NSGA NOW - September/October 2023

INTRODUCING THE 2024 CLASS OF THE SPORTING GOODS

HALL OF FAME

4 CEO NOW

Congratulations to the Hall of Fame Class of 2024 6 ASSOCIATION NOW

NSGA Launches Online Communities 8 OPERATIONS NOW

How Small Businesses Can Access Capital 10 RECOGNITION NOW

Introducing the Hall of Fame Class of 2024 of Glenn Barrett (OrthoLite), Cathy Pryor (Hibbett Sports), Karsten Solheim (PING Golf) and Mike Thompson (Rawlings) 16 CONFERENCE NOW

Tom Flick Goes Long on Leadership

19 CONFERENCE NOW A Roadmap for Retail Success

20 INSIGHTS NOW

Analyzing First-Time Individual and Wheel Sports Participation

24 RETAIL NOW

16

MEMBERSHIP NOW

Burghardt’s Sporting Goods continues to evolve and thrive after 142 years in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. Chipply has also become a big part of Burghardt’s under the fifth generation of family leadership with, from left, Lynn, Brian and Carl Burghardt.

30

Hope and Faith Not a Successful Strategy 30

NEWS NOW

High school and NCAA Rules Updates; Latest from Inside the Industry

39 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT NOW

Give Me Five With Harold Buell, Fitness First Sports

CEO NOW

The Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Class of 2024 has a lot of class.

It is exciting to have such deserving inductees in Glenn Barrett, Cathy Pryor, Karsten Solheim and Mike Thompson for 2024. That gives us our largest group of inductees since the Class of 2012 which also had four.

The Class of 2024 comes from four different corners of the industry and each inductee has a fantastic success story.

Glenn Barrett is a footwear entrepreneur who focused on the interior of the shoe when he founded OrthoLite in 1997. Barrett developed insole technology that elevated the comfort, performance and sustainability of footwear. As a result, OrthoLite partners with more than 500 leading footwear brands and can be found in more than 600 million pairs of footwear every year. Barrett also gives back to the industry through his involvement in the Two Ten Footwear Foundation.

Cathy Pryor played a major role in the explosive growth of Hibbett Sports from a small chain in the southeast to more than 1,000 stores throughout the United States. Her work in store operations enhanced the shopping experience for customers in-store and through e-commerce. We were fortunate to witness and experience Pryor’s passion for this industry through her service on the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame committee, the NSGA Board of Directors and as NSGA’s first female Board chair in 2019.

Karsten Solheim was a frustrated golfer like many of us. The difference was Solheim, who passed away in 2000, had the engineering background and wherewithal to do something to help on the equipment side.

Solheim tinkered and developed a new type of putter and the impact was revolutionary. PING is one of the most recognizable names in golf as Solheim helped successful professionals and weekend players get more joy from the game. Solheim also started the Solheim Cup, a women’s U.S. vs. European event similar to the men’s Ryder Cup. Mike Thompson invested more than 40 years making sure Rawlings lives up to its “The Finest in the Field” slogan throughout baseball. The Chief Marketing Officer expanded Rawlings’ tradition of the Gold Glove Award it started in 1957 to recognize the best defensive players in Major League Baseball to minor league and NCAA baseball, and, women’s softball. Thompson hasn’t focused solely on baseball’s biggest stars. He has also been lauded for his efforts to grow the sport by numerous youth organization leaders.

Make sure you turn to pages 10 through 15 of this edition of NSGA NOW to learn more about the contributions of Glenn Barrett, Cathy Pryor, Karsten Solheim and Mike Thompson to the sporting goods industry and how you can nominate deserving candidates for the Class of 2025. We invite you to look at the Hall of Fame page with the nomination criteria and biographies of all the inductees. Not only is it a great history lesson but it may also provide a spark for someone you believe deserves to be nominated.

Please join me in congratulating Mr. Barrett, Ms. Pryor, Mr. Solheim and Mr. Thompson and everyone close to them on this fantastic honor!

NSGA OFFICERS

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

PAT DONNELLEY

Twin Falls, ID

CHAIRMAN-ELECT

GORDON GEIGER

Geiger’s, Lakewood, OH

PAST CHAIRMAN

DAVID LABBE

Kittery Trading Post, Kittery, ME

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

KEVIN BEZANSON

Cleve’s Source for Sports, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

BOB FAWLEY

Capitol Varsity Sports, Oxford, OH

TROY FREEMAN

Play It Again Sports, Minneapolis, MN

COLE JOHNSON

Johnson-Lambe Sporting Goods

Raleigh, North Carolina

MICK MONTGOMERY

Denver Athletic Supply, Englewood, CO

RON RUGAL

B&R Sporting Goods, Shelby

Charter Township, MI

JOHN SCIPIO

SV Sports, Pottstown, PA

NSGA TEAM LEADERS

MATT CARLSON

President & CEO

MARTY MACIASZEK

Director, Team Dealer Division, Communications

JULIE PITTS

Director, Public Affairs and President, NSSRA

NICK RIGITANO

Director, Insights and Analysis

JENNIFER SHAFFER Comptroller

Best regards,

MATT CARLSON PRESIDENT & CEO

NSGA is a member of the Merchants Payments Coalition. The MPC is pushing for passage of the Credit Card Competition Act.

YOUR TEAM.YOUR COLORS.

Training. Competition. Warm-up. Team. Championship. Fan. Supporter. Your colors are your identity. That’s why we are confident that our colors will be your team’s colors.

ASSOCIATION

NSGA’s Online Community Groups are a safe platform to connect like-minded professionals in the sporting goods industry. The Online Community Groups are a place to share ideas, experiences and best practices and to engage in real-time discussions.

The NSGA Online Community Groups allow members to:

• Create new industry connections and grow existing relationships

• Leverage the power of peer-topeer dialogue by asking questions, exchanging ideas, issues and pain points.

• Help make the sporting goods industry stronger together by actively participating in discussions, answering questions, providing feedback and sharing experiences and lessons learned.

A group is also set up for Hockey Dealers Association (HDA) members and another is scheduled to be launched this fall for National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA) members.

You need to have an NSGA account set up to participate in the NSGA Online Community Groups. If you have not done so yet just follow the simple steps shown here!

TIPS FOR ACCESSING CAPITAL FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

BY JENNY SHAFFER NSGA COMPTROLLER

The Small Business Majority, a small business organization that empowers America’s diverse entrepreneurs, in conjunction with the Small Business Administration (SBA) recently hosted a webinar called “The Bottom Line: What You Need to Know about Accessing Capital for Your Small Business.” The webinar focused on working with the SBA to obtain funding and provided some additional tips for securing funding.

Small businesses are important to the economy. Larry Cresswell, Senior Program Liaison of Capital Access at the SBA, cited factors such as 30.7 million small businesses operate in the US and 47.3% of the private workforce is employed by a small business. Despite their importance, one of the major hurdles small businesses must overcome is accessing capital.

The SBA offers solutions throughout the entire lifecycle of a small business, according to Cresswell. The SBA became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic with programs such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for eligible businesses. NSGA lobbied to create that program and the loan forgiveness feature. While some of these programs are no longer open to apply for, there are still other options for a small business to get access to much-needed capital.

“One of the positives of the PPP was that it did bring a lot of lenders in contact with the SBA that historically had not really worked with us that much,” Cresswell said.

To get access to capital, it was recommended to first work with your current lender.

“The only instances we [the SBA] make direct loans is through disaster loans,” Cresswell said. “Everything else has to work with the lending partner.”

There are currently over 1,000 institutions approved to make SBA loans. If that is not working, Cresswell suggested using the SBA Lender Match (https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/lender-matchconnects-you-lenders) to pair your business with an approved lender and compare various rates, terms and fees.

