Team Insight

teaminsightmag.com 58 Team Insight ~ May/June 2019 BSN Acquires Two More BSN Sports recently acquired two more inde- pendent team dealers. Last month BSN acquired T&T Sportsman's Shop, based in Charleston, SC. T&T Sportsman's Shop has been serving team sports customers in the Low Country area of South Carolina for more than 70 years. "This is another step forward in our company's jour- ney of over 73 years," T&T co-owners Buddy Lenhardt and Ben Thrash said in a statement. In April, BSN acquired Rochester, NY–based Valenti Sports, which has been serving the Rochester market since 1993. As part of this transaction, John Valenti will be retiring from full-time responsibilities at Valenti and his sons, Joe and Phil, will succeed him as day-to- day operators. Cliff Keen Partners With Battlefields2Ballfields Cliff Keen Athletic has entered into an offi- cial supplier and marketing agreement with Battlefields2Ballfields (B2B), an organization founded by former NFL official and current Fox NFL and college football rules analyst Mike Pereira. Battlefields2Ballfields is an organiza- tion that provides veterans and active duty military an opportunity to integrate back into their communities through officiating scholarships. As part of this supplier and marketing alli- ance, Cliff Keen will provide officiating uniforms to B2B scholarship recipients. In addition, Cliff Keen will also provide other apparel at special military discounts as well as special sponsor- ship promotions and a Battlefields2Ballfields line of clothing to the public. NFHS Allows Cheek Protectors The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) will allow high school baseball players to use cheek or jaw protectors – such as Markwort's C-Flap – attached to bat- ting helmets during the 2019 season. NFHS has taken the position that once a head baseball coach verifies his team is legally and properly equipped, and all other criteria to start a game have been met, then play will begin. NFHS is not taking the role of determining the legiti- macy of a cheek or jaw protector that has been attached to a batting helmet. NFHS rules allow for a face mask/guard to be attached to the batting helmet. A cheek and jaw protector is not considered a face mask/ guard and currently does not meet any per- formance standard. NOCSAE does not have a performance standard for cheek and jaw protectors. Selkirk Celebrates National Pickleball Month To celebrate National Pickleball Month in April, Selkirk Sport unveiled its "Selkirk Growth Program," a promotional initiative that will donate 1000 paddles to schools and youth organizations, first responders and charitable organizations to further support the growth of pickleball at the grassroots level. To kick off the campaign, Selkirk Sport donated 300 paddles to the USA Pickleball Association's Junior Program, and equipped the Los Angeles Bell Fire Station with a collec- tion of paddles for their new pickleball court on-site at the station. As part of the Selkirk Growth Program, Tyson McGuffin, the number one ranked professional pickleball player in the world, alongside Selkirk Sport co-founders, Rob and Mike Barnes, dis- tributed paddles to philanthropic organizations in conjunction with select professional tourna- ments throughout the season. NSGA Launches Verified Dealer Program The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) has launched its Verified Independent Dealer Program to recognize the most qualified independently owned retailers and dealers in the sports industry. The program is designed to share the benefits of working with an industry expert who delivers unmatched customer service. The Verified Independent Dealer Program originated from NSGA's Team Dealer Advisory Committee. Becoming an NSGA Verified Independent Dealer is a symbol of excellence in the sporting goods indus- try that is similar to what programs have achieved for other industries. The NSGA Verified Independent Dealer Program will have MVP and All-Star categories based on a variety of criteria, including over- all employee experience, years the business has been in operation, sales volume, industry knowledge and expertise. Dealers who meet either criteria level will receive their verifica- tion status for a three-year period. Candidates for the NSGA Verified Independent Dealer Program will complete an application process that includes reference checks with consumers and industry manufacturers. For more on the NSGA Verified Independent Dealer Program, contact Marty Maciaszek, NSGA Team Dealer Division Director, at mma- ciaszek@nsga.org or (847) 296-NSGA. n TOLL OF THE YEARS Dolores Meller, 87 Dolores Meller, age 87, of Marlboro, NJ, the wife of the late founder of Champion Sports, Bernard Meller (shown in photo), passed away April 3. She is survived by her sons Steven and Howard Meller, current co-owners of Champion Sports, and their wives, Leora and Barbara, respectively; granddaughter Allie, granddaughter Maggie, grandson Jake, grandson Zachary and grandson Max. Sandy Cantor, 85 Sanford Cantor, co-founder of SportMart in 1970 who also served as chairman of NSGA, passed away on April 20. He was 85. SportMart, one of the first sporting goods superstore chains, first opened in the Chicago suburb of Niles and by 1995, there were 63 stores in the chain operating in the United States, Canada and Japan. Cantor was elected to the NSGA Board of Directors in 1985 and served as NSGA board chairman from 1989-90. Cantor is survived by his wife, Patricia, children Aimee (John) Moyer, David Cantor and Leighann (Craig) Stevens; and he was the grandfather of Rachel, Hannah, Zachary, Danielle, Nicole, Jodie, Alexys, Adam, Emma, and Samone. Walter Biggs, 89 Walter Biggs, formerly of Biggs Sporting Goods, Pensacola, FL, passed away April 7 at the age of 89. Biggs, who was chairman of NSGA in 1976, served in the US Army, and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his service during the Korean War. He is survived by his children, Cary Biggs Kearny (Ric) of Baton Rouge, LA; Beau Biggs (Shay), Margaret Biggs, and George Biggs (Liz), 11 grandchildren and four great grandchildren. n END ZONE teaminsightmag.com

• Cover