As a business, it’s important to identify what makes you unique. What sets you apart from the competition? Why should athletes train with you over your competitors? What can you provide them that they can’t get elsewhere?
And perhaps most importantly, why should they come back?
For Sogility, that differentiator is rooted in technology.
As a technology-driven soccer training facility, Sogility’s vision is to become the premier data-driven training solution for soccer players of all ages. Their implementation of training technology across six areas of athlete development empowers them to work with athletes of all skill levels and goals, from 3-4 year old beginners to college athletes and professional players.
Jimmy Carson, President and COO of Sogility, has helped to build this curriculum since 2019. With a background in education and over 26 years of experience with coaching, his role began with developing training models and what works for each facet. That experience, coupled with a passion for data and technology, has grown his role from not only supporting athlete growth and development at the Westfield facility, but also expanding the Sogility brand.
Today, Sogility serves over 300 members in addition to hosting seasonal classes, camps, and private lessons at their 15,000 square foot facility in Westfield, Indiana. Additionally, plans to open their first out-of-state facility are nearing completion.
Building a thriving business has not been a simple undertaking. But, the time and energy spent building a data-driven soccer training facility has opened the door to immense opportunities.
Sogility's 6 facets of training
The core of Sogility's training and offerings
Jimmy’s goal for Sogility is to be a “one-stop shop” for all things soccer training. With that in mind, Sogility has developed a training system that focuses on 6 facets of training.
"We try to make parents' lives a little bit easier because they can just come here. They don't have to drive to six different places all over town."
These 6 facets of Sogility’s training include Tech Touch, Technical Soccer Zone, Circuit Training, Skills Classes, Neuroscience Training, and Athlete Development (Speed, Agility, & Strength Training). Technology is at the forefront of them all.
Many of these facets are very physically demanding, where athletes are sweating and breathing hard. Other facets are much more focused on the mental side of training.
“Neuroscience training is a huge part of the mental side. It’s not something when you’re dripping sweat and you look like you’ve just crushed a workout, but your brain has just processed so much information, and it can’t help but make you a little bit sharper.”
With these six facets of training at the core of all of Sogility’s offerings, there is a lot going on at the facility at any given time. So, it’s important for Sogility to organize its programs and events in a way that empowers clients to take advantage of what the facility has to offer.
Developing flexible & engaging offerings
To help athletes get the most out of their training, Sogility offers a number of programs and offerings throughout the year.
“We try to make it engaging for the players. With technology, we’re meeting players at their level and in their world. The gamification side of things makes it more fun and interactive for them, and gets them excited to train.”
Jimmy recalls his experience as an educator for over 16 years, noting “I could hand you a worksheet and have you do math facts, or I can give you an iPad with math games and trick you into training and learning. It’s the same thing here. You could go in the backyard with a bag of balls and kick around, or you could come in here and have robots shoot soccer balls at you with equipment that lights up and gives you an instant score.”
For youth athletes especially, they tend to prefer the latter. So, the Sogility team has worked diligently to develop a business model that makes these training opportunities accessible.
Building programming that supports clients' goals
Sogility’s membership options give athletes access to the technology and programs in each of their six facets. With Upper Hand, Sogility is able to customize their membership offerings, assigning credits and discounts for training sessions that are automatically renewed each month. Having clearly defined memberships also helps to guide members towards a routine or training plan that will help them take advantage of all that Sogility has to offer. This provides the flexibility for them to book sessions when it works with their schedule.
In fact, some athletes have been with Sogility since it opened its doors in 2018, and are still on the same membership.
While memberships account for a large part of Sogility’s revenue and activity, Jimmy understands that they might not be the right fit for everyone. Sogility also offers a number of other opportunities to consistently train and be a part of the community.
“We know that memberships are great for some people; they can access sessions as frequently as they can come in and get their training. We also know that some players may live a bit farther away, so a 6-week class might be a better option for them. We also do some combination-type programs geared towards our higher level players, and about 15 weeks of camps each year, with full day and half-day options.”
This variability in offerings makes training at Sogility accessible to various athletes who all have different needs and goals. Upper Hand makes it easy to manage all of these programs in one view.
Having the right tools in place to support growth
With so much going on, it’s important for Jimmy to have the right tools in place to manage the constant stream of athletes coming in for training, as well as make it easy for athletes and parents to find and book training sessions.
One of those tools – and partners – has been Upper Hand.
Just as Sogility has become a one stop shop for all things soccer training, Upper Hand has become a one stop shop for Sogility’s business management
“I have one provider that’s able to meet the needs of lots of different departments. You don’t have to go to a bunch of different places and talk to different people, and remember who is taking care of this or who is taking care of that. That muddies the waters a little bit for you as a consumer and as someone who is looking to expand.”
Upon first opening, Sogility was using a different software company to manage the back end of their business. This experience left the team feeling dissatisfied and unheard. As an organization that values partnership and collaboration, Sogility did not feel supported in a way that would help their business continue to grow.