To be eligible for an SBA loan, businesses must:

• Operate for profit

• Be considered a small business, as defined by the SBA

• Be engaged in, or propose to do business in, the United States or its possessions

• Have reasonable invested equity

• Use alternative financial resources, including personal assets, before seeking financial assistance

• Not be delinquent on any existing debt obligations to the U.S. government

The six core loan programs the SBA offers are:

• Express — Develop sales and grow

• 7(a) — Long-term working capital, asset acquisition, refinance and purchase business

• 504 — Fixed-rate financing for major assets

• CAPLine — Short-term and cyclical working capital

• EWCP — Short-term working capital to generate export sales

• Community Advantage — A loan guarantee program for mission-focused lenders

In addition to working through the various loan programs offered by the SBA, Dr. Sharita Humphrey, Certified Financial Education Instructor, gave some additional tips regarding capital for businesses.

Humphrey suggested that when seeking capital, it is imperative to ask yourself if you are ready to scale and what that means relative to capital.

“It’s always important to ask yourself some critical questions when you’re seeking capital,” Humphrey said, “and to be able to evaluate what your current financial position is. Not just your business financial position, but your personal financial position as well because it plays a huge role in lending later on.”

Additionally, it is important to understand how much funding you need and how fast you need to secure it.

“One of the things that you really need to understand,” Humphrey said, “especially as a small business is to understand how important it is to know your numbers and what does it take for that business to be able to scale and to be able to grow.” There are several types of funding to consider, such as:

1) Angel investors

2) Boostrapping (self-financing)

3) Business loan

4) Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)

5) Crowdfunding (vehicles like Kickstarter and GoFundMe)

6) Venture capitalists

“There are multiple ways to be able to raise capital,” Humphrey said, “but you have to figure out what’s the best way for you and that one size of the funding pathway does not fit all.”

Another valuable concept Humphrey discussed was to understand debt versus equity. There are ways to get capital through debt, but some businesses are afraid to do this. However, debt is not always a bad thing, such as when you need to add a new technology.

“Debt is another way to be able to get into high growth, and understanding that many times a business is going to need outside help,” Humphrey said, “and that means taking on the necessary debt that is needed to grow and scale our business but doing it in a way that we are not taking on debt that we can’t pay back.”

For equity, there are different considerations to factor in, such as how much of your company are you willing to give up? All of this should be done in conjunction with tax and accounting professionals who understand your business.

Finally, Humphrey said that when it comes to pitching your company to get access to funding, think about and understand the “power of your pitch.” As part of your preparation, she said to consider questions such as, what does your business need? Why do you need it? How will the funding you get make a difference and ultimately impact the business and the marketplace?

Businesses should always be pitching their small business in a storytelling way, not just to a lender. An effective pitch needs to clearly articulate what your business does, who it serves and what problems it solves.

While there are many hurdles small businesses face, getting access to capital does not have to be one of them. Please note: This article was written for informational purposes only. As always, work with your hired professionals to explore your specific circumstances.

RECOGNIZING THE LEGENDS of the industry

The Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame has been recognizing legendary people who made significant contributions to this industry since 1955.

The Hall of Fame honors more than 180 men and women with the selection of the Class of 2024. On the following pages, you can learn more about the accomplishments of Glenn Barrett (OrthoLite), Cathy Pryor (Hibbett Sports), Karsten Solheim (PING) and Mike Thompson (Rawlings).

NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR THE CLASS OF 2025!

Members of every segment of the industry can submit the names of manufacturers, sporting goods retailers/ dealers and industry influencers they believe are worthy of election to the Hall of Fame for extraordinary contributions to the industry.

Learn more about the Hall of Famers as biographical information on every inductee is now available at www.nsga.org/hall-of-fame/!

If you have any questions about the Hall of Fame, contact Julie Pitts, Hall of Fame Secretary, at hof@nsga.org.

>> The Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Class of 2023 and past inductees in attendance at the dinner and induction ceremony gather for a photo.

From left to right, Kent McKeaigg, Bill Hunt, Bob Dickman, Julie Nimmons, Ken Nimmons, Stan Jurga, Conny Klimenko, Larry Aasheim, Tom Keen (son of James Clifford Keen) and Jeff Lynn.

>> A big crowd listens intently during Peter Capolino’s Hall of Fame speech during his induction ceremony held in 2021.

>> Ronny Flowers of Athletic Supply gets the crowd fired up during his 2019 Hall of Fame induction.

>> Kent McKeaigg of OrderMyGear begins his acceptance speech at the 2023 Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

CLASS OF 2024 INDUCTEE

GLENN BARRETT FOUNDER AND CEO ORTHOLITE

Footwear entrepreneur Glenn Barrett revolutionized that segment of the sporting goods industry from the inside out.

Most attention is paid to the style of footwear on the outside. Barrett focused on the inside and the importance of comfort and performance. The innovation by the founder of OrthoLite led to his selection for induction in the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

Barrett introduced a new open-cell PU foam insole technology that led OrthoLite, which started in 1997, to become recognized as the world leader in branded footwear component technologies.

“We went after running footwear brands first because I knew that if we could break into the performance running category and get adoption from these leading brands that it would give us credibility in other markets,” Barrett explained. ASICS was one of the first running brands to use OrthoLite.

“I used to kid Glenn about how ASICS launched OrthoLite into the running business,” said Jim Monahan, former Vice President of Footwear for ASICS America Corporation. “Truth is, the OrthoLite product was unique against the competition in the performance characteristics of the material, and the bottom line is that it performed better than the other product on the market.”

Twenty-six years later, OrthoLite’s biggest markets are still running, performance athletic and technical outdoor footwear. OrthoLite now partners with more than 500 of the world’s leading footwear brands who trust OrthoLite to elevate the comfort, performance and sustainability of their footwear.

“Glenn has created a brand and a business organization that he should be proud of,” said Bert Spiller, Global Vice President of Product Creation for Timberland PRO. “At Timberland, we have leveraged OrthoLite foam as the cornerstone of our comfort platform since the early 2000s. Together we’ve experimented with complex molding of footbeds, air channel linings, and even puncture-resistant knee pads.”

OrthoLite can be found in more than 600 million pairs of footwear a year. Because OrthoLite is U.S.-owned and operated and has production facilities in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Spain, India and Brazil it can work alongside its brand partners wherever they manufacture shoes.

Jamie Manges, who heads consumer investing at private equity firm Trilantic North, became a business partner with Barrett and OrthoLite in 2017.

“Glenn is an innovator and persistent thinker who has made the world better for all athletes,” Manges said. “As one of the first to fully embrace open-cell polyurethane foam technology in the industry, Glenn had the vision to see its potential in footwear and the improvements it could bring to everyone across sports and disciplines.

“Not fazed by an industry dominated by other older materials, Glenn set out with his team to bring greater comfort, better support, increased performance, and a more environmentally friendly product to athletes everywhere. Today, all the top brands in the world – Adidas, Asics, Under Armour, to name a few – all trust Glenn’s product to deliver the results and principles that their athletes believe in.”

Barrett is also a longtime supporter and member since 1980 of the non-profit Two Ten Footwear Foundation. Two Ten is a national organization which helps people in the footwear industry with professional development and assistance if they are going through hardships or crises.

Two Ten President & CEO Shawn Osborne joined the organization in February 2020 just before the COVID pandemic hit. Osborne said Barrett was “a pillar of strength and beacon of hope” because he stepped up financially to support the organization to ensure Two Ten could provide as much emergency relief to the footwear industry as possible.

“Not only has Glenn led OrthoLite to become a world leader in footwear components, but he knows and cares deeply about his employees,” Osborne said.

CLASS OF 2024 INDUCTEE

CATHY PRYOR

SENIOR VP STORE OPERATIONS

HIBBETT SPORTS

Cathy Pryor experienced the importance of team building at a high level as a Division I scholarship volleyball player at Clemson University.

Pryor took the lessons she learned in college and applied them in a different sporting realm. Her leadership was instrumental in Hibbett Sports growing from 28 stores to more than 1,000 and $1 billion in sales during her 32 years with the company. A successful career has earned her selection for induction into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024.

Pryor will be the seventh female inducted into the Hall of Fame as she joins Gert Boyle (Columbia Sportswear), Mary Cabela (Cabela’s), Barbara Longstreth (Longstreth Sporting Goods), Julie Nimmons (Schutt) and Elizabeth Goeke and Ellen Wessel (Moving Comfort). She also joins retired President and Chairman Emeritus Mickey Newsome as Hall of Famers from Hibbett.

