In terms of partnerships, the academy should seek to work with area school districts as well as surrounding colleges, including Central, Coe, Ellsworth, Grinnell, Marshalltown Community College, Simpson, Waldorf, Wartburg, and William Penn, among others. The academy should look to share facilities with these entities if it does not have sufficient space to host its offerings. The academy also should look to the colleges for coaches and educators for its camps and clinics.

The academy should start with a lean staff of two full time employees. It will be imperative for these staffers to develop strong relationships with area coaches, educators, and community leaders.

To generate revenue beyond regular classes, camps, and clinics, the academy should consider a membership model. There should be individual and family offerings and different levels to provide access to a selection of amenities. For instance, a gold level member may be able to reserve a portion of the space online for a fee, while a platinum level member may be able to do the same with no additional fee beyond their membership.

The academy should be set up as a nonprofit, with a mission of increasing opportunities to healthy living. By operating as a nonprofit, the academy will be positioned to support access for all, regardless of socioeconomic status, and also will be well-positioned to secure funding for both capital as well as ongoing expenses. If the academy experiences great success, leaders should consider offering more scholarships, transportation assistance to the facility, or helping with equipment and other amenities in the schools themselves.

Ideally, the sports academy will be located on the western edge of Eldora along Highway 175. The preferred property currently is owned by the State of Iowa. State departments generally follow a four-step process after they determine that property is excess and no longer needed; details on this process can be found in Appendix I.