Rapid growth reflects increasing demand for this new approach to youth sports: a structured, unbiased organization run by professional coaches, which places an emphasis on honing long-term development and leadership skills for aspiring athletes.
Expansion includes multiple geographies, new sports, new facilities, recreational to select programs, additional coaches, and additional agency services.
BOCA RATON, FL, Feb. 25, 2026 /Prowly/
Dragons Elite Athletics (“Dragons Elite”) has experienced exponential growth since its official launch in May 2025. The premier youth athletics and leadership organization achieved multiple milestones since its launch, expanding its services throughout southern Florida, Orlando and New York – laying out the groundwork for its goal of nationwide expansion. This success highlights the demand for their new approach to youth sports, which establishes a structured, unbiased environment focused on honing long-term development and leadership skills for aspiring athletes.
Dragons Elite has captured the imagination of like-minded families who see youth athletics as a key part of a healthy mental and physical lifestyle and a platform for leadership development. Using a structured development program, professional coaches, access to select and national teams, multiple facilities, sports agency services, and a “no outside guest player” travel team policy, Dragons Elite has created a powerful development platform on and off the field free of bias and politics, allowing families to drive a better value for their time and money. Its proprietary development method and emphasis on community engagement has driven interest in the communities it serves.
A Different Approach to Youth Development On and Off the Field
Dragons Elite Athletics’ rapid growth is driven by a disciplined and structured model. The organization is led by experienced business leaders, award winning sports technology entrepreneurs, combined with licensed coaches, trainers, and former players in the sports they oversee. With a focus on professional and licensed coaches, many of which are full time or former professional players, and all training staff are certified in The Dragon Way, a proprietary development method for creating elite athletes and performers.
At Dragons Elite, we believe commitment is one of the most important lessons young athletes can learn. It’s not just about showing up for practices and games; it’s about building habits that will serve them for life. Dragons Elite operates with annual agreements that reinforce long-term development, accountability, and stability. Annual agreements ensure families with continuous development with a professional coach and allow deeper and more meaningful relationships with coaches, players and families. With full-time coaching staff, specialized expertise, private facilities, and an outcome-based Development Playbook, the organization optimizes each athlete’s growth by placing them in environments where participation, progression, and measurable results are prioritized.
Since its launch in 2025, Dragons Elite Athletics has grown to almost 50 youth travel and select teams for baseball and softball. These teams are based in multiple cities and have access to 4 locations with state-of-the-art training facilities across the US, including: Coral Springs, West Palm Beach, South Wellington and Lake Worth, and New York. These facilities offer a variety of training options including state-of-the-art technology and training equipment.
Dragons Elite Athletics Brings Its Proprietary Development Framework to More Sports and Programs
Following its success in baseball and softball, Dragons Elite has expanded into other high demand sports including soccer, volleyball, and flag football. Following the model of highly regarded professional coaches, they’ve added recognized leaders in these new areas.
The organization has launched several programs to assist athletes’ development with one-on-one development programs, specialty camps and clinics, the Little Dragons programs (a program for younger athletes), and more all to compliment the travel team development approach. Dragons Elite has also launched recreational and All-Star programs, partnering with towns and municipalities to increase community engagement in a more professionally guided approach to league and player development. Learn more about our programs here.
The organization has also launched successful Select and National Team programs where high achieving athletes are selected to participate in ranked competitions across the nation.
Strengthening the Elite Leadership Team
To scale with its rapid growth, Dragons Elite Athletics has expanded its coaching staff to almost 80 professional coaches. Composed of primarily full-time former professional athletes and licensed coaches with years of experience, every member of the Dragons Elite coaching staff has been certified in The Dragon Way – the organization’s proprietary development approach which focuses on each player’s progress down a transparent path to lasting success.
Over the past year, Dragons Elite Athletics expanded its leadership team to ensure stability while maintaining a high standard of expertise as the organization continues to grow. The current leadership team now includes:
- Sarah Hernandez, Founder, VP of Team Engagement
- Howard Salter, VP of Operations
- Cory Pitts, VP of Sales & Marketing
- Brandon Brader, Executive Director – Facilities and Community Relations
- Gary Ritter, Director of Acquisitions
- Dominick Coppola, Regional Director of West Boca Raton Softball and Acquisitions Account Manager
- Brandon Mann, Regional Director of New York
- Orlando Arnold, Regional Director of Pembroke Pines
- Tony Cruz, Regional Director of Lakeworth
- John Quinto, Regional Director Flag Football
- Eric DeSouza, Regional Director of Soccer
- Nigel Prince, Chief Operating Officer
- Elle Elias, Controller
- Vivianna Lauschus, Marketing Manager
- German Pousa, Social Media Manager
- Michelle Bateman, Digital Product Manager
“I’m humbled and honored at the reception for Dragons Elite Athletics. As a former athlete, licensed coach and parent, I believed there was a better way to participate in youth sports with a focus on development, professional coaching, and an environment free of bias and politics. It’s extremely rewarding to see our vision come to reality for so many families in our growing Dragons Elite Platform. It’s important to me to partner with like-minded families who see the value of a strong culture, annual commitments, and the power of sport to develop leaders. I’m committed to developing athletes on and off the field, one player and one coach at a time,” said Sarah Hernandez, Founder and Board Member.
