NSGA Now January/February 2018

Volume 6 | No. 1 | January/February 2018

A PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL SPORTING GOODS ASSOCIATION

Goal Line Hockey Diversifies for Success Football Helmet Evolution and Its Impact on the Industry

Speed Networking Tips for the NSGA Conference & Summit

CONNECT NSGA SPEED NETWORKING

NSGA 54TH ANNUAL MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE & 20TH ANNUAL TEAM DEALER SUMMIT Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, Bonita Springs, Florida | May 20–22, 2018

Save time, save money!

Have multiple business conversations in one place at the NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit.

FOR RETAILERS AND DEALERS

• Meet manufacturer representatives • Learn new product trends to make the sale

FOR MANUFACTURERS & BRANDS

• Provide product knowledge • Expand your distribution channels

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER AT

nsga.org/spn or call (847) 296-6742, ext. 1190 See page 10 of this issue for tips on getting the most out of your experience.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

10

Conference Now

Speed Networking Tips for the NSGA Conference & Summit

Technology Now

5

Association Now

12 14

6

Membership Now

16

Participation Now

8

Industry Now

18

Locker Room Now

4

CEO Now

Looking Forward to the NSGA Conference & Summit

Supreme Court to Hear Online Sales Tax Case in April

Goal Line Hockey Diversifies for Success

Football Helmet Evolution and Its Impact on the Industry

Addressing the Backup Gap

Insights Now

The Relationship Between Household Income and Sports Participation

Positive Coaching Alliance Top Resources of 2017

Organization Changes, Product Updates and More

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CEO NOW

NSGA OFFICERS Chairman of the Board David Labbe

Kittery Trading Post, Kittery, ME

Treasurer/Chairman-Elect Cathy Pryor

Hibbett Sports, Birmingham, AL

Past Chairman Randy Nill

Nill Bros. Sporting Goods, Kansas City, KS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kevin Bezanson

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

Pat Donnelley

Donnelley Sports, Twin Falls, ID

Rhett Johnson

Johnson-Lambe Co., Raleigh, NC

Greg Miller

Universal Athletic, Bozeman, MT

Jeff Miller

Scholastic Sports Sales, Ltd., Manlius, NY

John Oehler

Dunham’s Sports, Troy, MI

Jerry Williams

The new year provides us with many prospects.

Where will you invest in your business and in yourself this year? We think the best place to invest in both is the NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit. This premier event in the sporting goods industry offers unmatched opportunity for education on trends and networking to create relationships. If you are a retailer, dealer or manufacturer registered for the event, you can find some tips in this issue to make the most of your experience during the Speed Networking on Monday afternoon, May 21. Speed Networking gives manufacturer attendees a quick time allotment to pitch their product to various retailers and dealers in attendance. Retailers and dealers have an opportunity to learn more about suppliers as they rotate throughout the room, maximizing connections made during the event.

Registration for the Conference & Summit is now open and NSGA encourages you to register soon and book your room at the reduced NSGA rate. Last year’s hotel block filled up before the deadline.

This issue of NSGA Now® also examines the first NOCSAE football helmet standard addressing concussion risks from rotational forces that will go into effect November 1, 2018. The new standard incorporates rotational accelerations in the pass/fail specifications that will have to be met by helmet manufacturers.

It is a change that will have a significant impact on football and the sporting goods industry.

Schuylkill Valley Sports, Pottstown, PA

NSGA TEAM LEADERS Matt Carlson

President & CEO

Dustin Dobrin

Director, Research & Information

Marty Maciaszek

Director, Team Dealer Division and HDA

Julie Pitts

Director, Business Development

Larry Weindruch

Director, Public Affairs

Dan Wiersma

Chief Financial Officer

In addition, NOCSAE approved increasing its licensing fees relating to lacrosse balls at its summer 2017 meeting. Several attendees at their most recent winter meeting were unaware of the changes. NSGA filed a formal objection and asked the group to reconsider the increase, which apparently was communicated to NOCSAE licensees — without pushing that notification further to the end of the distribution chain. Because NSGA is not a licensee, we did not receive notification. The issue was brought up at the end of the meeting and was not specifically listed for discussion or debate on the agenda.

Finally, we ask that you please review the top utilized resources from the Positive Coaching Alliance. Members can utilize these tools and pass along the information to coaches, administrators and parents they work with. The suggestions and tips contained in the resources encourage well-rounded athletes and parents and foster quality participation. How can that not contribute to reducing hurdles children face in participating in youth sports, and, to building stronger communities?