“I feel that Cathy was instrumental in the successful growth of Hibbett Sporting Goods,” said Newsome, who was inducted in 2007. “Cathy Pryor was an outstanding leader.”

Pryor started her career in the industry in 1985 at Robby’s Sports in Florida as a Store and District Manager. She was with Hibbett from 1988-2020 and worked her way up the ladder as a District Manager, Director and Vice President of Store Operations and Senior Vice President of Store Operations and Executive Officer. She served the industry for eight years on the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) Board of Directors and was its first female Board Chair from 2019-20. She also served for more than a decade on the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Committee.

Robert Irwin worked with Pryor at Robby’s as her supervisor and later at Hibbett as one of her Regional Vice Presidents. Irwin saw Pryor’s leadership skills on display in thousands of meetings and said she worked hard to develop best practices for retail.

“She made a great leader in many ways,” Irwin said. “She was respected by people due to her title, but she was truly respected by all due to the fact of how she achieved that position and how she treated others. The people under her, who were the backbone of the company, saw Cathy as an inspiration. This female person, in a male-dominated business, the face of the company, who smiles constantly, is talking to me and really seems to be interested, in ME.”

Pryor’s philosophies are to build a strong team, avoid being complacent, try new approaches, always look for ways to get better, think outside the box and get the job done. She understands the importance of building strong relationships anchored in trust and respect, which translated to decades-long success with her team and fellow members of the leadership team.

She was named the Sporting Goods Woman of the Year in 1998, won the 2016 Retail Innovator Award by Retail Touch Points and was named one of Birmingham, Alabama’s Top Business Women in 2007. She hired, directed and developed a team of six regional vice presidents and 69 district managers who had an average tenure of 10-plus years at Hibbett. She advanced the employee culture based on the customers’ in-store experience and helped grow Hibbett’s e-commerce business channel. She also advanced in-house video production for employee education and training and formalized industry-leading employee training programs. Her understanding of store operations, visual merchandising, and commitment to operational excellence are key components to Pryor’s success in the industry.

“Her longevity in the sporting goods industry speaks for itself,” said Gary Smith, retired CFO at Hibbett. “Hibbett’s public company success is due to the wonderful store experience customers receive inside the store. Cathy is wellknown for training store associates in product knowledge and excellent customer service.”

KARSTEN SOLHEIM FOUNDER PING GOLF

Frustration fueled Karsten Solheim’s innovation of golf equipment. Solheim didn’t start playing golf until he was 42 but he immediately fell in love with the sport. Golf became a love-hate relationship with his struggle to improve (he achieved a low handicap of 5) so he began looking to use his engineering skills to design clubs and enhance the game.

A putter developed in his garage that made a distinctive “ping” sound was just the beginning as he founded Karsten Manufacturing and began production of PING Golf Equipment. The ways Solheim revolutionized the sport, for weekend duffers to professionals pursuing a big paycheck on Sundays, led to his selection for induction in the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

Bob Gilder played professionally from 1976-2019 and won six PGA Tour titles and 10 PGA Champions (Senior) Tour crowns. Gilder first got to know Solheim when he was playing collegiate golf at Arizona State University.

“I’ve played his golf clubs and other products to this day,” Gilder wrote in his letter of recommendation. “I was fortunate to be able to give him feedback, as a professional golfer, and to learn from him about the intricacies of the engineering of golf clubs. He was truly a gifted man.

Babe Hiskey won three PGA Tour events from 1965-72 with PING golf equipment in his bag. Hiskey was on the putting green at the 1963 Phoenix Open when Solheim introduced himself and his heel/toe-weighted balanced putter which Hiskey thought was ugly looking.

But that meeting started a close friendship for the next 30-plus years. Hiskey often tested Solheim’s equipment on the PGA Tour.

“His innovations revolutionized the sport of golf on tour and for the consumer,” Hiskey wrote in his recommendation letter. “Karsten was relentless about building the most forgiving golf equipment products, within the boundaries of the USGA guidelines.

“No one, in my opinion, has had a larger impact on the game of golf - and golf equipment design and innovation than Karsten Solheim. And it all grew out of his desire to make the game easier for all golfers.”

Solheim was born in Norway and he was 2 years old when his family moved to Seattle. In 1953 he joined General Electric as a mechanical engineer and helped design the “rabbit ears” antenna on GE’s first portable TVs.

Once he founded his manufacturing company he turned his focus to golf and altering the blade putter made famous by the legendary Arnold Palmer in the 1960s. Solheim was looking for a name for the putter and his wife Louise suggested using the word answer without the letter W. The “Anser” putter became the most popular in the game.

His PING Eye2 irons became the dominant irons on the pro tour in the 1980s and he sponsored the Solheim Cup, which is the women’s version of the Ryder Cup. He won numerous honors and awards as he was twice a guest at the White House, received the Patty Berg Award for contributions to women’s golf (1991), received the Ernie Sabayrac Award from PGA of America for lifetime contributions to the golf industry (1996), received the Ford Achievement Award (1999). He is the only golf equipment manufacturer in the World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted posthumously in 2001).

His sons John, Allan and Karsten Louis all worked for PING. His daughter Sandra was a sales rep in South Dakota.

“Karsten Solheim revolutionized the game and wasn’t afraid to think outside the box on ways to make the game of golf better, more economical, more fun, and fairer for all to play,” said Mary Bea Porter-King, who played on the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour from 1973-96. “He was quietly driven to make the best quality product that performed consistently even if he had to assemble it himself. The quality control of Karsten Manufacturing is by far the best in the industry and set a new standard for all manufacturers around the world.”

CLASS OF 2024 INDUCTEE

MIKE THOMPSON

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

RAWLINGS

One could use the phrase “fits like a glove” to describe Mike Thompson’s 40-year career at Rawlings, the number one baseball brand worldwide and glove choice of more MLB® pros than all other brands combined.

Thompson’s rise from sales representative in Southern California, to the Global Vice President of Sales, and now his current position of Chief Marketing Officer at Rawlings, has also fueled Rawlings’ growth with Major League Baseball® and many other organizations in the sport. Thompson’s industry impact led to his selection for induction with the Class of 2024 of the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame.

“Mike’s honesty, approachability and love for people within the industry is evident in everything that he does and each decision that he makes,” said Craig Keilitz, Executive Director of the American Baseball Coaches Association™.

Thompson has held a variety of sales and marketing-related roles at Rawlings, and in recent years, he spearheaded the creation and management of both the sports and digital marketing departments at the company. He devotes the same energy to working with professional advisory endorsers such as MLB stars Aaron Judge, Nolan Arenado and Francisco Lindor as he does with Minor League Baseball®, the NCAA® and youth organizations like Perfect Game USA®, Little League®, Babe Ruth®, Cal Ripken® and PONY® Baseball.

“Being a complete business leader, Mike treats his partnerships at the youth level with the same passion

and respect for customer concern,” said Steven Tellefsen, President/CEO of Babe Ruth League.

The Rawlings Gold Glove Award®, established in 1957 to recognize defensive excellence in Major League Baseball, has evolved to the Minor Leagues and the collegiate and high school levels of baseball and softball because of Thompson’s unwavering commitment to maintaining the prestigious award’s relevance. Additionally, Thompson co-created the Platinum Glove Award™ in 2011, enabling fans to vote for their favorite Gold Glover in each league for the first time in the award’s history, as well as the Team Award in ‘21 and the Utility Player Award in ‘22. All award recipients are recognized annually at the Rawlings Gold Glove Award ceremony in New York City, a five-star event Thompson established that’s attended by baseball’s biggest names, including current MLB superstars, Hall of Famers and industry leaders.

Thompson has received numerous industry awards and earned several honors in the sports business community. He was named one of the “Twenty-One Top Leaders for the 21st Century in Sports” by Sports Trend Magazine, received the ABCA’s “Meritorious Service Award,” the “Fan For Life Award” for supporting prostate cancer awareness, the

“Lifetime Achievement Award” from Men’s Senior League Baseball and the “President’s Award” for his work with Youth Basketball of America. Thompson has also served on the Board of Directors for the St. Louis Sports Commission since 2017.

