If you’ve spent any time on a freezing sideline watching your kid play soccer or basketball, you know the deal. You see the gaps in their game. They see them too. But unless you’re living in a pro academy bubble or have thousands to blow on private trainers every month, getting actual, high-level feedback is kinda impossible.
That’s basically the wall Daniel Levy Propel Pro is trying to kick down.
Daniel Levy, a guy who spent over two decades in the high-stakes world of real estate acquisition before pivoting, isn't just another "sports dad" with a big idea. He’s the CEO and Co-Founder of Propel Pro, a platform designed to connect everyday athletes with the kind of elite coaching usually reserved for the pros. Honestly, it’s about time someone tried to bridge that gap.
What’s the Big Deal With Daniel Levy Propel Pro?
The core problem in youth sports right now is access.
We have all this technology—cameras in our pockets, AI tracking, high-speed internet—yet most kids are still getting the same feedback they got in the 90s. "Good job, keep working hard." That doesn't help a striker understand why their body shape is wrong during a transition.
Propel Pro isn't a "training app" in the sense of a library of generic videos. Think of it more like a bridge. It connects aspiring athletes with former professional players and elite-level coaches for real-time or on-demand feedback.
🔗 Read more: Who Won the Miami Football Game: The Canes' National Championship Run and the Dolphins' Season Wrap-Up
Daniel Levy and his team, including COO Jason Levy and product leader Michael Guris, have built a system where a kid in a small town can get a video breakdown from someone who actually played or coached in the NBA or the pros. It’s a leveling of the playing field that feels long overdue.
Breaking Down the Expert Roster
One thing that makes this feel legitimate is the caliber of people involved. This isn't just a tech startup; it’s backed by serious sports pedigree.
- Rich Dalatri: He’s the Director of Player Performance. If that name sounds familiar, it should. He was the first full-time performance coach in the NBA, spending 24 seasons there with teams like the Nets and the Cavaliers.
- Ray Selvadurai: They’ve partnered with coaches like Selvadurai from Manhattan SC to ensure the platform actually works for club environments.
- Allison Hushek: Serving as General Counsel, she brings a background from huge entities like the Pac-12 and ABC Sports.
The goal here is quality control. Most digital coaching fails because it’s a "wild west" of influencers who might have a million followers but zero actual coaching badges. Levy’s model seems focused on "Coach QA"—ensuring that the feedback being sent back to the athlete is pedagogically sound.
How the Platform Actually Works (Simply)
So, you’ve got the app. You record a clip of a game or a specific drill. You send it off.
In the back end, the Daniel Levy Propel Pro system routes that footage to a specialist. They aren't just watching; they’re tagging, drawing on the screen, and recording voiceovers. Within a short window, the athlete gets a personalized "milestone track" and a breakdown of what to fix.
It’s about speeding up the feedback loop. In a traditional club setting, a coach might have 18 kids. They can’t give every kid a 5-minute deep dive every week. Propel Pro fills that void.
✨ Don't miss: Jeff Knox Net Worth: Why the World’s Greatest Marker Still Matters
Why the 2026 Rollout Matters
Right now, the company is moving out of its pilot phases. They’ve been working with organizations like the Vermont Soccer Association and the Olympic Development Program (ODP) to refine how this looks in the real world.
Levy has been vocal about the 2026 launch window being the "big one." This is when they move from being a niche tool for early adopters to a broader market presence. They aren't just targeting parents; they’re targeting the clubs themselves. By giving clubs a scalable way to offer "elite" value to their members, they're basically turning the platform into a white-label development tool.
The Reality Check: Challenges and Limitations
Let’s be real for a second. Is an app going to turn a benchwarmer into a D1 athlete overnight? No.
There are challenges here. One is parent education. Daniel Levy has mentioned in interviews that parents need to understand expectations and timelines. There’s a risk of overtraining or kids getting burnt out if the digital coaching becomes "too much" on top of their regular schedule.
Also, tech adoption in old-school sports clubs can be slow. Coaches can be protective of their "turf." Propel Pro has to position itself as a collaborator, not a replacement for the local coach.
Actionable Insights for Athletes and Parents
If you’re looking into the Daniel Levy Propel Pro ecosystem or similar digital coaching tools, here is how to actually make use of it:
- Don’t film everything. Focus on "moments of failure." Sending a highlight reel of your kid scoring goals is a waste of money. Send the clip where they lost the ball or looked lost in defense. That’s where the coaching value is.
- Focus on "The Why." When you get feedback, don't just look at the "what to do." Ask the coach through the platform why that specific movement matters. Understanding the logic is what builds high-IQ players.
- Integrate, don't add. If your kid is already training 5 nights a week, don't add 3 hours of digital review. Replace one session of "mindless" practice with one hour of "directed" feedback. Quality over quantity.
- Check the credentials. If you use any platform, look for names like Rich Dalatri. Make sure the person on the other end of the screen has actually been in the rooms they claim to know.
Ultimately, the sports world is catching up to the rest of the digital economy. We have on-demand doctors and on-demand tutors; it only makes sense that we now have on-demand pro coaches. Whether this becomes the new standard for youth development depends on how well the tech stays out of the way of the actual coaching.
✨ Don't miss: Mazatlán FC Femenil Roster: What Really Happened With the Cañoneras
To get started with this kind of development, evaluate your current training load and identify one specific technical skill—like a first touch under pressure or a shooting mechanic—that has plateaued. Use a targeted video review to get an outside perspective, then apply those specific corrections in your next three sessions to see if the feedback loop actually sticks.