Investment from Black Dragon Capital℠ Opens Doors for Key Partnerships
Following a multi-million dollar backing from multi-phased investment firm Black Dragon Capital℠, Dragons Elite Athletics was able to further accelerate its growth by establishing partnerships with three key organizations: For A Bright Future Foundation, Dragons Academy, and Pyramid Sports and Entertainment Group.
For A Bright Future Foundation (“For A Bright Future”), is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded by Louis Hernandez, Jr., Founder and Chairman of Black Dragon Capital℠, that is dedicated to supporting the needs of underrepresented and underprivileged children through education, healthcare, the arts, and youth leadership development. Its partnership with Dragons Elite resulted in the Youth Athletics and Leadership Program, designed to allow high potential children to overcome the financial barriers of participating in elite athletics development programs. Through this partnership, Dragons Elite Athletes are eligible for youth athletics, Kindergarten through high school private school scholarships and University scholarships.
Dragons Academy is a nationally accredited private school offering the highest accredited curriculum in the United States through transformative programs focused on nurturing each student through one-to-one, strengths-based learning. The partnership between Dragons Academy and Dragons Elite Athletics combines the personalized, one-on-one academic instruction offered from a selection of face-to-face, virtual, and hybrid formats at Dragons Academy with the high-performance sports training framework emphasizing skill development, physical conditioning, and character building at Dragons Elite.
Lastly, the organization expanded its agency services with the partnership with Pyramid Sports Group, a Dual-Sport Certification Agency (MLBPA and NFLPA) sports agency which prides itself on providing a high level of focus, care, and integrity to its clients. This partnership with a trusted sports agency like Pyramid Sports Group gives Dragons Elite athletes access to a wide selection of services, opening more paths towards the long-term goals of either becoming a recognized collegiate athlete or having a flourishing career with a professional organization.
Overall, Dragons Elite Athletics has had an amazing 2025 and the dedicated team behind the organization is excited to bring their momentum to 2026.
“It's been an exciting year for us here at Dragons Elite Athletics! I’m very proud of what the team has accomplished and am looking forward to continuing to reshape the landscape for youth athletics as a platform for development on and off the field. With the best coaches in the business and outstanding leadership, we are reshaping youth athletics. I look forward to a fantastic 2026,” said Nigel Prince, Chief Operating Officer.
Join the Movement. Be a Dragon.
The expansion of Dragons Elite Athletics to new cities and sports reflects its mission to build future athletes on and off the field, and its vision to grow into a nationwide leader in youth sports development. Whether your child is new to the game, focused on collegiate play, or determined to reach the professional level, Dragons Elite Athletics is where champions are made.
The expansion of Dragons Elite Athletics to new cities and sports reflects its mission to build future athletes on and off the field, and its vision to grow into a nationwide leader in youth sports development. Whether your child is new to the game, focused on collegiate play, or determined to reach the professional level, Dragons Elite Athletics is where champions are made.
Commit to excellence. Commit to growth. Commit to being your best.
Learn more about tryouts, program schedules, and registration opportunities here.
About Dragons Elite Athletics
Founded by Sarah Hernandez, a former Marine, a successful business executive, and a certified athletic coach, along with a team of experienced entrepreneurs, educators, and former professional athletes, Dragons Elite Athletics’ mission is to develop high-potential athletes on and off the field. We have created the Dragons Elite Performance Framework to develop attributes for success in life, beginning with performance and commitment in sports. Our athletes will embody the best of the human spirit and endeavor to outperform the competition, and in the process become elite members of society.
Our coaching staff is primarily full-time former professional athletes, experienced and licensed coaches, certified in The Dragon Way development approach, allowing them to focus on each player’s development with a transparent path to lasting success. We offer a clear development and leadership program, travel and select teams, camps and clinics along with fitness programs complimented by our indoor and outdoor facilities. Our program includes player profile development and a full array of agency related services.
Learn more: www.dragonseliteathletics.com
Follow us on: Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
About Black Dragon Capital
Black Dragon Capital℠ (BDC), founded over a decade ago by recognized sports and technology leaders, is a unique multi-phased investment firm focused on disruptive technologies in high growth industry segments that strengthen economic stability within communities. The firm was founded and led by a collaborative team of experienced entrepreneurs with intense operating experience, and a proven track record. They work closely with entrepreneurs to build market leading companies using their proprietary Black Dragon Toolkit℠, which is designed to drive operational value and returns.
Learn more at www.blackdragoncap.com
About For A Bright Future Foundation
Louis Hernandez Jr.'s Foundation For A Bright Future is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the needs of underrepresented and underprivileged children through education, healthcare, the arts, and youth leadership development. Our initiatives provide equal opportunity for all children to have the tools and opportunities to fulfill their life goals and become constructive members of our global community. Learn more at forabrightfuturefoundation.org.
Media Contact:
Amanda Gilmer
VP of Marketing, Black Dragon Capital
agilmer@blackdragoncap.com
SOURCE Dragons Elite Athletics