Some of Thompson’s most notable career achievements include leading contract negotiations to extend Rawlings’ presence at all levels of the game, “from Little League to the Big Leagues.” During his tenure, Thompson’s strong industry relationships and deep-rooted baseball knowledge successfully enabled Rawlings to be named as the glove and base of MLB, in addition to continuing as the official baseball and helmet. Thompson has also been instrumental in growing the Rawlings’ brand at the amateur and youth levels of both baseball and softball.

“In addition to performing his job at an exemplary level over a number of decades, Mike demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to Major League Baseball said Stephen Roche, Vice-President, Authentic Collection at Major League Baseball.

And after being part of Rawlings for more than 25 percent of its 136-year existence, Thompson said, “I’m still in awe of this great brand and everything it represents.”

2025 CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Submissions accepted until March 31, 2024

Nominate a deserving individual for the 2025 Class of the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame

Learn more and nominate at nsga.org/hall-of-fame

The Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame was created in 1955 by the NSGA Board of Directors to honor the pioneers, innovators and leaders who built the sporting goods industry and to help recognize and encourage excellence within the industry.

LEADING CHANGE THROUGH THE HEART

BY TOM VAN JACOBS NSGA MARKETING COORDINATOR

“Leadership and leading change starts with the heart,” stated Tom Flick. “Feelings are actually more influential than thought when it comes to affecting change and changing people’s behaviors.”

Tom Flick kicked off the 2023 NSGA Management Conference and Team Dealer Summit on Monday morning in Nashville with “The Heart of Leadership: Inspiring People to Excellence.” Flick went from a seven-year NFL career to becoming one of the top corporate speakers in the country with a passionate storytelling ability that helps develop leaders and spark teams.

“Hey, who are you?” That question was shouted at Flick when he first entered an NFL game by Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Lambert of the Pittsburgh Steelers. This in turn caused Flick to ask a set of questions that he never asked himself before:

“Who am I? Where am I going? Where am I going to end up? What’s life really all about?”

These four questions are what each team asks the leaders of their company to help them get to where they want and need to go in order to be successful. As a leader, you should be able to unequivocally answer each question with a “yes, I can help you, follow me and I will get you there.”

Flick stressed that management is important but it does not move your business forward. What is needed is leadership.

“Leadership is vision and strategy,” Flick said. “It is communicating vision and strategy. It is motivating action. It is getting buy-in. It is removing barriers. It is creating innovation, opportunities and growth.” With change in the industry happening so fast, Flick specified you want to drive leadership from the top down through your organization, so you have leadership in the middle. Allowing your team to have self-leadership will help push your company forward.

The biggest challenge in growing your business is complacency. Being content with the status quo can hinder the growth of your company. The importance to counter-balance complacency in your team or organization is the concept of true urgency.

>> Former NFL quarterback Tom Flick begins his Monday morning keynote with a photo of his youth football days.

“The number one way to grow your business or organization is this concept, it’s true urgency,” Flick said. “Where people come to work every single day determined to seize the big opportunities and duck the real hazards.”

The focus of true urgency is to create a person’s determination to win now and win that day. Flick shared that over-communicating your vision will create buy-in from the team because people want to be a part of something bigger. He also stated that you should empower your team and celebrate short-term successes. These three factors will move people to their “go side” where it allows people to come to work every day determined to seize the real opportunities and avoid real hazards. Flick gave four points to design your way to lead change:

• Develop a Leader’s Voice and Mindset

• Be Very Intentional Teammates

• Go After the Big Opportunities

• Lead the Way

DEVELOP A LEADER’S VOICE AND MINDSET

It is important to be able to change your mindset and how you think to create a positive atmosphere in your life and business. “The ideas in your head rule your world,” Flick said. The more you repeat the ideas, the more likely they turn into behaviors that lead into habits that are formed. You want to feed your team positive ideas and behaviors to help move them forward and bring out the talent in them.

BE VERY INTENTIONAL TEAMMATES

“Becoming a great team is not easy to do, it is actually one of the hardest things you’ll do, but it is actually the most rewarding thing you’ll do,” Flick said. “The number one team need is trust.” Flick made a point that it is not just any meaning of trust but vulnerability trust that is important.

“Where you bring and the team gets to bring their weaknesses, their shortcomings and foibles to the group and not lose anything in the process,” Flick said. This is because of having a safe environment in your company. Being a leader who is vulnerable, authentic and real will make it safe for your team to be themselves and do what they do. This will then translate into creating a legacy team where you are all connected, your team will give you discretionary effort and they will do it voluntarily.

GO AFTER THE BIG OPPORTUNITIES

“If everything is important, nothing is important,” Flick said. “Great teams go after one or two main things, and they seize those before anything else and then move on to the next most important thing.”

Flick encouraged everyone to think about what your organization will look like in 3 months, 6 months and one year. This will help you figure out what issues need to be addressed to get there and to prioritize those issues to help get you to your goals.

Then he encouraged you to share it with your team and have them add on to it and make it theirs as well. In turn you will get everyone to be on the same page.

LEAD THE WAY

Perfect leadership is unattainable. Flick said you need to be real and authentic. “If you blow it say I blew it. If you don’t have the answer say I don’t have the answer. If you make a mistake say I am really sorry.” People want a leader who is real and talks to you like a human.

“We are either built for ourselves or built for others,” Flick said.

When you are built for yourself, then greed happens, and teams don’t succeed. When you are built for others, you treat everyone with dignity and respect. Be the leader that encompasses all these areas and most importantly, “go first and lead the way.” Be the leader who creates winners in your organization and help your team “cross their finish line, so they can achieve their goals for your reasons.”

Are you built for others?

>> Tom Flick makes a key point about leadership.

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SUN & SKI PROVIDES ROADMAP FOR RETAIL SUCCESS

BY MARTY MACIASZEK NSGA DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Karl Salz learned the fundamentals for sporting goods retail success from an industry legend.

Salz, who is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Sun & Ski Sports, worked for 12 years at Galyan’s Trading Company. One of the biggest influences for Salz was Pat Galyan, a 2003 inductee into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame.

Salz talked about Galyan’s impact in this year’s Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit session, “Building a Roadmap for Success” with leadership expert Dan Mann of The Mann Group. “Pat is an incredible guy. He’s very animated and sort of an eccentric guy but he’s a mentor,” said Salz, who joined Sun & Ski in 2005. “He would tell you he loved you many times as he was pounding his fist on the desk and cussing me out. He treated everybody the right way. He pounded the importance of customer service and taking care of the customer. He was passionate about the business and customer service.”

Sun & Ski Sports was founded in 1990 and has grown to 33 stores across the country. Sun & Ski’s biggest business is snowsports, followed by bikes, board sports, water sports and running. It also does a lot of lifestyle apparel.

The average store is 20,000-square feet with a range from 7,500 to 40,000.

One of the keys to success that Salz and Mann shared is for retailers and team dealers of all sizes to view themselves as brands. Salz also cited a key element from the book “Winning at Retail” from nearly 20 years ago.

“You want customers to want to come to you and that’s why it’s important for them to think of you as a brand,” Salz said. “’Winning at Retail’ said you need to establish what your ‘est’ is - what you are best at.

“We re-established our ‘est’ is customer service and we focused on that. What do you like best about Chick-Fil-A? People like them for different reasons. We tell our stores we have to be good at everything like Chick-Fil-A is good at everything. What they’re best at is customer service. We tell our stores we have to be good at everything and great at most things.”

Mann, who lists Sun & Ski as his top client, mentioned one of Chick-Fil-A’s consistent ways of employees showing customer appreciation.

“They always say ‘my pleasure,’” Mann said. “It’s a little thing but it’s distinctive.”

And Sun & Ski’s approach is adopted from what Salz learned from store founder Barry Goldware and Galyan.

“We do expect all customers to be greeted and acknowledged if they come in proximity of the staff,” Salz said. “What is missing in a lot of retailers is enough incentive with rewards and recognition programs. Our staff can really make their own way with our commission program and it allows us to pay our best people significantly more. If you have the right incentives in place it makes them want to work for you.”

Mann suggested that it’s not necessarily the most popular way to operate. But it works for Sun & Ski.