Investing in your business, yourself and your community…what a great opportunity!

Best wishes!

Matt Carlson President & CEO NSGA NOW® (ISSN 1045-2087) is published bi-monthly for members of the National Sporting Goods Association, 1601 Feehanville Dr., Suite 300, Mount Prospect, IL 60056-6035; Phone: (847) 296-NSGA (6742); Fax: (847) 391-9827. Subscription price of $50 per year is included in membership fee. Non-member subscription information available from publisher. Periodical postage paid at Mount Prospect, IL 60056 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NSGA NOW,® 1601 Feehanville Dr., Suite 300, Mount Prospect, IL 60056-6035. © by NSGA 2017. Printed in the USA.

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ASSOCIATION NOW

Supreme Court to Hear Online Sales Tax Case in April The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) welcomed the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to hear a South Dakota case on whether online sellers can be required to collect sales tax the same as local stores.

South Dakota is asking the justices to overturn a state Supreme Court ruling against a 2016 law requiring online merchants with more than $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions with South Dakota residents to collect sales tax.

The South Dakota case comes two years after Justice Anthony Kennedy said the U.S. Supreme Court made a mistake in Quill Corp. v. North Dakota by relying on an outdated precedent on physical presence. Kennedy invited opponents of the decision to bring a new case that would allow the Court to correct its mistake.

NSGA filed an Amicus Curiae (Friends of the Court) brief in November 2017, asking the Supreme Court to hear South Dakota’s case, which would give the Court the opportunity Justice Kennedy is seeking. Similar briefs were filed by government, business and related organizations, urging the Supreme Court to hear the case. Each brief focused on a different critical aspect of the appeal and how the current situation is detrimental to traditional retailers.

NSGA supports H.R. 2193, the Remote Transactions Parity Act, and S. 976, the Marketplace Fairness Act, which would level the playing field by permitting all states that have a sales tax to require out-of-state Internet sellers to collect state sales tax. These are not new taxes, but rather taxes already on the books that go uncollected in large part on Internet sales. It is estimated that nearly $30 billion in sales taxes go uncollected nationwide due to this loophole.

For more information on NSGA’s advocacy efforts please visit nsga.org/advocacy

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MEMBERSHIP NOW

Goal Line Hockey Diversifies for Success

By Marty Maciaszek, Director, Hockey Dealers Association and Director, NSGA Team Dealer Division

When George Erban took over the Goal Line hockey pro shop in Foxborough, Massachusetts, in 2007, one of his initial objectives was to beef up the assortment of primary products such as skates, sticks and protective equipment.

His vision was to fill the 2,800-square feet of space, which is larger than most pro shops, with high-quality product for the high-level players who skate at the Foxboro Sports Center. It took a few years, but Erban and Goal Line became established with the big brands such as Bauer and Reebok/CCM. Once that happened he started looking for other creative products for his pro shop.

As a result, wooden signs with hockey sayings or hockey neckties, which a customer may not expect to find in a hockey or sporting goods shop, have been a big hit.

“I definitely feel you have to think outside the box as far as what you are comfortable with,” said Erban. “You never know how people are thinking or what people are looking for.”

Erban discovered one of his first unique products on a trip to a fair in Springfield, Massachusetts.

“A guy was selling all kinds of ties and I asked him, ‘Do you have any hockey-based ties?” Erban said. “He had six different types so I told him I would buy a dozen each. I thought maybe I would do well for Christmas with them.

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September/October January/February 2018 2017

“By Christmas I re-ordered again and I’m still doing great with the ties. It’s just a little different. People come in from out of town, and they have never seen them, and junior players wear ties to games anyway.”

Erban said hockey-oriented picture frames and the hockey sayings on wood signs have been big hits with customers.

A person came into his shop one time and asked if he was interested in selling embroidered shamrock stickers.

“We’ve done unbelievable with those,” Erban said. “Kids put them on the skate as a good-luck charm.”

Another product that has been a big success are reaction balls for goalies.

“I never knew how hard it is to find for goalies,” Erban said. “You wouldn’t think a reaction ball would be much of an item in a pro shop but we’ve done pretty good with it.”

