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journey — and there are still bumps (and perhaps a few potholes) in the road. "It was a big year for us and the demand for business was there," reports Bob Fawley, owner of Capitol Varsity Sports in Oxford, OH, pointing to a huge demand for helmets and hardgoods. However, he adds, completing orders was problematic due to product and parts shortages as well as labor shortages. "I'd hate to call this 'normal,' but we're getting there," Fawley says. "e sport is still facing din over concussion problems, but there's no diminished demand and we're excited about the short term." Longer term, he is mostly concerned about rising prices and the state of the economy, meaning that school budgets could become big issues. Mike Bruno, general manager of Mansfield, MA-based Grogan-Marciano, is still exhal- ing from the rigors of last season. "Were still scrambling to get helmets and shoulder pads. We had to beg, borrow and steal. It was very chaotic," he says. "It's almost like there was a buying spree going on last fall. People got a grasp on what they had and what they needed. We had older inventory pieces around and they all got sold. When the dust settled, we did well, but I'm not sure it was worth the loss of sleep." Likewise, Zeke Garretson, co-owner of Garretson's Sport Center in Greeley, CO, doesn't have fond recollections of the 2022 season. "We got through it, but it was a night- mare," he exclaims. "We did more business than I thought we'd do, so it wasn't a bad year, but it was a difficult one." Garretson notes that as far as participation goes, his region is back to normal. However, transportation and logistics of getting goods was problematic and it didn't catch up to participation. "It was frustrating because we couldn't com- plete a lot of orders, so it was an adjustment for everybody," he explains. "We'll still see some scarcity in helmets and pads, but it'll be rare. I look for a good season for supply of goods." Meanwhile, at Jack Pearl's Sports Center, in Battle Creek, MI, business has gradually returned to normal, but owner Keith Manning observes that participation is down in schools. Michael Bodart, owner of Hoosier Sporting Goods in Columbus, IN, also reports that busi- ness is back on track. "Last season was normal, but football isn't huge for us. We sell practice packs and spirit wear, but no equipment. It's really a sogoods category for us," he explains. The dealer will add a high school this summer and its other football customers consist primarily of middle schools, a youth travel organization and a youth rec league. "In our area, there's no spring football to speak of; it's a fall sport for us and participa- tion was declining prior to COVID, but it's bouncing back now from where it was in the mid-2010s, so that's good news," he says. "Stock availability is the main issue. Manufacturers are doing better, but we won't know until June or so what manufacturers have in their warehouses." And at West Lebanon, NH-based Stateline Sports, owner Rob Proulx admits that the football category is a bit new for his business. "We had a rec department and a school looking for helmets and we found a supplier for them so it worked out well," he says, but the challenge has been getting product. "Once suppliers can meet demand, things will be better." Although Stateline Sports doesn't deal with football uniforms, it does handle cleats and helmets, mostly at the retail level. "e supply issues have leveled off and orders have started to come in fully now, so things definitely have improved, but helmets are still a concern," says Proulx. Positive Signs Going Forward "As of today, I'm cautiously optimistic," says Bruno, at Grogan-Marciano. "Here in the Northeast, people don't order early. But high-ticket items had to be ordered early or [customers] wouldn't get them. Now, schools have learned to order early. We have very few schools that will order in February. ey used to wait until July 1 for the fall season. Once practice started, we traditionally had helmets and pads in our building, but not anymore. e mindset has changed somewhat, but the schools still tend to order late." While a few colleges in his area are dealing with spring practices, Bruno says that the business is mostly quiet at this time of year. "A lot of equipment that's coming in has been pre-sold, so we need to figure out if we need more stock to cover ourselves," he explains. "Lots of youth leagues have cleaned us out of shoulder pads for next season and that's put a big dent into what's coming in. It's a nice problem to have because it gives us time to compensate." Garretson, of Garretson's Sport Center, is also expecting to see business conditions stabilize. teaminsightmag.com May/June 2023 ~ Team Insight • 19

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