“We’ve had professional salespeople who have stayed around for years and years and make a real living wage based on the commissions we offer them,” Salz said. “The underperformers make less and then weed themselves out. The incentives work for sure.”

Salz said Sun & Ski is facing the challenge of finding people to fill open positions like the rest of the sporting goods industry and other industries. It has been a bigger issue where stores are in newer locations.

But Salz doesn’t believe Sun & Ski is “stuck in the middle” in the outdoor sports retail industry.

“We’re in sort of a unique niche position because we’re not a big box and we’re not a specialty retailer,” Salz said. “It’s worked out well for us and we feel we can offer the best of both worlds. We feel we’re in our sweet spot there and our customers really appreciate it. We feel we’re going after primarily the family business.”

>> From left, Karl Salz of Sun & Ski and Dan Mann of The Mann Group during their session, “Building a Roadmap for Success” at the Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit in Nashville.

FOR INDIVIDUAL AND WHEEL SPORTS

ANALYZING FIRST-TIME PARTICIPATION

BY NICK RIGITANO NSGA DIRECTOR OF INSIGHTS AND ANALYSIS

NSGA’s 2023 Editions of the Sports Participation reports released earlier this year revealed increases for many of the segments tracked by NSGA, including Individual (+7.2%) and Wheel (+4.2%). Further analysis of study results also shed light on which sports people were most likely to try for the first time in these segments during 2022.

Because there are large differences in terms of overall participation numbers within each of the individual sports (50 million swimming participants compared to 5.3 million gymnastics participants in 2022) and wheel sports segments, it is important to examine first-time participation by looking at the concentration of first-time participants for a given sport (Figure 1).

As illustrated in Figure 1, study results show pickleball having the highest percentage of first-time participants with 46 percent. This is not a surprise as pickleball experienced a 79 percent increase in participation in 2022 compared to the prior year.

Gymnastics and skateboarding were next on the list with 30 percent and 23 percent of participants trying the respective sports for the first time last year. These are both sports that tend to skew younger in participation, and the youth years (7–17) are ones in which

Figure 1

people are generally more likely to try different sports/activities. In-line roller skating had 19 percent of participants identify as newcomers while mountain biking (off-road) had 15 percent.

Tennis (9%), golf (7%), bowling (6%), bicycle riding (4%) and swimming (3%) rounded out the remaining spots on the list and represented the individual and wheel sports with the smallest

percentages of first-time participants, all less than 10 percent of their totals. As part of NSGA’s study, participants were also asked if they planned to continue to participate in their respective sport(s) during the 2023 calendar year.

Figure 2 represents the percentages of participants for a given sport who planned to continue participating in 2023.

It is important to note, however, that this line of questioning often results in survey respondents overestimating their likelihood of participating. Certain insights can still be gleaned from the data, though.

Directionally speaking, the sports of swimming, bicycle riding, golf and tennis appear to be the least at risk of losing their participants compared to gymnastics and skateboarding, which have much lower percentages of people planning to participate.

While it is always important to gain as many first-time participants as possible for a given sport, it can become problematic if a given sport is always reliant on a high number of newcomers year after year in effort to keep the status quo for overall participation. For the sports that saw a significant amount of first-time participation during the past year, it is the hope that the exposure to these new sports can lead to continued interest in participating for years to come.

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HOPE AND FAITH NOT A STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS

BY RITCHIE SAYNER ADVANCED RETAIL STRATEGIES

This is a story about two friends who decided to open a business in Las Vegas. One was named Hope, the other Faith. Now Hope and Faith have been best friends for many years. As they formulated the business plan for their new joint venture, they were excited about the prospect of opening a sporting goods store together.

They were aware of the presence of big box retailers in the area but felt a locally owned independent would do well. Should any business problems develop, they would have a unique and almost utopic solution. After all, Hope had Faith and Faith had Hope. Oh, absolutely, what could be better? I can almost see the eye rolls from the NSGA veterans reading this.

Hope is defined as “wishing for something with expectation of its fulfillment” and having confidence and trust. Faith is defined as “belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.”

The Hope and Faith concept sounds nice enough in theory, but unfortunately it is hopelessly naïve. Here is their recipe for dealing with business issues.

Hope had faith they would buy the right amount of merchandise. Faith had hope for the vendors, especially that they would ship complete and on time.

Hope had faith that employees would want to work for them because they were such nice people. Faith had hope for the employees they hired and was expecting that they would be extremely loyal and productive.

Hope had faith that the rent was reasonable. Faith had hope for sales to be sufficient to cover all the expenses.

Hope had faith that the social media marketing campaigns would be so novel that business couldn’t help but be successful. Faith had hope for all positive responses to marketing efforts.

Hope trusted the vendors when they said they would never sell a competitor. Faith had hope that the vendors would not compete with them online. And so on and so forth.

Hope and faith are desirable attributes to possess, but way too esoteric when not matched up with sound, time-tested business practices. Here’s an example of what I am talking about. I have hope that my house won’t burn down and I have faith that it won’t. I also have taken preventative steps to make certain everything is in good working order, and I have an insurance policy in case of a worstcase scenario. Hope and faith are fine qualities to have if they are accompanied by reasonable and responsible actions.

Responsible actions to combine with hope and faith:

• Inventory: Have a solid merchandise plan and open-to-buy based on classification sales, desired markups, correct turnover and ideal timing of deliveries.

• Personnel: Make sure that your pay scale is competitive, including benefits, and that employees feel valued and enriched.

• Expenses: Review expenses periodically to make certain they are in line with industry standards. Adjust as needed for local variances.

• Marketing: Make sure your message is being clearly conveyed. Pay attention to image, message, pricing.

• Competition: Frequently shop other stores in your area and always review distribution policies with a vendor prior to purchasing. You must also keep a continuous eye on vendor websites for pricing.

• Outside input: The benefit of outside, independent, 3rd party counsel, either from a mentor or consultant would be essential for these two owners. He or she would provide a dose of reality to balance Hope’s faith, and Faith’s hope and keep them on track.

If you combine positive actions along with the vision or outlook you have (aka, hope and faith), you have a fighting chance of success. If you don’t, chances are more likely than not that things are not going to end well.

Unfortunately, Hope and Faith’s business venture did not work out as they had planned (assuming they ever had a plan), leaving their dreams shattered and their bank account drained.

Though adequately capitalized at the beginning, the idealistic approach of relying on merely hope and faith to solve every problem was not sufficient to overcome their lack of sound business practices.

Sadly, too many people end up going into business with only hope and faith as their only source of guidance. There is nothing wrong with reaching out for help and assistance.

Having learned much during their shortlived retail careers, Hope and Faith have moved on to other opportunities.

If you are ever in Las Vegas and encounter them, please let me know how they are doing. I hope they are doing well and have faith that they are.

RITCHIE SAYNER

Sayner has spent the past four decades helping independent retailers improve profitability. In addition to speaking to retail groups nationwide, Sayner is a regular contributor to retail industry publications. Prior to embarking on his retail consulting career, he was the general merchandise manager for an independent department store in the Midwest. Ritchie is a graduate of the University of WisconsinLaCrosse. He is also the author of the book, “Retail RevelationsStrategies for Improving Sales, Margins, and Turnover.” He can be reached though his website at www.advancedretailstrategies.com. @RitchieSayner

BURGHARDT’S

BY MARTY MACIASZEK NSGA DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Aconstruction crew is hard at work just a few hundred feet from the entrance to Burghardt’s Sporting Goods’ sprawling and still relatively new location in New Berlin, Wisconsin. The project is an addition to the New Berlin Activity & Recreation Center adjacent to Burghardt’s.

“People ask, ‘what are you guys doing next door,’” said Carl Burghardt, one of the fifth generation of owners of the business with his sister Lynn and brother Brian.

“We’re building a stadium,” Brian said with a laugh of the area that includes the “Burghardt’s Blue” color.

Well, it’s not quite the Fiserv Forum, the 5-year-old home of the Milwaukee Bucks, which is not far from Burghardt’s original downtown location as a books and stationery store that opened in 1881. Burghardt’s added sporting goods to its portfolio before the turn of the 19th century and is one of the oldest family owned and operated sporting goods stores in the United States.

