Michael has learned many life lessons through his involvement in sports. He started out as a Pee Wee and Little League player and later a competitive High School athlete playing both Lacrosse and Basketball. As he got older, he continued his love of sports through coaching and is still involved in sharing sports with his family and community.

As a parent, he realized that while he grew up playing sports, his children were spending more time on technology and behind many assorted screens. He wanted to make sure to get his kids outside and into healthy positive life habits via sports.

Michael Kraner has worked in Finance and Technology, helping companies leverage technology to be more successful from both a services and financial perspective. My Backyard Sports is able to apply these benefits and efficiencies into a field that has not yet adopted these key benchmarks successfully to date. 

Michael has a passion for Win-Win Entrepreneurship and for providing his clients with a quality product and great value! He has been recognized as a Successful Technology Entrepreneur and past member of the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies as well as numerous similar industry lists. Michael started his first company as a college student at Cornell University and then took the company national upon graduation. My Backyard Sports has been recognized as one of the Fastest Growing Companies in the U.S., Inc 5000 (2021 and 2022), Best Emerging Franchise and has received several other industry accolades for which he is very proud.

Favorite Sports Quote – It’s a funny thing, the more I practice the luckier I get. – Arnold Palmer

Favorite Team – Likes all the NY Teams, all under dogs and teams that play the right way.

First Sports Experience -Yankee game with his Dad

Favorite Sports Experience – Youth basketball with his friends.

Debbi enjoys the creative nature of My Backyard Sports and the joy it brings to so many families and communities. Her father’s stories of growing up in the Bronx and spending most of his time playing sports in the streets and schoolyard taught her about passion and perseverance. He was a baseball fan, top stickball, handball and basketball player against all odds.  Sports brought him confidence, passion and a determination to succeed.  Debbi grew up hearing all of those lessons learned and more.  As a parent she believes sports and outdoor activities, coming in many different forms, should be a part of every child’s upbringing.

What Debbi loves most about My Backyard Sports is that each and every project is unique and each and every project has a story to tell.  From why the court is being built, who it is being built for and what it will mean to the person, family or community once it is completed.

Debbi is both entrepreneurial in spirit and in practice, having been a successful entrepreneur in addition to being co-founder of My Backyard Sports.

She grew up in an entrepreneurial family where she gained tremendous insight into the hard work and dedication needed to succeed in business.  Debbi has a Master’s Degree in Liberal Arts with a specialty in Psychology from Harvard University lending her insight on marketing and consumer behavior. Debbi worked at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter in Human Resources as well as in Data Analysis. Her experience brings important employee and operational input to the company.

Debbi is committed to teaching her kids about hard work and creating their own destiny while making a positive impact on others.

Favorite Sports Quote –“ I didn’t lose the Gold, I won the Silver”. – Michelle Kwan

Favorite Team –Men and Women’s Tennis and Figure Skating

First Sports Experience -Playing badminton and volleyball in our home backyard

Favorite Sports Experience – Roller skating every weekend at our local rink