Skate sharpening is a crucial business service to Goal Line as it is with most hockey shops. The first niche thing he started doing was screen printing and heat pressing of hockey-oriented T-shirts. Investments he made in displaying skate steel for repairs and a machine for cleaning gear for a variety of sports have paid off. Erban also sells a large selection of nutritional supplements through a partnership he formed with a gym located upstairs in the Foxboro Sports Center.

“I’m open to anything,” Erban said. “What I’ve found is we tailor our shop to hockey players, but more people than just hockey players come into our store. We have parents and siblings who play different sports.”

The Foxboro Sports Center is also a big draw for travel tournaments, especially in the summer, with three sheets of ice. Erban now carries a lot of New England-related souvenirs, particularly from the Boston Bruins, Red Sox and Celtics and New England Patriots.

“On the basis of all of our tourney traffic, people try to come in and buy something as a memento from their trip,” Erban said.

“It’s something people can say, ‘We came to New England and here’s what we got.’ It’s another thing that’s gone over really well.”

And all the little things add up to even more success along with the traditional gear Erban features for players at Goal Line.

“We try to set ourselves apart that way,” he said. “It helps revenue-wise. Every little bit helps.”

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INDUSTRY NOW

Football Helmet Evolution and Its Impact on the Industry

By Marty Maciaszek, NSGA Team Dealer Director

The football helmet evolution continues.

The first NOCSAE football helmet standard addressing concussion risks from rotational forces goes into effect Nov. 1. The new standard incorporates rotational accelerations in the pass/fail specifications that will have to be met by helmet manufacturers.

It is a change that will have a significant impact on football and the sporting goods industry.

“It’s the first step...but it’s a big step,” said NOCSAE executive director Mike Oliver in an interview with NSGA. Dr. Robert Cantu, the renowned co-founder and medical director of the Concussion Legacy Foundation and NOCSAE vice president, had the same feeling a year ago when the football helmet standard was moved to final status.

“This is an extraordinary step forward in addressing concussion risks,” Cantu said in a statement.

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“Since rotational accelerations are thought by the majority of neuroscientists to be more injurious to the brain than linear accelerations, it’s a significant advancement for NOCSAE to move to final status a rotational acceleration threshold in addition to their already existent linear acceleration threshold in their football helmet standard.”

The change is adding some uncertainty to the sporting goods industry’s retailers and team dealers as they try to prepare for which helmets coaches and teams will want to buy for the 2019 season. Bob Fawley of Capitol Varsity Sports in Oxford, Ohio, is also a helmet reconditioner and part of the National Athletic Equipment Reconditioners Association.

“We have a small percentage of coaches who get it and know they need helmets, but they are going to wait and see what happens,” Fawley said. “They’re going to wait until June or July to see if there are new models.

“I think it will be wait and see. Everybody is waiting to see what the new animal looks like. I’ve bought a lighter buy on helmets than I’ve ever bought up front.”

One of the big questions is will there be enough helmets available when the new standard goes into effect. At the NOCSAE standards committee meeting on June 16, 2017, NOCSAE technical director Dave Halstead said the initial consensus was 60 to 70 percent of the helmets on the market would meet the new standard. Halstead said the percentage was significantly lower, and as a result, the original date of July 1, 2018 for the standard to go into effect was pushed back.

Oliver said he hasn’t seen any data on the percentage of helmets meeting the new standard and “manufacturers are pretty careful to shield their data.” Oliver is confident there will be helmets out there to meet the new standard

by Nov. 1.

“Manufacturers have all been using ram impactors for at least five years and they all knew this was coming,” Oliver said. “They’ve been using this as part of their R&D (Research and Development) to design helmets. I don’t think any of them have been caught off guard by the effective date of the change.”

Fawley thought NOCSAE should have pushed back on the implementation date and “let the technology catch up to the standard.” He is also bracing for what is ahead even though a helmet is certified for use if it meets the NOCSAE standard at the time of manufacture.

“What may end up happening (is manufacturers) may come out and say their helmet meets the new standard and it’s identical to the helmet it sold last year or the year before.”

So, what impact will the standard change have on football?

“We all know how mom “Will it save a concussion and dad are going to react or two — I’d like to think to the new standard,” Fawley said. “Why didn’t you it will,” Oliver said. “But I continue to tell people, the buy the new ones?” helmet is third or fourth Oliver does not think schools will need on things on the list to do to replace their entire helmet inventory to prevent concussions, at one time. such as don’t hit with “We were asked what we would do if a your head if you don’t have helmet model was certified last year or two years ago, nothing has changed to, reduce the number of with the helmet, and the same model hits and cut down on is tested under the new standard and passes the new standard,” Oliver full-contact practices.” said. “Could the old ones be certified compliant with the new standard since they are theoretically identical?

