Most basketball trainers start the same way: one-on-one sessions at $60-100 per hour.
It feels right. Personal attention. Focused development. Premium pricing.
But here’s what Tyler Leclerc learned after years of grinding: Individual-only training is a trap that caps your income and limits player development.
Tyler now runs two Massachusetts facilities with a group-first model that generates 3x more revenue per hour while producing better results for athletes.
“Groups are obviously a lot more beneficial for players and more beneficial for the business owner,” Tyler explains. “I think a lot more trainers should be doing that.”
Here’s the complete economic breakdown and training philosophy that changed his business.
The Math That Changes Everything
Let’s start with the numbers trainers avoid:
Individual Training Model
- Rate: $100/hour
- Athletes trained: 1
- Revenue per hour: $100
- Weekly capacity (30 hours): $3,000
- Monthly revenue: ~$12,000
Ceiling: Your time. You’re trading hours for dollars with zero leverage.
Group Training Model
- Rate: $40/athlete
- Athletes per group: 8
- Revenue per hour: $320
- Weekly capacity (30 hours): $9,600
- Monthly revenue: ~$38,400
Growth potential: Add more athletes per group, run concurrent sessions, hire assistant coaches.
“If you stretch that across 10, 20, 30, 40 hours a week, you’re making way more money,” Tyler says. “You’re going to spend less time training and you’re going to make more money.”
The Rental Gym Economics
For trainers renting court space, the difference is even more dramatic:
Individual Session:
- Revenue: $100
- Court rental: -$50
- Net profit: $50 (50% margin)
Group Session (8 athletes):
- Revenue: $320
- Court rental: -$50
- Net profit: $270 (84% margin)
“When you have to pay $50 an hour to rent the gym, it doesn’t really make sense to charge $100 an hour for an individual because you’re only making 50 bucks,” Tyler explains.
Two kids in a group cover your court rental. Everyone after that is pure profit.
Why Groups Actually Develop Better Players
This isn’t just about economics. Tyler’s conviction comes from training philosophy:
Competition Creates Intensity
“It’s more beneficial for the actual player,” Tyler emphasizes. “Groups create competition, game-like intensity, and peer learning that individual sessions can’t replicate.”
In individual sessions:
- Athlete competes against themselves or coach’s expectations
- No peer pressure to push harder
- Limited competitive context
- Easier to coast or take plays off
In group sessions:
- Athletes naturally compete with each other
- Social accountability (nobody wants to be the worst)
- Game-like scenarios emerge organically
- Higher intensity sustained throughout
Transfer to Game Performance
The ecological dynamics approach Tyler follows emphasizes constraint-led learning — creating training environments that mirror game demands.
Groups provide:
- Reading and reacting to other players
- Decision-making under pressure
- Spatial awareness and timing
- Communication and leadership opportunities
“When you’re doing individuals, it’s very controlled,” Tyler notes. But basketball isn’t controlled. It’s chaotic, competitive, and social.
The trainers who understand this produce athletes who perform better when it matters.
The Pricing Strategy That Fills Groups
Tyler doesn’t just charge $40/athlete randomly. There’s strategy behind the pricing:
The Value Perception Formula
Individual training at $100/hour:
- Parents think: “Is my kid getting $100 worth of attention?”
- High barrier to entry
- Significant commitment for average families
- Limited to affluent demographics
Group training at $40/athlete:
- Parents think: “Great value for quality coaching”
- Lower barrier to entry (3-4 kids per family is $120-160/month)
- Accessible to middle-class families
- Larger potential market
The key: You’re not charging less for inferior service. You’re charging appropriately for a different (often superior) training format.
Package Pricing That Reduces Friction
Tyler uses monthly memberships instead of per-session pricing:
Per-Session Model (❌ Don’t do this):
- Parents decide every week: Should we train? Should we pay?
- Decision fatigue = cancellations
- Admin nightmare (tracking payments, chasing money)
- Inconsistent revenue
Monthly Membership Model (✅ Do this):
- One decision: Sign up or don’t
- Automatic recurring payments
- Psychological commitment (“We already paid”)
- Predictable revenue for business planning
“If parents have to pay per session, they have to continually decide and go through that decision fatigue,” Tyler explains. “They either don’t show up as much, or it’s just so much more admin on your side.”
