This Startup is Streamlining Dues and Fees for Youth Sports Teams Everywhere
Managing youth sports teams is often chaotic, especially when it comes to collecting and managing dues and fees. For Tony Caudill, a parent of an 11-year-old boy who plays on multiple competitive sports teams, this challenge was all too familiar. From writing checks, to logging in to team management platforms, to using payment apps like Venmo, the process was overly complicated and fragmented.
It was this frustration that led Tony to create Duesy, a platform designed to streamline dues and fees for parents and clubs.
Tony’s background in software and payments gave him the expertise to tackle the problem. He first approached his son’s baseball club with the idea, proposing a platform that would help them spend less time being a bill collector and more time being coach. The club’s response was enthusiastic.
“They were frustrated with how much time they were spending chasing down payments and having awkward conversations with parents,” Tony says. “It was clear that this was a problem for both parents and coaches.”
Today, Duesy is in its pilot phase, with around 35 teams currently using the platform. The feedback has been promising, particularly in managing post-registration expenses—those ad-hoc costs that arise after the initial registration, such as tournament fees, lessons, travel and uniforms. Their AI-powered chatbot allows parents to text in a payment and the platform will have a text-based conversation with them to determine what it’s for, process the payment and associate it with the players profile for easy tracking and reporting.
“The post-registration expenses are where things get really messy. And that’s where we’re seeing a lot of positive feedback,” Tony says. “We like to say we’ve combined Quickbooks, Venmo and Excel into one easy-to-use platform built for youth sports.”
Duesy isn’t Tony’s first venture. He previously founded another company, but this time around, he’s approached things differently.
“With my first company, I didn’t go full-time until the product was built and we had paying customers. But with Duesy, I went all-in from the start, even before we had built the product. It has been a very different experience,” Tony says.
Given this is Tony’s second company, he has been able to avoid past mistakes and move more quickly through the development and go-to-market phases.
Support from KC’s entrepreneurial ecosystem
The Kansas City entrepreneurial ecosystem has played a significant role in supporting Duesy’s growth. Having received funding from Digital Sandbox KC for both of his ventures, Tony acknowledges how crucial this support has been.
“We wouldn’t be where we are today without the assistance from Digital Sandbox KC,” Tony says. “I’m so grateful for Digital Sandbox KC’s continued support of me and our broader entrepreneur community in KC. We’re lucky to have such an amazing resource in our city.”
With his first Sandbox-funded company, aware3, Tony used the project funding to integrate with a strategic partner. In 2018, aware3 had a successful exit and was acquired by Nelnet.
“Pipeline has also been an amazing resource, providing a network of entrepreneur friends who are invaluable when you need advice or support. Pipeline literally introduced me to Nelnet – the company that eventually acquired my first company. It doesn’t get much more helpful than that,” Tony says.
Tony is also a graduate of the Bloch School of Management at UMKC.
Looking ahead
Currently, Tony is bootstrapping Duesy, staying lean as the product grows and evolves.
Youth sports is a $35B market, with projections showing it could double over the next few years.
“It’s a really exciting time to be in this market,” Tony says. “I’m riding the wave, having fun, and solving a problem that I have first-hand experience with.”
As Duesy continues to grow, Tony’s advice to fellow entrepreneurs is straightforward: “Get your product in your buyers’ hands as quickly as possible. You can spend all sorts of time planning, but you really learn by getting out there and seeing how people use your product.”
Looking ahead, Duesy is looking for more youth sports clubs to join its pilot program. If you’re part of a youth sports organization or have a child playing on a team and you’re frustrated with how dues and fees are collected or managed, Tony would love to connect.
“It has been amazing how willing everyone is to make connections across Kansas City and through platforms like LinkedIn,” Tony says. “Duesy doesn’t just work with one sport, it’s great for any youth sport with dues and fees.”
Duesy is on the path to transforming how youth sports clubs manage dues and fees, making the process easier for parents and clubs alike. Stay tuned as this innovative solution continues to evolve and expand in the rapidly growing youth sports market. You can follow Tony’s journey via his LinkedIn profile here.
