Team Insight

Augusta Unveils Freestyle Headwear Augusta Sportswear Brands has launched FreeStyle Headwear, a proprietary custom head- wear design platform that provides Pacific Headwear customers a design expe- rience that delivers the freedom to create their style in four steps. From flat or 3D embroi- dery to leather patches in popular shapes and sizes, FreeStyle Headwear provides an immersive 3D user experience topped off with a mobile interface that enables detailed designs on any phone or tablet. Both FreeStyle Sublimation and FreeStyle Headwear are found on Augusta Sportswear Brands' website. In addition, these two platforms can be embedded on customers' websites to allow for a streamlined way of doing custom business. Iowa Adopts Basketball Shot Clock Following the decision by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Basketball Rules Committee to allow a 35-second shot clock in high school basket- ball, the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) and Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) are the first to use the NFHS allowance for state adoption to introduce a 35-second shot clock for varsity bas- ketball. The clock will be required of participating member schools starting in the 2022-23 season. Use of the shot clock in sub-varsity competition will be allowed but not required. With a date set for statewide implementation, experimen- tal exceptions will not be granted during the 2021-22 regular season. To encourage standard- ization among states, 35 seconds was the timing pro- vided by NFHS approval. Steelo Is First Black- Owned Glove Business In Tokyo Olympics Steelo Sports, a manufac- turer of baseball equipment and the first Black-owned baseball glove brand used in Major League Baseball, is also now the first Black- owned baseball glove brand ever used in the Olympics. USA Baseball pitcher Edwin Jackson showcased his custom red and blue Steelo Professional Gloves in Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympics — his personal- ized "EJACK" ball glove was designed by Steelo with Jackson's personal flavor. Jackson uses three Steelo Pro Hyde Custom Pro Limited Fielder's Gloves from the premium model lineup, leveraging the Steelo 3D-Glove Studio that allows players on all levels to cus- tomize their own style and vibe of glove by using the 3D customizer on the Steelo Web site. BSN Acquires Jim Ludtka SG It seems like every month BSN Sports announces it has purchased another independent team dealer – in July it was Sportline in Colorado, which was pre- ceded in June by Billings Sports in Connecticut – and last month the Varsity Brands unit acquired Jim Ludtka Sporting Goods based in upstate Depew, NY. A second-generation fam- ily-owned business in the suburb of Buffalo, Ludtka's has served national and regional custom uniform and team equipment needs since its founding by Jim and Norma Jean Ludtka in 1971. Ludtka, a former New York Yankee short- stop, Baltimore Orioles scout and co-founder of the Cheektowaga semi-pro baseball league, tailored the business to support local baseball leagues and teams before transitioning the business to his daugh- ter and now-former owner, Debbie Lancellotti. Wilson Partners With Y Wilson Sporting Goods has entered into a three- year national partnership with the YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) that provides $500,000 in funding each year for kids living in under- served areas to have access to sports. Wilson and the YMCA started their partnership during the summer in Chicago, Wilson's home- town, with the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. Together with The Dreamville Chi-League powered by Wilson, Wilson hosted three youth clinics led by local trainers and Chi-League organizers and a Townhall at the South Side YMCA. n PERSONNEL MOVES Cliff Keen in NIL With Parris, Amine Jumping directly into the Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) game to market high-profile collegiate athletes, Cliff Keen Athletic has entered into NIL marketing deals with University of Michigan Heavyweight and USA Men's 125KG Freestyle wrestler, Mason Parris (left photo), and Tokyo Olympic Bronze Medalist and current University of Michigan Wrestler, Myles Amine. Training with UM and the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club at the Michigan RTC in Ann Arbor, Mason will be a prominent fixture in Cliff Keen's brand marketing and advertising to the wrestling market. Amine, a 4-time NCAA All American, joins team Cliff Keen after claiming third at this year's NCAA tournament, Myles traveled to Japan to compete for San Marino in the Summer Games. And earned himself a Bronze medal — the first medalist in San Marino's wrestling history, and the first ever Freestyle medalist in UM Wrestling history. Myles is also a Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholar, Academic All-Big Ten, and a CoSIDA Academic All- American. Stahls Promotes Ellsworth GroupeSTAHL North America has promoted Josh Ellsworth to a new role as executive VP–sales and marketing, with responsibility for managing all of the company's brands, direct sales and distribution channels, and deployment of sales resources in the organization. He was previously senior VP–dealer and enterprise for GroupeSTAHL North America. He has worked for GroupeSTAHL since 1998. n 34 Team Insight ~ September/October 2021 teaminsightmag.com END ZONE steelosports.com

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