The $12 million second phase of the New Berlin Rec Center basketball and volleyball courts being built to

host regional tournaments is a part of Burghardt’s transformation into a destination for more than just a bat and ball since it arrived in New Berlin in 2021. Especially since customers can bring a bat and have a ball in the Performance Center, which features baseball and softball batting cages that include the Hit Trax performance metrics technology. Next to the batting cages is a 7,500-square foot turf area with four retractable batting cages that teams and organizations can rent out for practices and training.

Burghardt’s previous main location in suburban Brookfield had batting cages but was nothing compared to what it offers customers now. Burghardt’s also has a smaller location in the northern Milwaukee suburb of Fox Point.

CONTINUES TO EVOLVE, GROW AFTER 142 YEARS

“It’s been totally game-changing,” Lynn said. “Carl and I did a lot of figuring out. One thing that was sort of an accident was the extra 15,000-square feet we had. Carl wanted to make it a customer space to practice. We took the idea and tripled down on it to build an entire Performance Center. We want to rejuvenate retail and make it an experience to go to Burghardt’s Sports Center.”

It is no accident that on a rainy or snowy Wisconsin winter day, the line of kids waiting to use the batting cages snakes directly through Burghardt’s impressive baseball and softball equipment selection. Specific points of emphasis in Burghardt’s selection is part of its evolution.

“We found our niche,” Brian said. “We pride ourselves on baseball and softball and that’s our bread and butter. This is a point of pride. We have just about every glove, bat and training aid.

>> Burghardt’s Sporting Goods, a part of the Milwaukee area since 1881, moved into its current main location in New Berlin, Wisconsin in 2021.

>> An area dedicated to team sales is part of Burghardt’s commitment to be a “one-stop shop” for sports teams and organizations.

“We started throwing everything against the wall (water skiing) but over time found what we’re good at and what people look to us for. Our service is unbelievable. If you’re a real baseball and softball player, once you come here it’s your favorite store.”

But Burghardt’s is much more than just baseball and softball. In conjunction with Chipply, the online ordering platform it created 17 years ago and owned by the Burghardts’ father Chip, Burghardt’s wants to be a one-stop shop where schools, teams, clubs and leagues can quickly and efficiently have all their needs met in a rapid fashion.

There is a “team room” in the retail area that allows Burghardt’s to “take a 50-hour job down to 45 minutes,” according to Brian Burghardt. Behind the scenes in the same building are expanded areas for embroidery and printing, the latter with improved ventilation and air conditioning facilities so employees are working in more comfortable conditions.

Carl Burghardt said the receiving area is five times more efficient than the previous location. The additional space gives Burghardt’s another competitive edge since it can bring in large items such as portable pitching mounds and basketball goal systems.

The facility also has a large area for order fulfillment. It’s part of the synergy between Burghardt’s and Chipply where their offices overlook the retail space.

“I one hundred percent feel Burghardt wouldn’t be where it is today without Chipply,” Carl Burghardt said, “and Chipply wouldn’t be where it is today without Burghardt’s.”

It’s all part of the vision the Burghardts and Chipply leaders, CEO Angie Hardwick and her daughter and director of operations Melissa Hardwick, had for the business. Angie Hardwick started as a customer for a volleyball club she ran before coming to work for the Burghardt family.

“We all sat down in January 2020 and said, ‘What are we going to do,’” Lynn Burghardt said. “Our 3- to 5-year plan included Angie. We were looking to rent another 10,000-square foot building but we all concluded, ‘Wouldn’t it be so cool to have one building and have it all under one roof.’”

An old Walmart building in New Berlin was up for auction and Lynn laughed that the size of the facility required another family meeting. The relationship with the New Berlin community and its interest in moving and expanding its parks and rec facilities led to an affordable collaboration.

Finalizing the deal wasn’t a laughing matter, however, since it occurred on March 13, 2020, just days before the COVID shutdowns took place.

“It was the most somber closing ever,” Lynn said.

“It felt like we’d just lost the business,” Carl said.

But long-time customers stuck with them through this toughest time to ensure Burghardt’s would continue to succeed and serve the Milwaukee area sports community. Another of their goals is to elevate the industry and they held their first on-site Chipply summit in April where more than 30 team dealers got a look at what the Burghardt family has built.

“We’ve built ourselves up to where we could continue the dream,” Lynn Burghardt said, “and the dream gets bigger.”

And better in Burghardt’s continued evolution from its humble beginnings 142 years ago.

>> Burghardt’s commitment to baseball and softball includes its Performance Center with a multiple batting cages and a turf area for practice and training.

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS RULE CHANGE UPDATES

There were numerous high school rule changes this summer in boys and girls lacrosse, baseball, softball and track and field that impact equipment and uniforms. Here is an overview of the changes and a reminder about basketball and football jerseys for 2024–25:

simplifies the rule and eliminates confusion of legality of pocket, stringing, etc. unique to the goalkeeper.

The protective helmet chin strap must be worn under the chin and remain firmly attached at all of the helmet’s manufactured attachment points, securely enough so that the helmet is unable to be removed without detaching the chin strap from the attachment point(s) (Rule 1-9-1a). The rule further specifies that protective gloves and arm pads must be designed for lacrosse. Beginning next year, if a player’s helmet comes off during a play, the play will be suspended immediately. The player will then need to leave the field until after the next dead ball following the resumption of play in a change to Rule 4-24-11.

GIRLS LACROSSE

Three girls lacrosse equipment-related rules changes were accepted for the 2024 high school season.

identifying references that can be placed on the jerseys aligning with other NFHS rules codes. A supplemental NOTE declares that jerseys with non-compliant identifying marks and names will be considered illegal beginning July 1, 2027. New language was also added to Article 5 of Rule 2-4, the section of the NFHS Girls Lacrosse Rules Book that deals with crosse inspections. Although a “stick check” can still be requested at any time while the game clock is stopped, the request must now be completed before the official’s hand is in contact with both centers’ sticks to set up the ensuing draw.

SOFTBALL

Several equipment changes will be implemented in the 2024 high school boys lacrosse season to ensure all equipment is designed for lacrosse and is being worn appropriately in the way the manufacturer intended.

Rule 1-6-1 separates the measurements for the goalkeeper’s crosse from the field player’s crosse. The measurements of the goalkeeper’s crosse shall be 40–72 inches in length, with the head 10-12 inches wide and maximum 16.5 inches long. Additionally, there are no restrictions on goalkeeper’s crosse stringing and no restrictions on pocket depth. Dr. James Weaver, NFHS director of performing arts and sports and liaison to the Boys Lacrosse Rules Committee, said this proposal

A new clause in Rule 2-6-1 requires goalkeepers to wear shorts or pants manufactured with integrated thigh padding. Color restrictions on tooth and mouth protectors were removed from Rule 2-7-1, which was also edited to align with the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee’s recommended guidelines. And compression shirts that meet National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) requirements at the time of manufacture are now permissible as part of Rule 2-7-4 NOTE (Personal Equipment) and Rule 2-9-5 (Uniforms). Allowing field players to wear compression shirts, which do not need to adhere to the color requirements for undergarments, accommodates the preference to wear protective padding intended to prevent commotio cordis.

New Rule 2-9-4e in the Uniforms section states that “the school’s name, nickname, logo, mascot, and/or team member’s name are permitted above the number on the front and/or back of the jersey,” clarifying the allowable

Four rule changes including uniforms and equipment were announced for high school softball. Beginning January 1, 2027, softball uniforms may display only the player’s name, school name or nickname, school mascot and/or school logo as part of Rule 3-2-3 of the NFHS Softball Rules Book. No slogans or unofficial school nicknames will be permitted on the uniform. An additional uniform change for the 2024 season was approved in Rule 3-2-5, which more clearly defines what can be worn on the head to be consistent with other NFHS sports.

Continued on page 32

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Continued from page 30

Changes to Rule 3-2-7 clarify where wristbands with a playbook/playcard attached can be worn. The equipment is only permitted to be worn on a player’s wrist or arm, and pitchers must wear it on their non-pitching arm, prohibiting wristbands from being worn on the belt.