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CONFERENCE NOW

NSGA Speed Networking: Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Meetings

By Angela Mennecke, NSGA Marketing & Communications Coordinator

NSGA created a platform last year for you to have multiple business conversations in one place at the NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit. NSGA Speed Networking is a structured and fast-paced networking event giving retailer, team dealer and manufacturer attendees the opportunity to interact with each other in a series of brief one-on-one meetings. By participating in the NSGA Speed Networking session on Monday, May 21, you are saving time, effort and costs by letting NSGA do the legwork for you.

Now that you are signed up, how can you prepare to get the best experience out of your meetings?

Prepare Your Elevator Speech

Prepare a 30-second elevator speech which summarizes key elements of your business and what you want to communicate. What’s your end goal? Practice on your coworkers! You only have a short time to make an impression and there is little time for small talk. The better you have prepared, the more time you will have for important discussions.

Bring Business Cards

Pack plenty of business cards and ideally a one-page summary about your business in your suitcase. If you hit it off with a potential business contact, this allows you to seek further opportunities for a one-on-one exchange. This might take place at one of NSGA’s receptions on Monday or Tuesday night, at the NSGA golf outing on Tuesday afternoon or on another day over coffee back at the office. Having your business cards handy allows you to spend more time talking about business issues and less time swapping contact information.

Stay Engaged

Take notes and learn as much as you can about your potential business contact in the short window of time allotted. A helpful tip: jot down notes on the back of their business card. You will be meeting a lot of new people in a short amount of time, so this allows you to remember key facts about each contact in an organized manner.

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Make the Most of Your Time

If you find yourself in a meeting and realize you won’t be a good business match, discuss different industry issues. What works, what doesn’t? There is always common ground.

Here are some conversation starters: 1. Good relationships between retailers/team dealers and manufacturers are critical for success. What is your number one concern or request from the organizations you have business relationships with?

2. Effective marketing and merchandising is critical for a product or brand’s success. Both retailers/team dealers and manufacturers have a responsibility in this process. What can be done on both sides to maximize potential for driving sales through marketing and merchandising?

3. How can retailers/team dealers and manufacturers enhance customer service to each other?

4. The influence of online sales continues to grow each year. How has the Internet affected your business, positively and negatively?

5. The sporting goods industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace.

What are your thoughts about the direction the industry is heading?

Don’t forget, even if there is not an ideal match now, you may develop a valuable connection for the future.

Create an Open Mind

Gain more from your meetings by helping the people you are meeting to achieve their goals in an open-minded and honest way. Look for win-win situations for both of you.

Respect the Process

At the end of each scheduled meeting, end your conversation and move on to your next scheduled meeting. You can always continue conversations later.

Follow Up

One of the most vital aspects of networking, especially speed networking, is to follow up with the contacts you want to continue a relationship with. Place a call, send an email or book a lunch. The follow-up is critical and where a relationship can begin to grow — the speed networking event is just the beginning.

Not registered for the NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit? Register Today at nsga.org/register and make sure to RSVP to the Speed Networking session at no extra cost! Retailers, team dealers and manufacturers registered for the Conference are eligible to participate.

WHAT DO 2017 SPEED NETWORKING PARTICIPANTS HAVE TO SAY? “Me being a reclusive person, networking is harder. But after seven years in business I’m learning that it’s really key to developing relationships. The NSGA speed networking forces you to network by having several rapid meetings with different attendees. It’s pushing me to get out there and meet people.”

— Delano Romero,

Damage Control Mouthguards

“The structured networking was probably the highlight for us because it gave us the opportunity in smaller groups to address and differentiate our product from all the noise that’s out there and we found the cycling of different attendees to our table to be just perfect.”

— George Cioe,

Scenturion, 2017 attendee

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TECHNOLOGY NOW

Addressing the Backup Gap

By Adam Gassensmith, Manager of Client Engagement, Peters & Associates

The new year is an excellent time to take a step back and assess your business.

The last Technology NOW article provided guidance on reviewing your digital assets.

