Team Insight

teaminsightmag.com 50 Team Insight ~ September/October 2019 Four Qualify for NSGA Verified Program The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) has added four more retail- ers and team dealers to its Verified Independent Dealer program, which was cre- ated to recognize the most qualified and experienced independently owned retail- ers and dealers in the sports industry. The program is designed to share the ben- efits of working with an industry expert who delivers unmatched customer service. • AMgC Sports, led by former professional soccer player Glen Jusczyk, who entered the apparel busi- ness and founded the company in 2011 in southern Massachusetts. AMgC is a provider of uniforms and equipment for athletic, aca- demic and business sectors. • California Pro Sports has been a fixture in the southern California sports scene for nearly 40 years. Kim Karsh and his family have used their passion and knowledge for the industry to build a thriving retail and team business. • Capitol Varsity Sports is celebrating its 65th anniver- sary in southwestern Ohio. Bob and Kathy Fawley have continued their commitment to service and player safety during their 22 years of own- ership. Capitol Varsity is also one of the premier equip- ment reconditioners in the country. • KoSports Hockey Source For Sports has become the premier hockey dealer in the Pittsburgh area the last 23 years. KoSports ensures that players are properly equipped at its retail store and pro shop locations thanks to the leadership of Curt and Jackie Koman. The Verified Independent Dealer Program originated from NSGA's Team Dealer Advisory Committee. There are "MVP" and "All-Star" categories based on a vari- ety of criteria, including overall employee experi- ence, 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 Three Named To Hall The Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame will induct three sporting goods industry pioneers into its Class of 2020 next May. Peter Capolino, of Mitchell & Ness Nostalgia, Robert Greenberg, of Skechers, and Klaus Obermeyer, of Sport Obermeyer, will join more than 170 retailers, team dealers, manufacturers and industry influencers who have been honored with induction into the Hall of Fame since it was established by the National Sporting Goods Association in 1955. The Hall of Fame dinner and induction will be held May 19, 2020, at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix, AZ, the site of the 56th Annual NSGA Management Conference & 22nd Annual Team Dealer Summit. BSN Partners With Nancy Lieberman BSN Sports has partnered with basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman to help elevate girls' sports by providing curated coach- ing resources, content and support. Lieberman and BSN Sports will be working with the Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA) to identify the big- gest challenges girls' sports coaches face today and develop solutions through coaching resources, clinics, and an online community. Lieberman will speak at the annual TGCA Summer Clinic, hosting a Girls' Sports Coaches Summit and publishing coaching tips and resources articles over the next two years. Stahls Offers Social Media Guide Team dealers can now learn how to become digital marketing experts with a free e-book offered by Stahls'. "The Ultimate Guide to Social Media for Your T-Shirt Business" is a comprehensive 33-page handbook that pro- vides the information dealers need to harness the power of social media to reach a target audience. The book con- tains information on which platforms are right for a business, how to create com- pelling photos and engaging content and how to design an effective strategy that will gain followers that can be converted into sales. In addi- tion, there is a list of social media resources, worksheets, and checklists to help you get more done in less time. To download this valuable free resource, go to http://bit.ly/ stahls-ebook. SanMar Unveils Vision SanMar recently unveiled its Vision Statement – "A Canvas for Good" – cou- pled with a new Mission Statement: "We serve with care and integrity, positivity impacting lives, to inspire pride and belonging." Both statements get to the heart of the company's belief that "business is personal." Every shirt has a story. Whether the story is to inspire a fundraiser to help someone battling cancer, or a uni- form that sets a sports team apart, the T-shirt is the blank canvas where the inspira- tion and connections begin. SanMar provides that canvas for good. n Participation in High School Sports Registers First Decline in 30 Years PARTICIPATION IN HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS declined in 2018-19 for the first time in 30 years, according to the annual High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). The factors are numerous – specialization, cost of play, e-Sports, the rise of elite travel teams, safety concerns, the Inactivity Pandemic among America's youth, the list goes on – the bottom line is that fewer kids are playing high school sports than a year earlier for the first time in more than a generation. The 2018-19 total of 7,937,491 participants is a decline of 43,395 from the 2017-18 school year, when the number of participants in high school sports reached an all-time record high of 7,980,886. While this year's total is still the third highest ever – with 4.5 million boys and 3.4 million girls playing, it is still the first year-to-year decline since the 1988-89 school year. The biggest contributors to the decline were the two longstanding and popular sports of football and basketball. Participation in boys 11-player football declined by 30,829 participants to 1,006,013 — the lowest mark since 1,002,734 in the 1999-2000 school year. "We know from recent surveys that the number of kids involved in youth sports has been declining, and a decline in the number of public school students has been predicted for a number of years, so we knew our streak might end someday," says Dr. Karissa Niehoff, NFHS executive director. "The data from this year's survey serves as a reminder that we have to work even harder in the coming years to involve more students in these vital programs — not only athletics but performing arts programs as well. "While we recognize that the decline in football participation is due, in part, to concerns about the risk of injury, we continue to work with our member state associations, the nation's high schools and other groups to make the sport as safe as possible," she adds. "Every state has enacted rules that limit the amount of contact before the season and during practices, and every state has concussion protocols and laws in place, so we continue to believe that the sport is as safe as it has ever been. Four of the top 10 boys' sports actually registered increases in participation, topped by track and field, soccer, wrestling and tennis. n END ZONE teaminsightmag.com

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