In another change, Rule 1-8-6 now permits electronic information to be transmitted to the dugout from anywhere outside of live ball area. This reflects current technology and still requires that electronic devices are used in the dugout but no longer stipulates where the video is recorded or how it is transmitted.

A reminder that the new softball specifications take effect in 2025. The new ball specifications for 12-inch fast pitch softball will have a compression of 325 pounds with a plus-minus of 50 (range of 275-375 pounds). The minimum weight will increase from 6¼ to 6½ ounces with a maximum of 7 ounces and the circumference will be 11⅞ to 12¼ inches.

The new ball specifications are permissible currently and will be required for use in high school competition starting January 1, 2025. Balls manufactured with the current specifications will be permitted for use through the 2024 season. The changes do not represent a difference in ball performance but allow for better control over the manufacturing process, according to NFHS. The new specifications for the softball go into effect in NCAA competition on January 1, 2024.

BASEBALL

The use of a one-way communication device between a coach in the dugout and a team’s catcher for the purposes of calling pitches, in a change to Rules 1-6-2 and 3-2-5, will be permitted in high school baseball beginning in 2024.

The new rules prohibit coaches from communicating with any other player besides the catcher on defense and with any player while batting. The coach must also be in the dugout when using the communication device. Rule 1-6-1 was added and designates a wristband with defensive shifts, pitching choices or game directions as non-electronic equipment and must be a single, solid color and worn on the forearm. Pitchers’ cards must not be white, gray or a distracting color and worn on their non-pitching arm.

TRACK AND FIELD

A significant change was approved for field events in the 2024 season by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Track and Field Rules Committee in Rule 6.

In the discus, shot put and javelin, athletes will be permitted to apply tape to their fingers as long as the fingers are not taped together, and all fingers can move independently. The specific language approved by is as follows:

“Tape may be used on the hand and fingers provided that no two fingers are taped together. The tape may be continuous and connect to the wrist, but all fingers must be able to move independently. A wrist wrap used in lieu of tape is acceptable and is not considered an artificial aid.”

The change was one of 11 track and field rules revisions approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

In a change to Rule 5-Running Events, some of the specific language regarding track markings in Rule 5 was deleted and replaced with the following general statement: “Staggered markings are dependent on the geometry of each individual track.” In addition, a NOTE was added to the rule stating that a competent surveyor should determine the lane staggers. The same language was added to Section 9 regarding indoor track and field.

FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL JERSEY REMINDER FOR 2024-25

The new high school football and basketball jersey number requirements will take effect with the 2024–25 school year. The entire body of the jersey number (continuous horizontal bars and vertical strokes) shall be a single solid color that clearly contrasts with the body color of the jersey.

The solid number can still have a border or outline to the number in 2024 but the key is that the solid portion of the number (body) needs to clearly contrast with the body color of the jersey. As of 2024, the outline or the border of the number will not be used in order to comply with this rule and it will be the solid portion of the of the number (body) that needs to comply.

The same time frame and reasoning was implemented for basketball jerseys for the 2024–25 season. The reason for the change was the difficulty seeing some numbers that were the same color as the jersey, with a contrasting border, for on-field/court officials, game administrators, fans, media and coaches who are scouting opponents. These rule changes were adopted by NFHS in 2019 to give schools time to budget for new uniforms by the 2024 season.

Continued on page 34

Continued from page 32

NCAA RULE CHANGES

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

The NCAA clarified that lacrosse-specific ND200 close-fitting padded compression shirts can be worn underneath players’ jerseys

Shoes can have soles containing aluminum, leather, rubber, nylon or plastic cleats, studs or bars, whether molded as part of the sole or detachable, if the official does not consider them dangerous.

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING

The use of tape, kinesiology tape and compression sleeves will be permitted to treat a documented medical condition. Documentation from a physician or certified athletic trainer to use tape, kinesiology tape or compression sleeves would be presented to the referee. The prescribed course of treatment would set forth a minimally invasive taping plan to support the athlete’s medical condition.

Refined the language regarding swimwear for swimmers and divers, identifying swimwear standards as well as logo specification for swim caps.

NOCSAE UPDATE

Here is a recap of the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) summer standards meeting July 21 in Chicago:

Dr. Robert Cantu, the chair of NOCSAE’s Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), gave an update on a possible shoulder pad standard for football. In the NFL, 17 percent of concussions come from contact with the shoulder pad area. A study of 212 concussions suffered by high school football players determined that 30 (11.3 percent) came from

contact with the shoulder and three occurred with individuals practicing without shoulder pads.

Cantu said the conclusion of the NOCSAE SAC was no additional study was needed at this time and there was no recommendation from the group to have NOCSAE pursue a standard for shoulder pads. The general feeling was a shoulder pad standard should focus on the best protection for the shoulder and more data was needed for a recommendation that a shoulder pad standard would make a meaningful decrease in concussions.

There were some concerns discussed about shoulder pads going the wrong direction from a safety standpoint because they have less padding as athletes try to do everything they can to be lighter, faster and quicker.

Cantu said there can be more deliberation and review of the issue.

A summary of discussion points from the last several NOCSAE meetings on a possible non-contact football helmet standard was given:

• Soft headgear doesn’t provide adequate protection

• Traditional football helmets aren’t likely to be adopted in organized play

• Significant differences between flag and 7-on-7 football

• More youth playing flag than tackle

• Single impact vs. traditional multi-impact helmets

• Are traditional helmets appropriate

• Virginia Tech ratings include 22 headgear models with varying amounts of coverage

• Would wearing a hard-shelled helmet with a faceguard create a hazard to other players not wearing any other protective equipment besides the helmet?

• What injuries occur? What injuries should be prevented?

NOCSAE executive director Mike Oliver also said he’s received some phone

calls asking if NOCSAE is going to develop a football commotio cordis standard in response to the cardiac arrest episode the Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin suffered in a game in January. NOCSAE said it will continue to consult with governing bodies and stakeholders across sports to evaluate where additional protection against this injury could be necessary.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Certor Sports named Jeremy Erspamer as its new Chief Executive Officer after an extensive search to continue growing its line of sporting goods brands. Erspamer will oversee the entire Certor Sports portfolio, including Schutt, TUCCI and VICIS.

Erspamer had been the CEO the past two years at Equustock and spent nearly 20 years at True Temper Sports, most recently as president and CEO. Erspamer replaces Jim Heidenreich, who had been named Certor’s CEO in late October 2021.

“Jeremy has more than 20 years of successful executive leadership in the sporting goods and consumer products industries, including a lengthy tenure at True Temper Sports. He will bring a values-based leadership and cultural approach with a hyper-focus on product innovation, operational execution, and customer satisfaction,” said Ravi Bhagavatula, Chairman of Certor Sports’ Board and Partner at Innovatus Capital Partners.

CERTOR SPORTS NAMES ERSPAMER NEW CEO

“The Board is confident that Jeremy, together with his leadership team, will ensure the successful execution of Certor Sports’ strategy to build products that equip athletes with the best equipment to improve their performance at every level.”

Certor Sports features three premium brands:

• Schutt, the iconic 105-year-old brand that updated one of the most popular football helmets ever introduced earlier this year with the launch of the F7 2.0.

• VICIS, which launched the first ever position-specific football helmets with the ZERO2 TRENCH and VICIS ZERO2 MATRIX models.

• TUCCI, a prominent bat brand which recently launched a new product line across multiple baseball and softball categories.

Certor Sports’ dedication to innovation has resulted in more than 169 domestic and international patents with several pending applications across a wide-ranging intellectual property portfolio.

“I am supremely honored to lead a company which boasts brands with over 100 years of history, while, at the same time, bringing a fresh approach to the industry with cutting-edge product development capabilities and state-of-the-art domestic manufacturing operations,” Erspamer said. “At the heart of everything we do will be product innovation. We will focus on the athlete, with intensive consumer feedback and interaction, to continue designing industry-leading products and groundbreaking technology.”

With its newly opened, modern manufacturing and distribution facility in the Indianapolis suburb of Plainfield, and a leading research, design, and innovation facility in Seattle, Certor Sports is well-positioned to be the leader in providing high-performance sporting equipment across football, baseball, softball, hockey, lacrosse and other sports.

