ETS Performance Tops 80 Locations as Youth Fitness Market Booms

ETS’ latest expansion underscores the growing business opportunity in youth sports and fitness as parents increasingly invest in long-term athletic development

ETS Performance is continuing its national expansion, opening 16 locations during the first half of 2026 as demand for youth fitness and athletic development programs continues to grow.

The Minnesota-based youth athlete training provider announced that it entered Kansas, Colorado, Kentucky and Missouri for the first time, bringing its footprint to more than 80 locations nationwide serving over 50,000 athletes. Additional openings are planned later this year, including the operator’s first move into Texas with two studios in the Austin market.

The growth comes just months after ETS acquired Colorado-based Kula Sports Performance, a deal that expanded the company’s reach and added veteran performance coach Brian Kula’s athlete development expertise to the platform. At the time, the combined company operated nearly 80 locations nationwide. 

ETS co-owner and CEO Jed Schmidt said the latest expansion reflects continued demand for long-term athlete development rather than short-term performance gains.

“Demand for quality youth athlete training has never been higher, but our focus has remained right where it’s always been — on long-term athlete development,” Schmidt said. “Every move we make is about one thing: helping more youth athletes build the strength, speed and confidence to reach their full potential on the field and in life.”

The company also said it recently finalized a partnership with an NSF Certified for Sport nutrition brand that will roll out across ETS locations this fall, adding nutritional support to its training platform.

ETS’s expansion comes as youth fitness and sports emerges as one of the industry’s fastest-growing categories. Rising participation in year-round sports, growing awareness around injury prevention and parents’ willingness to invest in athletic development have fueled growth for operators across the sector, from athlete training concepts like ETS and D1 Training to broader youth fitness brands such as KidStrong and USA Ninja Challenge.

That momentum was also evident at the ATN Innovation Summit in June, where leaders from D1 Training, The Little Gym and investor Princeton Equity Group described youth sports and fitness as a category with significant long-term runway. Panelists argued that youth sports and fitness are becoming increasingly intertwined, as more families seek dedicated training environments to complement participation in organized sports.

“We’re talking about a service that, fundamentally, parents want to over-invest in,” Princeton Equity Group principal Jack Nagle said during the discussion. “What parent doesn’t want to give their kid everything?”