Former Disney Executive Launches New App for Coaching Youth Sports

Ben Sherwood spent his hours reading books and studying the internet twelve years ago as his means of training to coach the soccer team of his four-year-old son. Sherwood, a Rhodes Scholar, a producer, and the author of high-profile television, was as meticulous as ever in seeking to understand a new undertaking. Still, Sherwood wasn't happy with what he learned, noticing that there wasn't much content to support youth coaches.

He continued to mentor his kids as Sherwood ascended the corporate ladder, ultimately becoming president of the Disney/ABC Television Network, but remained dissatisfied with what was out there in terms of education. Sherwood agreed to do something about the issue in 2019 after leaving Disney following its 21st Century Fox purchase.

Sherwood then collaborated with entrepreneur and venture capitalist Reed Shaffner instead of taking another media job. He started a business named Mojo that would create a new app to help parents mentor their young kids.

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Today, Mojo is launching its new app software to the public after more than a year of beta testing. The new app is directed at parent coaches with children between the ages of 4 and 14, a comprehensive community, but Sherwood and Shaffner feel neglected. Most coaches and businesses invest time and money in older children who might become top players in high school, college, and professional. 

While Sherwood and Shaffner hope to expand into other sports later this year and next year, Mojo will initially concentrate on soccer.

"When thinking about what to do after Disney, I thought there was a huge opportunity to go after the kid's sports space," Ben Sherwood, Mojo's chief executive, said. "We think in the sports space the families and kids under 14 are left behind," he added. 

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Ben Sherwood's new app helps parents coach youth sports.

Mojo has partnered with hundreds of youth soccer coaches in 18 states since late 2019, who have used the new app and provided positive input. The agency has also consulted high-profile athletes, child psychologists, and physicians.

Coaches can type the players' ages into the app, how many players are having the training, whether it's a boy, female or co-ed squad, the length of the game, the team's skill level, and including the coaches' level of experience.

The new app then creates a practice schedule, recommends equipment to be used and drills to perform, and offers videos and written guidance for each exercise to coaches.

The Mandalay Sports Media, which produced last year's hit 'Last Dance' documentary on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, has also made the Mojo videos. However, in its beta tests, Mojo found that some coaches do not want to carry their phones to the field, allowing them to print drills and instructions.

Coaches will give input after each practice about how fun the training was and whether the drills used were useful and acceptable. The new app will then analyze that data and suggest what coaches in their next practice should do.

Mojo is offering a free version of the app to provide one practice plan for one team per week to users. For an unlimited number of groups and practices, among other features, there is also a paid version for $19.99 per annum. Mojo expects to generate most of its revenue through subscriptions, but it could also look at sponsorship possibilities within the app.

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