Two married athletes team up to create a coaching network for young players in Philly

Gene and Elaine Williams know what it’s like to love a sport and play it well.

That’s why the West Chester couple launched a company to give young basketball and soccer players a chance to have a similar experience.

Gene, 28, is the founder and CEO of Athletes Untapped, an online platform enabling families in the Philadelphia region to connect with private, one-on-one coaches for their kids. AU’s target market is families of promising young athletes between 7 and 16 years old.

“Our mission embodies everything positive about sports — building confidence, teaching responsibility, and instilling the value of hard work,” he said.

Elaine, 26, who shares her soccer skills as an Athletes Untapped coach, also was essential in building the platform, the app, and the website, all of which launched in 2021 — the same year the couple got married.

Besides athletics, the Williamses have tech in common: She’s a project manager for a software company, and he’s an executive at a real estate technology firm.

“Athletes Untapped really stems from our love of being in sports and playing for a team,” Elaine said.

She began playing soccer as a 5-year-old growing up in West Chester. She had a private coach whom she credits with helping her improve footwork and other skills in order to elevate her playing to the next level.

Elaine went on to play for Bishop Shanahan High School in Downingtown and on the varsity soccer squad all four years — two of them as captain — at Temple University.

Gene played basketball at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia and then at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. After graduation, he spent a year with the Galway Titans of Ireland’s national league, and said playing professionally “was awesome — one of the best experiences of my life.”

Once his playing career ended, Gene started coaching privately to maintain his relationship with the sport he loves. “It was super rewarding to help young athletes grow on and off the court,” he said. Between them, he and Elaine have worked as private coaches with about 200 Philadelphia-area student athletes.

But less-than-satisfying experiences with a user-unfriendly website for private coaches convinced them they could do it better. “I majored in economics at Hopkins,” said Gene. “And I’ve always wanted to start my own business.”

To be accepted by AU, prospective coaches must undergo an interview process as well as a background check (at their own expense, using a vendor under contract to the company). About 100 coaches from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware are utilizing the service, which charges a fee for each session the participating coaches schedule with their clients.

Coaches are independent contractors and set their own rates, which generally run between $40 and $70 an hour. AU partners with Every Kid Sports, a national non-profit that underwrites the cost of private coaching or other expenses to enable young athletes from families of modest means to participate in youth sports programs.

Gabby Waronker, 13, an eighth-grade soccer player at Patton Middle School in Chadds Ford, has Elaine as her private coach.

“I’ve been playing since I was like, four, and I wanted to get my skill level up a little bit,” said Waronker. “Also, I’ve been playing for a club team and I’m looking to get into a more advanced club team.

“I tell Coach Elaine what I think I need to work on, and we’ve been working on a lot of footwork,” Waronker said. “She has me do a lot of drills and has come up with some drills on her own. She’s very specific to the person she’s coaching. I’ve really improved a lot.”

Lucas Monroe, 22, grew up in Abington and plays for the Penn Quakers. He’s done some private coaching on his own, recently connected with Gene via social media, and was accepted into AU’s network.

“When I was in high school I did work out with a couple of [private] trainers. I saw what I gained. Not that I had missed out, but I realized I could have benefitted from having that experience at a younger age,” Monroe said.

“A private coach can pay more attention and key in on specific details,” he said. “Instead of worrying about multiple kids you can focus on one person and on what would be most beneficial for them.

“I want to give back,” said Monroe. “And I love just being around basketball.”

Gene and Elaine are aware of concerns about the commodification of youth sports, as well as the fact that some parents pressure their kids to play sports.

“Look, for some parents and families, private coaching is not going to be a good fit,” said Gene. “Private coaching shouldn’t be forced on kids. It’s not for everybody. But if kids want it and are showing enthusiasm, private coaching can really help them learn the improve their game.”

Added Elaine: “It really depends on the athlete and what makes them happy. I’ve had a few kids who clearly were not enjoying (private coaching), and I suggested to the families that maybe it was time to take a step back. But if the child really loves it and wants the extra training, let’s do it.”

Even youngsters unlikely to become stars in high school or college athletics, let alone at a professional level, can experience the satisfaction of working hard and enjoying the thrill of playing to the best of their abilities.

“My favorite thing as a high school and college athlete was just being able to compete,” said Elaine. “Just getting out on that field and giving it all I had was the most fun for me. It meant the most to me.”

Said Gene: “Sports opened so many doors in my life, and I love seeing the direct impact [sports] can have on a young person. As a private coach I could only help a limited number of kids. Athletes Untapped enables us to have a much bigger impact.”