With automated recurring payments through CoachIQ, parents make one decision and commit. The friction disappears.
“It’s more annoying for them to probably cancel that membership than to just have their kid keep going,” Tyler notes. “So they’re just going to be like, ‘Whatever, just keep going.'”
How to Structure Group Sessions
Not all group training is created equal. Tyler’s approach balances economics with development:
Group Size Guidelines
Small Groups (4-6 athletes):
- Best for: Skill-intensive work, shooting mechanics, advanced players
- Price point: $50-60 per athlete
- Revenue per hour: $200-360
- Attention ratio: High individual feedback
Medium Groups (6-10 athletes):
- Best for: Ball-handling, conditioning, competitive drills
- Price point: $35-50 per athlete
- Revenue per hour: $210-500
- Attention ratio: Balanced group dynamics
Large Groups (10-15 athletes):
- Best for: Camps, clinics, team training
- Price point: $25-40 per athlete
- Revenue per hour: $250-600
- Attention ratio: Focus on systems and team concepts
Skill Level Segmentation
Tyler organizes groups by:
- Age/grade (middle school, high school, post-grad)
- Skill level (beginner, intermediate, advanced)
- Position (guards, forwards, bigs)
- Goals (recreational, competitive, elite)
With CoachIQ’s session management, you can easily create different group types, manage waitlists, and track which configurations work best.
Timestamp: Memberships vs per-session: removing friction and boosting retention
The Hybrid Model That Maximizes Revenue
Tyler doesn’t do groups OR individuals. He does groups AND selective individuals.
His weekly schedule breakdown:
Group Sessions (80% of training hours):
- Monday-Thursday: 4-6 group sessions per day
- Weekend: Camps and clinics
- Revenue: $250-350/hour average
Individual Sessions (20% of training hours):
- Elite players preparing for showcases
- Technical work requiring 1-on-1 attention
- Premium clients willing to pay $120-150/hour
- Revenue: $120-150/hour
“I’m able to also mix in some individuals here and there, just because I have a gym,” Tyler says.
Why this works:
- Groups are the foundation (predictable, scalable revenue)
- Individuals are premium upsells (for clients who’ve proven commitment)
- Facility ownership enables both (no court rental cutting into margins)
Trainers renting gyms should focus 90%+ on groups. The economics don’t support many individuals at $50/hour rental costs.
Overcoming the “Individual is Better” Mindset
Many trainers resist groups because of limiting beliefs:
Myth 1: “Individual attention is always better”
Reality: Quality of instruction matters more than quantity of attention.
A great coach giving feedback to 8 athletes produces better development than an average coach giving constant feedback to 1 athlete.
Tyler’s approach: “I can give focused corrections to individuals within the group context while they’re also learning from watching others.”
Myth 2: “Parents won’t pay for groups”
Reality: Parents pay for results, not attention.
When athletes in your groups are dominating their competition, parents will brag about your program. They don’t care if their kid is 1-of-8 or 1-of-1. They care that their kid is improving.
“You’re able to help more people, which is every trainer’s goal,” Tyler says.
Myth 3: “I can’t control quality with groups”
Reality: Systems and structure control quality, not group size.
Tyler uses constraints-led training approaches where the drill design does the teaching. His role is facilitating competition and providing targeted feedback, not constant instruction.
With automated scheduling systems, you maintain control over group sizes, skill matching, and session management without drowning in admin work.
The Transition Strategy: Individual to Group
If you’re currently doing mostly individuals, don’t flip overnight. Tyler’s recommendation:
Phase 1: Add One Group (Weeks 1-4)
- Pick your best time slot (typically after school: 4-6pm)
- Invite 3-4 current individual clients to try group
- Price it at 50% of individual rate initially
- Goal: Prove the concept to yourself and parents
Phase 2: Expand Groups (Months 2-3)
- Add 2-3 more group sessions per week
- Use “bring a friend free” promotions to fill spots
- Raise prices gradually as demand increases
- Goal: Groups generate 40-50% of revenue
Phase 3: Group-First Model (Months 4-6)
- Groups are default offering (80% of schedule)
- Individuals available only at premium pricing ($120-150/hour)
- Most clients accept group model
- Goal: 3x revenue per hour compared to start
Common objection: “My current clients will leave if I push groups.”