Taking inventory of your technology environment helps ensure you are taking advantage of your investment. This exercise is important, but there is another step required for a full accounting of your digital world — gap analysis. In other words, what other technology solutions should you be exploring?

Over the past year, numerous Technology Now articles for NSGA have highlighted various technology solutions that can help your organization. For the most part, those solutions have been described in terms of the current trends and where it appears most businesses are gravitating. However, each of these technologies has a spectrum with varying costs and benefits along the way. So, if you are a small business leader who has been reading these articles and believe that the solutions described are “overkill,” this article is for you.

This article focuses on the data backup gap.

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Why do You Need Backups?

As our businesses have become increasingly digital, the amount of reliance on our computers and digital storage has increased. As a result, concerns of data resiliency and protection have risen to the foreground. Most people have experienced a flash drive malfunctioning at exactly the wrong moment. Having this happen to a larger storage device would be exponentially worse.

What do You Need to Backup?

In short, you want to make sure your most important data for your business is backed up — your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, email, important file servers, etc.

Determining those systems may take some internal effort, but it is worthwhile. You can also take the strategy of backing up everything, but this could be considered overkill for smaller businesses. For a reference, our 50-person company backs up every server and system except for a large file server which we affectionately call “Dumping Ground.”

What are Your Options?

There are several options for backing up your data. In general, as the reliability of a backup method increases, so does the cost. Here are four methods companies use for backups today:

Option

Pros

Cons

1

ocal Backup L This could be as simple as backing up copies of files to an external hard drive you keep at your office.

• This is typically the least expensive of the four options.

• It also offers the shortest amount of time to recover a lost document.

• This method also offers the greatest risk of the backup being compromised by cyber attack or being destroyed along with your primary data.

2

Offsite Backup This can be defined as backing up data to another location that you own.

If your business has multiple branches, you are already well-positioned to leverage this.

• Like Local Backup, if you own the second location, the costs here are relatively inexpensive.

• This method offers better data protection over Local Backup, but there is still some risk if you are not taking proper precautions to secure the data.

• You will need to ensure good internet connectivity to be able to restore the data quickly.

3

loud Backup C Cloud backup is similar to Offsite Backup, except in this case you are backing up the data to a third-party data center.

• Third-party data centers use enterprise-grade security to secure the physical hard drives and secure remote access to the hard drives.

• The reliability and protection from drives failing at a third-party data center is generally significantly better than a first-party operation.

• The cost for this will likely be higher than for Local and Offsite backup.

• Having a fast internet connection is also important for restoring data.

4

Local Backup with Offsite Storage This is like Local Backup since data is saved to disk (or tape). The difference in this configuration is the backed-up data is then physically moved to another storage location for safe keeping.

• This method offers greater resiliency from cyber attack or destruction with your primary data.

However, if you do not use a third-party service there is a greater risk of physical theft of data if you do not protect it properly.

• Of these four methods, this has the longest recovery time for data.

• The cost of this varies widely. If you choose to use a third-party service, the data will be more secure but it will cost more. If you choose to handle storage yourself, it will be less expensive but you need to implement proper security measures.

These are the primary options businesses of all sizes are leveraging today. You may end up using a combination of a couple of these, depending on your data sets. If you have questions about technology planning or data protection, you can contact Adam Gassensmith at adam.gassensmith@peters.com.

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INSIGHTS NOW

The Relationship Between Household Income and Sports Participation

By Dustin Dobrin, NSGA Director of Research & Information

The implementation of pay-to-play initiatives, the rise of travel programs and the increasing cost of maintaining facilities (which then get passed on to participants) are just a few examples in which the costs associated with sports and recreational activities have become obstacles to participation. This is supported by sports participation data where participants in sports and recreational activities are more likely to come from higher income households.

Detailed data is provided in the included table, illustrating household income indices for the 10 sport segments tracked in NSGA’s Sports Participation in the U.S. study. The index, in this situation, is a calculation comparing the household incomes of participants in various sports and activity segments (Snow Sports, Team Sports, Fitness Activities, etc.) to the income of the average U.S. household. An index equaling 100 represents the average.

