Diana Braendly knows what it feels like to run out of the tunnel while the fight song plays. As a member of the University of Notre Dame women’s basketball team, she made it to the NCAA tournament every year she played under legendary coach Muffet McGraw. Her final season, in 1998, ended in the Sweet Sixteen.
Today she brings that same love of the game to a very different court: running i9 Sports programs for kids and families in northern Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
A Career Pivot With Purpose
Before i9 Sports, Diana spent 20 years in IT for Bank of America-Merrill Lynch and JP Morgan Chase & Co. The work was steady, but something was missing.
“I started in corporate America, but I had felt a calling to do something more meaningful and something I was more passionate about,” Diana said. “I was looking for something I could give back with.”
She found it on the sidelines. Her son was playing T-ball and basketball with i9 Sports, and when the local owner decided to sell in 2019, she jumped at the chance. What drew her in was i9 Sports’ philosophy that every child deserves a safe, comfortable, and fun place to play, and that teamwork and effort matter more than the scoreboard.
The Lesson She Learned the Hard Way
Diana’s own path through sports shapes how she runs her programs. She started playing because she loved the game. Over time, she found herself chasing awards and MVP titles instead. An overtraining injury sidelined her during her senior season, and early struggles in college left her feeling average and unimportant.
What brought her back was her team. She found real pride in supporting her teammates, a group that included Olympic gold medalist and WNBA champion Ruth Riley, ESPY winner Danielle Green, and current Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey.
“Sports have been something that really helped me develop in all areas of my life,” Diana said. “I didn’t see a whole lot of playing time, but just being in that atmosphere, hearing the fight song as we run out and taking layups made for a fun experience. I look back on and cherish those memories.”
That’s why she believes kids should start with fun, not pressure. The confidence and friendships come from being part of a team, not from the trophy.
Room to Try Everything
Diana’s programs offer flag football, volleyball, basketball, baseball, and soccer, and she’s excited about adding more options like tennis, all-girls programs, and specialized clinics.
“I played a bunch of sports, and I think that’s what I love about i9 Sports, too,” she said. “We offer all of these sports so kids can figure out what they enjoy before diving in. That’s particularly important with girls because of the imbalance. There are less coaches across the country who are female, and more dropouts of girls from sports as they get older.”
That belief is why she’s involved with Gains Are for the Girls, i9 Sports’ national effort to have 500,000 girls playing sports each year by 2030. The campaign gives owners and coaches research, programming, and practical resources to help more girls start playing and keep playing.
“As a former Notre Dame basketball player, Diana understands firsthand the impact sports can have on confidence, teamwork, and leadership development,” said Madison Gates, Vice President of Marketing for i9 Sports. “What sets her apart is how she brings that mindset into her business. She has built a strong local program that delivers for kids and families.”
Building the Right Team
Diana will tell you her first opening day was rough. Several new staff members didn’t show up. She learned quickly that great programs come from great people, and that she could lean on a network of fellow i9 Sports owners for advice.
“You can’t be everywhere at once, and that was a little frustrating for me in the beginning because I wanted more control,” she said. “But once you start to find the staff you can trust, it becomes more of a numbers thing with how customer service ratings look and how the growth of a program is doing.”
Beyond the field, she’s proud of what her programs give back locally: jobs for coaches and staff, and rental income for the schools, parks, and churches that host games.
Off the Court
At 6’4″, Diana still stands out in a crowd. When she isn’t on the sidelines, you might find her traveling with her son, tackling DIY home projects, or showing off a skill she taught herself: juggling.