Tyler’s experience: Some will. Most won’t. The ones who do probably weren’t your ideal clients anyway.
“A lot of people think it’s like a step down, but in reality, when you present it properly and you deliver results, parents see the value,” Tyler explains.
The Marketing Message That Fills Groups
How you position groups matters:
❌ Wrong Framing:
“I’m doing group sessions now instead of individuals to save time.”
Message to parents: This is for my convenience, not your kid’s benefit.
✅ Right Framing:
“I’m launching competitive group training for athletes serious about taking their game to the next level. Limited spots per group to maintain quality.”
Message to parents: This is exclusive, beneficial, and results-focused.
Social Proof That Converts:
Tyler shares athlete results constantly:
- “5 athletes from our Tuesday night group made varsity this season”
- “Our advanced group averaged 18 PPG improvement”
- Video clips of competitive drills and intensity
Groups aren’t cheaper training. They’re better training that happens to be more accessible.
The Systems That Make Groups Scalable
Running 15-20 group sessions per week requires systems Tyler didn’t have when he started:
Automated Scheduling
- Parents book directly online
- Real-time availability and group capacity
- Waitlist management when groups fill
- “10+ hours per month saved” according to Tyler
Recurring Payment Processing
- Monthly memberships auto-charge
- No more Venmo chasing or cash tracking
- Failed payment notifications
- Package and credit system for flexibility
Client Management
- Track which athletes are in which groups
- Attendance and progression monitoring
- Parent communication in one place
- Notes and feedback for each session
“The biggest thing trainers have to add as early as they possibly can is that scheduling software and the ability to have people do that online,” Tyler emphasizes.
Without these systems, you’re spending 10+ hours per week on admin instead of training or marketing.
When Individual Training Still Makes Sense
Tyler hasn’t eliminated individuals entirely. Strategic use cases:
✅ Good reasons for individual sessions:
- Elite athletes preparing for D1 showcases (premium pricing justified)
- Highly technical shooting mechanics overhaul
- Post-injury return requiring customized progression
- Player requesting 1-on-1 and willing to pay premium ($120-150+/hour)
❌ Bad reasons for individual sessions:
- “That’s how I’ve always done it”
- Afraid to try something new
- Belief that individuals are inherently better
- Unable to market groups effectively
Tyler’s facility model works because groups are the foundation (80% revenue) with individuals as premium offerings (20% revenue).
Bottom Line: The Economics Are Clear
Individual-only model:
- Capped income (your time = your ceiling)
- Lower profit margins (especially if renting courts)
- Limited athlete development (no competitive context)
- Difficult to scale without hiring
Group-first model:
- 3x+ revenue per hour
- Higher profit margins (85%+ with groups vs 50% with individuals)
- Better athlete development (competition, game-like scenarios)
- Scalable (add assistant coaches, expand offerings)
“In terms of scaling, groups are going to be the best way to do it,” Tyler concludes. “You’re going to spend less time training and you’re going to make more money.”
Your Next Steps
If you’re currently individual-only:
- Calculate your real hourly profit (revenue minus court rental)
- Pick one time slot to test a group (4-6 athletes, $40-50 each)
- Invite current clients to try it at discount
- Track results and athlete feedback
If you’re ready to scale with groups:
- Set up automated scheduling so parents can book directly
- Implement recurring payments for monthly memberships
- Create 3-4 distinct group offerings (by age/skill)
- Market with competitive positioning (not “cheaper training”)
Learn more from Tyler:
- Full scaling story: From Grinding 7 Days a Week to Two Facilities (link to Post 1)
- Financial breakdown: The Real Cost of Opening a Basketball Training Facility (link to Post 2)
- Website: tjltraining.com
- Instagram: @TJLTraining
- Full podcast: CoachIQ Podcast Ep 02
Ready to scale your training business? Book a CoachIQ demo to see how the platform supports group training operations.