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Participant Household Income Index: $100K or More Segment

2016 Index

2012 Index

Change

Snow Sports

179

225 -46

Open Water

150

164 -14

Individual/Other 139

137 2

Team Sports

136

129 7

Wheel Sports

131

138 -7

Shooting Sports

122

91 31

Fitness Activities

115

126 -11

Personal Contact 115

119 -4

Indoor Games

115

116 -1

Outdoor Activities 113

111 2

Snow Sports had a 2016 index of 179, which means participants in Snow Sports were 79% more likely than the average person to come from households with incomes of $100K or more. This is calculated through the use of two supporting figures. Per NSGA’s study, 47% of participants in Snow Sports came from households with incomes of $100K or more. Per the U.S. Census Bureau, only 26% of U.S. households had incomes of $100K or more during 2016.

The index of 179 is calculated by dividing 47% by 26%, then multiplying by 100 (rounding can affect numbers slightly).

A review of the remaining sports segments makes it clear participants in sports and recreational activities have a higher probability of coming from households with higher incomes. Even participants in Outdoor Activities during 2016, the segment ranked last, were 13% more likely than the average person to come from households with incomes of $100K or more.

Initiatives are being implemented across a variety of segments to reduce the cost of entry to participate, but the figures still suggest overcoming this obstacle is difficult. The final column in the included table indicates three segments successfully lowered their indices by double-digits. The Snow Sports, Open Water and Fitness Activity segments showed significant success vs. 2012.

It is important to note the data does not signify that participants in sports and recreational activities only come from higher income households. For example, more than half of participants in Snow Sports came from households with incomes less than $100K. However, the key learning to take away is people are more likely to participate in sports and recreational activities if they come from higher income households.

There are a variety of strategies to grow participation and the choice is dependent on specific situations and resources available. Should focus be placed towards increasing penetration among higher-income households? Should attention be turned towards reducing costs to facilitate participation among lower-income households? Should there be a strategy that addresses both? Organizations must discuss the specific variables in their respective segments to develop the strategy that they feel is the best fit.

NSGA will continue to track this trend and will identify any shifts that occur. An update will be provided in a few months when the 2017 participation data becomes available.

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PARTICIPATION NOW

Top 10 Positive Coaching Alliance Resources from 2017

By Taylor Lydon, Business Development Associate, Positive Coaching Alliance

Looking back on 2017, the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) compiled the most useful resources from the year. Below are the 10 most watched, viewed and read resources of the last year for Positive Coaching Alliance: 1. Too Many Kids Leave Sports Because Of The Car Ride Home

Brad Frost, head coach for the University of Minnesota Women's Ice Hockey team, talks about the importance of support from parents no matter the outcome and participation level. bit.ly/carridehome

2. John Wooden's Pyramid Of Success

The Pyramid of Success, courtesy of The John R. Wooden Course, is a visual and verbal representation of legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden's concept of what it takes to succeed. The Pyramid represents 15 fundamental values and 10 supporting attributes that he believed are, “prerequisites for a leader and an organization whose goal is to perform at the highest level of which they are capable.” This tool is great for coaches, players and staff. bit.ly/woodenpyramid

3. Motivational Sports Quotes, Powered by Schedule Any Lesson

Positive Coaching Alliance has collected hundreds of quotes from athletes, coaches, business leaders, authors and philosophers to deliver daily inspiration. bit.ly/motisportsquotes

4. Coaching From The Stands Is Confusing For Athletes

In this video, Kevin Eastman, former Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Los Angeles Clippers, owner and President of Kevin Eastman Basketball and co-founder of Coaching U LIVE, discusses why parents should not coach from the stands. bit.ly/thestands

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5. A Message To Parents: Why It Bothers Me That You Coach From The Stands

Mike Klinzing is the Founder and Executive Director of Head Start Basketball.

He is a USA Basketball Youth Development Certified Coach. When parents try to coach from the stands, Klinzing shares, it can be very detrimental for athlete performance. bit.ly/messagetoparents

6. 11 Tips For The First-Time Coach

Youth sport organizations often rely on parent volunteers to coach the league’s teams. Despite the lack of experience many of these volunteers have, without their generosity of time and spirit kids would not have the opportunity to learn and play a sport. If you are in this position, focus on these tips. bit.ly/firsttimecoach

To see all of these resources and more follow @PositiveCoachUS on social media or head to devzone. positivecoach.org.

For more information about resources or how you can connect the coaches you work with to the Positive Coaching Alliance contact NSGA Marketing & Communications Coordinator Angela Mennecke at amennecke@nsga.org or (847) 296-6742, ext. 1190.

