Galimberti Academy and Prima Sport: A Winning Partnership
There was a time when it was said that a good way to lose money was to launch a new tennis academy. Giorgio Galimberti is proving the exact opposite because his academy in Cattolica (province of Rimini) is completely sold out, with 40 (forty!) full-time players—young hopefuls who have moved to the heart of Romagna to pursue their goals. How did he succeed? With an ambitious project and a carefully crafted business plan that he was able to follow through by adhering to two essential paths: on the one hand, he assembled a top-notch technical staff, and on the other, he relied on competent suppliers capable of creating a top-level facility.
Among these is Prima Sport, a leading company in sports coverings with two decades of experience in the industry. Its pressostatic domes have spread across Italian tennis and are well-represented at the Galimberti Academy, with some particularly captivating design solutions that cover the clay and Play-It courts (complete with a very dark gray surface and matching cover).
It’s a prestigious facility with the ambition to grow further. In fact, the academy and Prima Sport have already begun an expansion project, as Galimberti—coach and entrepreneur, who is both the driving force and the brains behind this successful sports-business story—told us.
How did you develop the Academy project, considering that you started from a complex situation?
There was absolutely nothing! I sometimes look back at the photo from when we started and think about what exists today… Anyway, I had a clear path from the beginning, which was to primarily create an academy for competitive players and leave the club activity as a secondary priority. Then, to establish a good tennis school that could serve as a feeder for the competitive sector. Real academies thrive on competition, and we were quick to fill the spaces: we have 40 full-time players, a number that very few in Italy can boast. My partners didn’t believe it, but I was aware of what would happen by observing the numbers from our camps. We still have room for 4-5 more players, so we can select exactly who we want.
Do you have the academy you envisioned?
Five clay courts, three hard courts, and one natural grass court—a choice that sets us apart and allows us to host various professional players during the pre-Wimbledon period, as happened last year with Nardi, Passaro, Darderi, and Cecchinato. Having three different surfaces creates a strong appeal and allows for proper training. Then there’s everything else, from the clubhouse to the gym and the physiotherapy center.