My 15-year-old is a soccer nut. All he wants for his birthday is to get his boys together and play.
Simple enough, right? Not quite.
For the past month I’ve been making phone calls, leaving voicemails, chasing availability at different venues. Parents are busy. We’re stretched thin. We’re just trying to make our kids happy. It shouldn’t be this hard to hand someone money.
This morning I drove over to All Island Sportsplex in Deer Park and met Taylor. New owner, super nice fella. Got it sorted in five minutes in person.
That’s when it hit me.
Being a new business owner is hard enough. You’re juggling operations, staff, maintenance. The last thing you need is phone tag with parents like me. But here’s the thing — online booking with payment would have saved me a month of wasted calls to multiple venues. I’d have booked weeks ago, paid up front, and moved on with my life. Taylor wouldn’t have had to interrupt his morning for a walk-in.
This isn’t unique to soccer facilities. It’s every small business.
Customers are happy to spend. They want to give you their money. You just need to make it easy. Parents are booking birthday parties at 10 PM after the kids are in bed. Give them a way to check availability, book, and pay without picking up the phone — and you win. Friction-free booking, clear availability, simple payment options. That’s the formula.
I’m looking forward to the party. Taylor and his team have a great facility going. I’m rooting for them.
If you’re in Deer Park or anywhere on Long Island and need a place to kick a ball around or host an event — give them a look.
All Island Sportsplex
10 Dunton Ave, Deer Park, NY 11729
(631) 392-4710
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