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"e supply chain is a mess," he laments. "For a while, I couldn't buy a shotput and now I'm having issues getting deliveries of BBCOR baseball bats and batting helmets," which is tough for a dealer that specializes in baseball and soball. "I'm happy to report that I have enough socks, belts, baseballs and T-shirts." Weir is a little concerned about receiving enough volleyballs for this fall and basketballs for this winter. LONE STAR EFFORT In the Lone Star State of Texas, the united determination of high school coaches and athletic directors was greater than the power of COVID-19. As a result, Carey's Sporting Goods has remained open. "I give a great deal of credit to high school coaches and athletic directors in Texas who spent countless days working on how to gure out how to safely play games starting with the fall of 2020," recalls owner Dan Carey. "ey were fantastic in getting the job done and scheduling games. There were a few inconsistencies, but the coaches and athletic directors were very creative." Another one of Carey's strongest allies during the last two years has been his Sports, Inc. buying group. "Sports, Inc. has done a great job of working for small team dealers like me," he says. e federal government was also a strong ally for Carey. Because of the complete shut- down of sports in March 2020, Carey did apply for PPP money so he could make payroll and not have to put anybody on furlough. A third key player supporting the existence of Carey's Sporting Goods has been the work of Badger Athletic Wear. "Of all the cloth companies in the indus- try, Badger has done the best job of getting product delivered and the delays have been minimal," Carey reports. "It comes down to strong leadership at the top and Badger has it." Even with all of this support, every day in the oce for the past two years has been its own unique experience for Carey. "Every day, we are having to recreate our- selves," he says. "I'm a small team dealer, so I can quickly adapt, change and overcome. I have had to keep my nose to the grindstone." A fourth key player for Carey has been the work and dedication of his sta. "I have great people working for me. ey are a dedicated crew," says Carey, a 44-year veteran of the sporting goods industry. "ey focus on service, service, service and my team has built a strong level of trust with area coaches. We have a strong reputation in our community." GAMBLING ON COMING OUT ON TOP In Las Vegas, NV, the past two years have been a topsy-turvy time for Turf Sporting Goods and owner Jerry Ocuda. "It was pretty ugly for a while," he admits. teaminsightmag.com May/June 2022 ~ Team Insight • 31 U-FORM ADJUSTABLE VISOR BREATHABLE MATRIX MESH To learn more visit: www.richardsonsports.com The evolution of our Micro-Mesh, built to compliment the Matrix Mesh fabric used in our PTS Signature and Pro Select uniforms. R-FLEX BREATHABLE MATRIX MESH U-FORM ADJUSTABLE VISOR R-FLEX ADJUSTABLE FIT

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