DOES YOUR YOUTH SPORTS CLUB HAVE A FACILITY ACCESS ISSUE? TORONTO HIGH PARK SC

Case Study 5: Toronto High Park, ON, Canada

LEADERSHIP QUESTION:  What options does a youth sports club have when membership growth exceeds the capacity of facilities for training and games?

In the first four case studies, I have discussed leadership approaches to facility access issues through partnership, long-term leasing, creative local development, and a multi-use building strategy. Chris Smith’s example at Toronto High Park FC did not solve the issue by securing a major new facility. He solved it by rethinking how existing space was used, introducing a new programming option, and building a multiyear phased plan.

Chris Smith is the Executive Director of Toronto High Park FC in Toronto, Ontario. He leads a not-for-profit club serving roughly 4,500 to 5,000 athletes, supported by 8 full-time and 60 part-time staff.

The Issue

Chris inherited a problem that had been building over time. The club had grown membership without properly planning for winter facility demand. The impact was shorter sessions, overcrowded turf, parent frustration, and not enough quality space to serve the club well in the winter months.

In summer, the club can operate more effectively because outdoor grass fields are available from roughly mid-April through October. In winter, that outdoor inventory disappears, and the club becomes heavily dependent on domed turf and indoor space in a dense downtown Toronto market where expansion is difficult and expensive.

The Solution

• Identified the real pressure point as winter training space, not a general year-round shortage
• Reframed the solution around how to improve developmental environments for younger players while freeing turf for older teams
• Mapped schools across the club’s catchment area, including public, Catholic, and private schools and identified where vacancies existed
• Applied for permits to secure new gym space
• Moved U8, U9, and U10 from two turf sessions per week to one turf session and added one futsal gym session
• Created more space for older teams on turf
• Upskilled staff through onsite futsal coach education

Why it worked

Chris made some tough decisions.  He asked which players really needed premium turf most, which players might actually benefit from a different environment, and how the club could improve the whole system without dramatically increasing cost. Smart leadership.  The phased rollout mattered. Chris did not try to force a full-club change overnight. He started where the case was strongest, invested in coach education, and prepared parents properly. That made the model more credible and much easier to implement.

Leadership Lessons

First, define the pressure point clearly. Toronto High Park had a winter facility problem.

Second, do not assume the answer is always more turf.  Better use of gyms and a new futsal training model helped improve the overall facility picture.

Third, bring people with you. Coach education, staff alignment, and parent communication were central to making the change work.

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Key Insights

Three Steps Leaders Can Take in the Next 90 Days

SIX CASE STUDIES: Each one focuses on the same core challenge, improving access to the right facilities for the needs and ambitions of the club, yet each leader has approached the issue in a very different way. Together, these case studies demonstrate that the issue is widely shared, and the best solutions are shaped by local context, strategic thinking, and strong leadership.

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