7. Social Media: Don't Lose A $140k Scholarship for a 140-Character Tweet

Casey Miller, PCA’s Program Manager, Movement Builder, discusses how social media accounts can be a very effective communication tool, but only when used in a respectful way. It is very important for student-athletes to be aware that college coaches are continuously looking at the social media accounts of their recruits, and to know that whatever they post on social media (public or private) is on the internet forever for people to see. bit.ly/smartathletesm

8. What Makes A Great Teammate? Here Are 12 Qualities

This resource describes 12 qualities of a great teammate. The tips are important for the athlete as well as coaches. Coaches who model these qualities will only help their team to be successful. bit.ly/teammatetips

9. P arents Shouldn't Be Involved In Playing Time Discussions

Steve Kryger, an Athletic Director at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton, CA, discusses the importance of the coach and athlete conversation about playing time. bit.ly/parentsandplaytime

10. Keith Van Horn: Don't Buy Into Early Sports Specialization

Keith Van Horn, former NBA player and PCA National Advisory Board member, recounts an experience in which his daughter made an elite 5th grade basketball team and was asked to specialize. bit.ly/specializinginsports

What does this mean to NSGA members? How can you utilize these resources?

Many of these resources can be passed on to coaches and athletes. Do you work with school sports administration? Pass along one or more of these resources to show you are invested. Take the time to go just a little further with your customer service and include some of these resources in your deliverables. Use your social media to share these links and have automatic content.

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LOCKER ROOM NOW Spalding, BSN Enter Agreement in Four Team Sports Categories Spalding announced changes to its team business model and entered an agreement with BSN SPORTS in four team sports categories — baseball, football, soccer and volleyball. As part of this agreement, BSN will source, distribute and service all the products currently offered in these categories.

BSN will use current Spalding specifications to maintain the highest-quality manufacturing standards possible while offering these products on a direct-to-school model and the existing distributor model to Spalding dealers.

Spalding said the 2018 wholesale pricing offered to dealers will be honored by BSN. Spalding will no longer accept any new orders for product in these four categories. Orders in the Spalding system as of Jan. 19, with a ship date prior to June 30, will be fulfilled by Spalding. As of Jan. 20, all new orders for Spalding baseballs, footballs, soccer balls and volleyballs will be placed through and fulfilled by The Athletic Connection Division of BSN.

CCM Continues Streak as SDC Hockey Supplier of the Year CCM Hockey was honored for the fifth consecutive year as the Source For Sports/Sports Distributors of Canada (SDC) Hockey Supplier of the Year. Brad Hause, President of SDC, presented Sean Williams, Vice President of Marketing and North American Sales for CCM Hockey, with the award at a reception during the Source For Sports/SDC Buying Show and Marketing Convention on Nov. 19–22 in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Pictured: Brad Hause, President of SDC, left. Sean Williams, Vice President of Marketing and North American Sales for CCM Hockey, right.

The Supplier of the Year award is voted on by SDC members and factors in attributes which include product innovation, marketing support and customer service and terms.

Spalding will continue to source, distribute and service the Spalding basketball, Dudley softball and Spalding equipment businesses.

Maurice Sporting Goods Strengthened

by Middleton Partners Acquisition Bauer Closing “Own The Moment” Retail Store in Suburban Boston

Maurice Sporting Goods, the suburban Chicago-based distributor of outdoor sporting goods, announced on Jan. 8 it is fully capitalized after it was acquired by private equity firm Middleton Partners for $39 million. Before it filed for bankruptcy Nov. 20, 2017, Maurice reached an agreement to sell to Middleton.

The Bauer “Own The Moment” retail experience in suburban Boston will be closing after little more than two years. In a “We are very eager to start 2018 with our financial challenges Nov. 30, 2017 report in the Daily Times Chronicle, Total Wine resolved and a renewed focus on our customer and vendor Spirits Beer & More will be occupying the Bauer space at the relationships,” said Jory Katlin, Maurice President and CEO, in Crossroads Retail Center in Burlington, Massachusetts. The a news release. “Maurice has always been a family business report did not say when the “Own The Moment” store will close. and we’re pleased that our new financial strength provided by Middleton Partners, allows us to work toward a better future.

The Burlington “Own The Moment” was the first opened by We are extremely grateful to our customers and vendors, Bauer in the summer of 2015. A second “Own The Moment” who worked with us during the financial restructuring and opened in the fall of 2015 in the Minneapolis-St. Paul suburb look forward to having fruitful and long-term relationships.” of Bloomington.

