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"Wrestling mats last a long time and only get replaced every 10 to 15 years," says Krebs. e much bigger market is for custom uniforms. Lacrosse is not a big sport for Kratz, but interest is growing, especially in the neigh- boring Bluegrass State. "Lacrosse is new for us, but we are selling some uniforms and gear to local clubs, univer- sities and high schools in Kentucky," he says. When the temperatures rise in the spring, track athletes in the Hoosier state are buying their track and field uniforms and accessories from Kratz. "We are selling singlets, starting blocks, cross bars, pole vault landing pits, hurdles, shot puts and relay batons," reports Krebs, although he is not selling track shoes since teams and athletes are buying them online. Also in the Midwest, at Iowa Sports Supply in Cedar Falls, IA, business is brisk for soccer, wrestling, volleyball and track and field. "e majority of our soccer sales are soccer balls, jerseys, nets and goals," says president Jake Koch. "Our wrestling business is mainly mat cleaner, mat tape, singlets and headgear from Cliff Keen and we don't sell any shoes." In volleyball, local teams are buying new volleyball systems, all brands of volleyballs, uniforms, warmups, scorecards and flags. In Whitehouse Station, NJ, soccer, volley- ball, and lacrosse generate strong sales for Darrow's Sporting Edge. "In soccer right now, there's a high demand for soccer cleats and shin guards," says Vinnie Iaione, custom order manager, adding that they also sell a lot of balls, uniforms, goalie gloves and socks, primarily to local recreational leagues and travel teams. "We don't sell much soccer to high schools in this part of New Jersey," adds Iaione. He calls volleyball the dealer's "secret seller" and one of the most popular volleyball cate- gories is the knee pads, especially black sets of knee pads. Local lacrosse players and teams also shop at Darrow's Sporting Edge. "In lacrosse, we sell jerseys, shooting shirts, shoes, uniforms for younger athletes, some helmets and shoulder pads, which now must be made to a NOCSAE standard," says Iaione. "For boys, they buy their shoes for lacrosse elsewhere because they are looking for a specific look. And, girls like to buy lacrosse sticks from us, but only the low- to mid-range price points." At Al's Sporting Goods in Wilmington, DE, owner Bob Hart and his associates are as busy selling soccer, volleyball and lacrosse as they are selling the Big 4. e majority of the soccer business is on the team side with high schools. "We sell more soccer through our team sales than we do with individuals buying in our retail store," says Hart. In volleyball, the biggest demand is for the Tachikara Voloy Light All White ball, according to Hart, but he is reporting that demand is larger than supply due to supply chain delays. "I thought these supply chain issues would be over by now, but they are not," says Hart. Lacrosse has been a very popular sport in the greater Wilmington area, but sales of lacrosse merchandise remain somewhat lackluster. "Our lacrosse business is not big enough," adds Hart, pointing out that it is limited to uniforms and some footwear. Special Growth in Florida While football continues to rule the roost in Florida, Joel Dunn says Baker's Sporting Goods, in Jacksonville, FL, has a growing number of participants in lacrosse, soccer and volleyball, especially at the high school level. And while lacrosse is expanding its footprint in Florida, veteran sales reps like Dunn are not as well versed in lacrosse and its terminology as they are with other sports. To that end, Baker's Sporting Goods has a solution. "We are hiring a lacrosse coach to teach us how to speak the language of lacrosse and more efficiently communicate with coaches," says Dunn. "at will help us to grow the lacrosse business." In soccer, Dunn's bread and butter business is selling uniforms. "We are getting orders for more custom and sublimated uniforms for soccer," he says. "But, our biggest issue in soccer continues to be getting shipments of cleats. As I understand the situation, prior to COVID, most of the cleats were produced in Vietnam. But, when those factories closed because of COVID and then opened up again, many of the workers had le for other jobs. As a result, fewer pairs of cleats are being produced in Vietnam." In track and field, sales for Baker's Sporting Goods can be hit or miss. "Track uniforms seem to last forever, sometimes as long as 10 years," says Dunn. "And when it comes to ordering items like a shot put or a discuss, the shipping can cost more than the actual item." For Dunn, the volleyball business con- tinues to grow in south Florida. "Because volleyball games are held indoors, it's a sport that runs according to schedule," notes Dunn. Wrestling, Running For Sales in Missouri In Columbia, MO, Red Weir Sporting Goods has a strong wrestling and track and field business. "Schools are buying workout gear, mat tape, and singlets," reports owner Mike Weir, adding that inn track they are selling hurdles, relay batons, spikes, singlets and performance medals. Red Weir's volleyball business would be better if it could get more deliveries of vol- leyballs. And, its soccer business has faded in recent years. "We can't get any volleyballs," Weir laments. "And local soccer teams are now buying European brands." In Fort Worth, TX, Carey's Sporting Goods caters to an avid number of athletes who serve, kick and run in the greater Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. "Volleyball is big in Texas — for both schools and clubs," reports owner Dan Carey. "But we cater to more junior high and high school volleyball teams." In soccer, most of Carey's sales are uniforms and soccer balls and in track it sells whatever is needed — hurdles, uniforms, spikes, pole vaulting pits, a discus or a shot put. Out west in El Cajun, CA, Kevin Davis, owner of Sportland Team Sports, sells to local cheerleading teams as well as to parents. "I sell socks and T-shirts to some local cheerleading teams and clubs," says Davis. "And I'm selling sublimated apparel to parents." In Louisville, CO, one of the strongest sales items for Dark Horse Denim Shop is the track suit. "Track suits are very hot' with athletes, coaches, parents and grandparents," reports owner Brandon Rayburn. "Everybody is wearing track suits.." n TEAM SPORTS 50 • November/December 2022 sportstyle • sportstylemag.com

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