“Get ready, athletes everywhere. Certor Sports will continue to bring the highest performing products in every industry to maximize your athletic potential and deliver the strongest protection to the most important asset – your body,” Erspamer said. “Recent Certor Sports product launches, like the first position-specific football helmets, have seen tremendous success from the highest professional ranks to youth athletes. I cannot wait to see how excited athletes are when they see the protection and performance of the new products in our pipeline. These are extremely exciting times at Certor Sports.”

LIFE FITNESS NAMES PISANI CEO

Commercial fitness equipment company Life Fitness announced the appointment of Jim Pisani as Chief Executive Officer with Paul Stoneham transitioning as a Senior Advisor to the Life Fitness Board of Directors. Pisani brings over 25 years of experience leading commercial expansions of global outdoor, recreation and sports apparel brands and most recently he served as CEO of the Outdoor & Recreation Business Segment of Newell Brands. He also served as President of VF Licensed Sports Group, where he oversaw the uniform and apparel licenses for Major League Baseball, as well as the apparel licenses for the NFL, NBA, NHL and NCAA. Augie Nieto, who was inducted into NSGA’s Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame in 2008, was a co-founder of Lifecycle (which became known as Life Fitness) in 1980. Nieto passed away February 22 after a long battle with ALS.

NEW BALANCE EXPANDS US MANUFACTURING PLANS

Boston-based New Balance plans to build a manufacturing facility, its sixth in the U.S., near the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in Londonderry, bringing up to 450 jobs to the area. The other facilities are in Maine and Massachusetts. The single-story building would be developed in two phases, according to plans submitted to the town. The first phase calls for a 102,418-square-foot building with office and manufacturing space. A future expansion will double the space.

New Balance, which reported $5.3 billion in sales in 2022, intends to hire 250 employees in the first phase and 200 in the second phase.

Earlier in June, New Balance broke ground on a $65 million, 120,000-square-foot addition to its Skowhegan, Maine, facility, which will double the factory’s capacity and add 200 jobs there by the end of 2024. Last year, the company opened a new factory in Methuen, Mass. The company says it’s the only major athletic shoe manufacturer that has maintained factories in the United States. The company also has a factory in the United Kingdom.

“Manufacturing has always been an important part of our company culture,” said Joe Preston, president and CEO, in a statement. “Our associates have proven that high-quality athletic footwear can be produced in the U.S. Their skilled craftsmanship and dedication to continuous improvement will help us meet our significant U.S. and global consumer demand and drive our continued business growth.”

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FRANKLIN SPORTS PARTNERS WITH PICKLEBALL CANADA

Franklin Sports signed a five-year partnership agreement with Pickleball Canada, the National Sport Organization of the country’s fastest growing sport. As part of the agreement, Franklin’s signature X-40 and X-26 balls and wide assortment of paddles become the Official Balls and Paddle of Pickleball Canada.

Athletes across all provinces and territories will have opportunities to compete with Franklin pickleballs in the regional and national pickleball championships on an annual basis. The multi-year partnership kicked off at the Atlantic Regional Championship in late June in Nova Scotia. By joining forces with Franklin, Pickleball Canada becomes the most recent property to select Franklin as an official ball partner, joining USA Pickleball, Pickleball England and the Indian Pickleball Association.

During their engagement, Franklin Sports and Pickleball Canada will focus on growth initiatives for the sport, including providing support for the grassroots levels across Canada, and collaborating on ways to help pickleball athletes of all ages and backgrounds have access to the equipment they need to play the game. Both organizations deeply value inclusivity and making the sport as accessible as possible. Also, Franklin and Pickleball Canada will work to further develop pickleball programming focusing on youth athletes and equipping the next generation with a foundation for the sport across the country.

Pickleball Canada’s membership has grown more than three times since 2021 and currently has more than 51,000

members. Additionally, according to market research the organization conducted earlier this year with more than 2,000 Canadian households, Pickleball Canada discovered an impressive 50% year-over-year increase from 2022 to 2023 in the number of females playing pickleball and the fastest growing player demographic segment being millennials between ages 18–34.

DOUGHERTY NAMED ASICS VP OF US SALES

Michael Dougherty was named Asics North America’s VP of U.S. Sales. Dougherty has more than 15 years of global footwear industry experience. Dougherty was a full-time consultant and contractor and included his work as the general manager of North America for Grendene Global Brands before being hired by Asics. Dougherty also had a variety of positions for 12 years with Clarks and New Balance.

KLUTCH ATHLETICS MAKES RETAIL LAUNCH

Rich Paul’s Klutch Athletics by New Balance sportswear launched in 100 U.S. retail locations across Dick’s Sporting Goods, Foot Locker, JD Sports, DTLR, and Snipes stores in July

Klutch Athletics is a Black-owned “athlete-first” apparel brand that “celebrates the intersection of sport, culture, and community.” Paul, the founder of Klutch Sports Agency and agent of LeBron James, announced Klutch Athletics in February with a suggested retail price of $40 for t-shirts to $120 for hoodies.

GAINEY NEW VP AT ORDERMYGEAR

OrderMyGear

announced

Adam Gainey will be its new Vice President of Revenue Operations.

Gainey will play a pivotal role in developing and executing strategies that improve client acquisition, growth and satisfaction by using streamlined process, technology and data across the entire revenue organization.

In his new role, Gainey will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of OMG’s revenue operations, taking a cross-functional approach to align and optimize sales, marketing, and client success teams. He joined OMG in 2020. OrderMyGear is a longtime supporter and member of the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA).

SANMAR, S&S, ALPHABRODER LEAD PPAI RANKINGS

National Sporting Goods Association members and supporters took the first three spots and five in the top 25 of the inaugural PPAI 100 by the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI). The PPAI 100 is a ranking of the top suppliers and distributors in the promotional products industry.

San Mar, S&S Activewear and alphabroder finished 1-2-3 in the suppliers category in the research-based, statistically driven rankings. Cap America was 11th and Outdoor Cap was 25th You can find the full rankings at https://media.ppai.org/ppai-newslink/ ppai-100-2023/.

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT NOW

GIVE ME 5 WITH HAROLD BUELL

Owner, FITNESS FIRST SPORTS | Kerrville, Texas

1

BELIEF A BIG KEY TO 45 YEARS OF SUCCESS

I have on the wall, over my desk, Colossians 3:23-24 “whatever you do, do your work for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” This has been my hope and strength through all the ups and downs of my life as well as the 45 years in the retail business. We have tried to please our customers, helping and providing for their needs and desires while making a fair profit.

2

FOOTBALL SUCCESS LEADS TO FOOTHOLD IN INDUSTRY

I fell in love with sports at a young age, I would sleep with my football and was blessed with athletic ability, which led to playing college football for Texas Tech. (Buell was a threeyear letter-winner and all-Southwest Conference defensive end on a team that finished with 10 wins and No. 13 national ranking). With a marketing degree I realized that If I was going to sell something that sporting goods would be my dream. So, on December 31, 1976, I played my last football game in the Bluebonnet Bowl, the next week I married my true life partner Gina, and the next week went to work for Diversified Products (barbells and fitness equipment for Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Famers Fob and Cal James) as a sales rep for two years. Though I was learning the business, I didn’t like the travel, so we found a beautiful town in the Texas Hill Country and opened a retail store in 1978.

3

PLAYING A KEY ROLE IN “HILL COUNTRY”

We provide convenience, personal customer service, product knowledge and diversification with team sports, youth sports, screen printing and retail. Our main competition is in San Antonio (about an hour away) and from the local Walmart and Hibbett’s.

4

FINDING BALANCE BETWEEN RETAIL, TEAM SALES

Because of the smaller market (Kerrville’s population is about 25,000), we have had to diversify and market to a wider range of customers. The screen printing, retail and team sales can be difficult at times, but they can also complement each other nicely. We offer big-city pricing with small-town service.

5 THE VALUE OF NSGA MEMBERSHIP

Sometimes we can get stuck in our own little worlds (the Buells have attended the Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit the last two years).

It is always refreshing to see that our industry has common issues and through NSGA we can learn how others are trying to solve these common issues.

>> Gina and Harold Buell