So, in 2019, they made the switch to Upper Hand.
Over the past 5 years, Sogility has grown its partnership with Upper Hand from a single software account to manage its Westfield location, to its own branded app that is scalable as they franchise, Upper Hand AI advanced data reporting, and a custom website with WebKit.
Jimmy credits this growth to the advancements Upper Hand’s product has made and the willingness for the Upper Hand team to take feedback and implement it.
“Our experience with Upper Hand has been very positive from the standpoint that we have someone who is in this with us. A lot of times, when you partner with other companies, their vested interests and ideas are ‘this is what we think.’ To have Upper Hand be on our side and say ‘we’re going to listen to what you have to bring to the table and the problems you’re facing, and we’re going to help come up with a solution together.’ That’s been very impactful.”
Upper Hand AI to pave the way for deeper conversations
As a data-driven company, analytics play a big role at Sogility, not just from an athlete development standpoint, but in terms of back-end business management. So, Upper Hand AI has been a great asset for Sogility, especially with plans to franchise out-of-state.
“Questions that we were manually trying to figure out, solutions to problems, questions like ‘how do we track this’ or ‘how do we figure out that’ – we pose those questions and [Upper Hand] has always been able to come back say say ‘we’ll take a look at it and figure it out.”
Running a bustling facility with over 300 members means that Jimmy is constantly in the data to monitor the health and growth of Sogility. Upper Hand AI makes this easier. Jimmy receives KPIs from their General Manager, ensuring that budgets are on course to be successful and they are hitting the right numbers to achieve growth.
Upper Hand AI’s Cancellation and No-Show Report makes it easy for the Sogility team to analyze their attendance, looking at which athletes cancel their sessions or fail to show up. This makes it easier for the team to follow up with those athletes and get them back on track.
Similarly, a Trial Conversions report helps Jimmy keep a pulse on Sogility’s free trials, and how many people who come in for a free trial session become a member. These reports are in addition to the Revenue Analytics, which offer insights on their primary revenue streams, most successful offerings, and more.
“Being able to track revenue is important. But, when you break down the revenue side of things, we can see who are our new members, what members may have canceled, and determine how we can get a hold of them to hear about their experience and try to get them back.”
In addition to revenue numbers, Jimmy also recognizes the impact of capacity data, and how that can reveal opportunities for continued growth. Is the team underutilizing certain facets of what they’re doing? Are they maximizing the use of their space? What’s going on on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis?
The Upper Hand AI reports give them access to these data points, empowering the team project where they’re headed as well as how they’re growing.
“There’s probably more data than you need, and that’s always a good problem to have. There’s so much out there and so many ways to look at it, which keeps us evolving.”
This access to data also makes things easier as they expand to new markets.
“Now that we’re in expansion mode and opening our first franchise out of state and working on potential other locations, I won’t have to reinvent the wheel. As I’m opening other locations, we’re able to clone the set up of one to start with another.”
Having a general framework to replicate facilitates the expansion process. But, having a framework that is backed by data makes it even stronger.
Creating a positive first impression through a website
Speaking of growth, Sogility’s most recent addition to their business management suite is WebKit, Upper Hand’s custom website builder. Prior to implementing WebKit, Sogility’s website was very basic and not user friendly, which meant it didn’t interact and jive with customers in a way that converted clients or accurately promoted the business.
The transition to WebKit has proven to be a smart investment, as they saw nearly immediate growth in terms of online traffic.
“We switched everything over and changed what we were doing, and we instantly started getting data points back from Upper Hand and realizing our traffic has gone up. I think part of that is launching a new website, but it also seems much easier for people to use and navigate. We grew from maybe 7,000 visits a month to 10,000 visits a month, and a lot of that has to do with the fact that we have this nice, clean website where people can go to get their answers.”
Jimmy adds that a well-designed website has also helped Sogility from a management standpoint, because “if your website is on point, and it’s answering the questions that people have, they don’t call or email you; they don’t have to reach out to you because it’s right there in front of them.”
For Sogility, the website management process has been seamless. While they started from a simple and clean template, they were able to adjust and tweak the information in the way they needed in order to showcase their offerings and help customers understand their programs.
While they have a contact form embedded in their website, Jimmy has found that a lot of the questions answer themselves…this means less time fielding phone calls or responding to emails for general questions, and more time converting customers and training athletes.
“Our website has really been designed to the point where a lot of our customers’ questions are answered before they ever have to reach out to us. They just call or show up, saying ‘I saw you do this, we just want to sign up.’”
At the end of the day, Jimmy is a firm believer that a first impression can make or break a prospective customer’s experience with your brand. And, oftentimes, this impression is formed online. Sogility’s new website, hosted by Upper Hand, has played a large role in their brand expansion.