Bauer originally planned to open 8 to 10 “Own The Moment” retail experiences in key hockey markets in the United States and Canada. Those plans changed after the bankruptcy of Performance Sports Group, the parent company at the time of Bauer, and changes in Bauer’s executive leadership.

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January/February 2018

In the statement, Maurice said its sales team is working diligently with its customers to ensure it exceeds the top-notch service they have come to expect for nearly a century. That includes being fully stocked and ready for the Spring and Summer seasons. Maurice’s inventory continues to arrive and be shipped daily and on time.

WarDog Lacrosse Joins Major League Lacrosse Equipment Suppliers

NFHS Executive Director Bob Gardner Announces Retirement

WarDog Lacrosse, a silver sponsor of the NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit, will be an official provider of athletic socks for Major League Lacrosse (MLL) for the 2018 season. After a period of collaboration with MLL players, WarDog has developed an athletic sock tailored to the needs of the players.

Bob Gardner, executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) since May 2010, has announced his retirement, effective Aug. 1, 2018. Gardner notified the NFHS Board of Directors of his retirement plans at the NFHS Winter Meeting, Jan. 3 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“WarDog Lacrosse is excited to partner with Major League Lacrosse and support lacrosse athletes with a sock designed specifically for them,” said Callum Brown, co-founder of WarDog Lacrosse. “Lacrosse athletes and the sport of lacrosse are unique and unlike any other and their equipment should reflect that.”

The company is creating custom sock designs for each of the nine MLL teams. The socks are built to withstand the demanding nature of lacrosse with features such as padding to protect the heel and ball of the foot, a spandex leg to prevent sliding and Coolmax® technology across the entire foot for maximum moisture wicking.

North Carolina-based WarDog manufactures and distributes high performance lacrosse socks. The MLL is an outdoor league with nine teams.

NCAA Renews Partnership with KAP7 as Exclusive and Official Water Polo Championship Game Ball The NCAA and KAP7 International have renewed their partnership to keep KAP7 as the exclusive and official championship water polo game ball through the 2019–20 NCAA Championships. KAP7 has created the long-lasting and extremely tacky HydroGrip for all levels of competition.

KAP7 offers five sizes of balls and the KAP7 104 and 105 will be used in NCAA competition.

Louisville Slugger, DeMarini Bats Contain Features Showing Compliance With New USA Baseball Bat Standards The new USA Baseball bat rules for the 2018 season took effect Jan. 1. All bats approved for use in play by USA Baseball feature the USABat stamp. All approved Louisville Slugger bats will feature green knob medallions and have green stickers on the packaging. All approved DeMarini bats will have green stickers on the packaging.

Gardner is the fifth full-time executive director of the NFHS, following H.V. Porter (1940–58), Cliff Fagan (1958–77), Brice Durbin (1977–93) and Bob Kanaby (1993–2010).

Gardner’s eight-year run as head of the national organization for high school athletics and performing arts activities will conclude a 48-year career in secondary education, including the final 18 years on the NFHS staff in Indianapolis.

Since assuming duties as NFHS executive director in 2010, Gardner has vigorously promoted the values of high school activity programs and expanded opportunities for participation by boys and girls nationwide. During his eight years as executive director, participation in high school sports has increased by almost 400,000, including the expanded opportunity for students with disabilities in high school sports.

Gardner has led the organization’s focus on risk minimization in high school sports, with particular emphasis on concussion awareness, and has brought a heightened national presence to the work of the NFHS and its member state associations.

In addition to the continual expansion of the NFHS Learning Center during his tenure, Gardner is credited with starting the NFHS Network, the first-of-its-kind digital coverage of high school sports with more than 25,000 events covered during the 2016–17 school year.

In addition, during his eight years as chief executive of the organization, operating revenue for the NFHS increased by $4 million.

Broncos Removing Sports Authority Signage From Stadium The Denver Broncos announced in early January the Sports Authority signage would be coming down from the outside of their stadium. The team said Sports Authority Field at Mile High would remain the stadium name for a period because of events tied to the name.

The Broncos said they expect by the start of the 2018 season to have a placeholder name or corporate supporter name on the stadium. Sports Authority went bankrupt and ceased operations in 2016.

54th Annual NSGA Management Conference & 20th Annual Team Dealer Summit

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