Importance of community and partnership
A successful website is just one avenue that Sogility uses to generate new business. In addition, they have found great success through word of mouth, as well as their mobile unit and getting out in front of their communities.
“We go to farmers markets and local high school soccer games, club events and tournaments, and get in front of people. This gives us a chance to showcase some of the equipment and some of the things we’re doing and be able to interact with people.”
Beyond getting out in the community to promote their own brand, Sogility believes that partnership and collaboration can play a big role in elevating the athlete experience.
For the athletes at their Westfield location, they partner with a nearby Recovery Room to offer recovery training. Jimmy has found that “players can beat themselves up through the week or over the weekend with long games and tournaments. They can go to the Recovery Room and use a Normatec or Theragun and get back to feeling better so they can get back to training.”
In addition to aiding athletes with their recovery, Sogility is also committed to helping athletes recover from injuries and return to play.
"We collaborate with a couple of local physical therapists and doing surgeries. They get to a certain point in the progression of getting an athlete ready to return to play, then don't know what to do with them. So, they recommend they check out Sogility and get on a membership, and we take over from there."
Whether the athlete has been healthy and pushing their body to the limit, or is starting from square one after an injury, Sogility has the partnerships and tools in place to meet athletes where they’re at in their athletic journey.
Staying on top of the latest trends
To stay on top of the technology that Sogility offers in its training sessions, Jimmy is constantly on the lookout for the newest innovations and tools he sees on social media, at other facilities, and across the country. He also balances this industry investigation with determining opportunities to develop tools internally.
One of those tools: the Sogility Growth Indicator (SGI).
“We decided to take everything we’re doing [at Sogility] and create an app where they can progress, monitor, and see success over time.”
Additionally, Jimmy is constantly engaging in video chats, meetings, and cross-country travel to find new innovations that change the Sogility experience and keep people coming back. Being a student of the sport, and of business improvement has empowered Sogility to remain an industry leader when it comes to technology-driven soccer training.
As Jimmy’s role has evolved over his tenure at Sogility, one thing has remained constant: a commitment to keeping up with an ever-changing industry and ensuring Sogility is leading the charge.
What motivates Sogility to continue expanding?
At the end of the day, Jimmy’s vision for Sogility is to promote the sport of soccer. With the World Cup coming to the United States, Jimmy is anticipating growth in the popularity of soccer, and wants Sogility to grow with that trend. To be able to showcase their technology and promote their trainers, Jimmy is confident that Sogility can make a difference.
“I’ve seen a huge difference in the growth of players. We’re getting better athletes involved in the sport. We’re still missing what I think comes naturally to other countries, which is the understanding of the game. Being able to provide more opportunities for them to play and train and just evolve them is what really excites us.”
Supporting athletes to help them achieve their goals
A big motivator for Jimmy is seeing how the sport of soccer, and more specifically Sogility, has become ingrained in so many athletes’ lives. It’s inspiring for the organization to play a role in those successes and challenges. The supportive community that Sogility has been able to create has had a lasting impact on a growing number of athletes.
“We get great stories of [our athletes’] successes. It’s great to see the success of our athletes and live that life with them, both the ups and the downs.”
A large piece of that is the technology that the facility offers, something they can’t get from kicking a ball around in their yards.
- Athletes are showing up in uniforms to get a warm up in before they head to a game, saying they ‘like to come here to get some touches in, because it makes me feel like I’m ready to play.’
- Groups of athletes who have become friends are coming to training with backpacks and sleeping bags, then head to someone’s house for a sleepover.
- College athletes are returning home from breaks to get some extra touches or to get their workouts in.
- Return-to-play athletes are sticking with their membership because it worked – it got them back on the field, and now they feel Sogility is a part of what they need to be successful.
Jimmy has found that once they recognize that there is someone in their corner who cares about them and wants to work with them to achieve their goals, the client retention often seems to take care of itself. Not to mention the data and statistics that they are able to receive in training sessions further supports that the training is working and they are improving. This keeps people coming back.
Sogility is more than just a training facility—it’s a community where athletes build skills, find camaraderie, and deepen their love for soccer. By blending cutting-edge technology with a focus on holistic athlete development, they’ve become a trusted partner for players of all levels. As Sogility continues to expand, so too does the impact they’re making on the world of soccer.
300+ active members
42% increase in website visits
144 live visualizations across 8 reports available in Upper Hand AI
Sogility, a technology-driven soccer training facility in Westfield, Indiana, is transforming athlete development through data and innovation.
By integrating cutting-edge tools across six training facets—from neuroscience to speed and agility—Sogility creates engaging, personalized programs for athletes of all levels. Their partnership with Upper Hand has streamlined operations, enabling seamless membership management, advanced analytics, and a user-friendly website that drives growth.
With plans to expand beyond Indiana, Sogility is setting a new standard for soccer training and redefining what it means to prepare athletes for success on and off the field.
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Hear from Jimmy as he discusses the impact of a collaborative partner like Upper Hand.
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