Team Insight

TEAM TALK / MICHAEL JACOBSEN 6 • Team Insight ~ May/June 2023 teaminsightmag.com T here is a somewhat macabre joke in the Team Insight editorial offices that you never want to receive any email from our friend Don Leonard with your name in the subject line. at's because Don, the well-respected sporting goods sales rep in the Southeast, is somewhat of the self-appointed purveyor of bad news — his emails are usually notifying industry friends of the passing of some long- time industry retailer, team dealer, vendor or sales rep. (He does a lot of other good things, too, but that's a different editorial.) Back in the late 20th century when I was editor of the now-de- funct Sporting Goods Dealer we used to call these news items "Toll of the Years" because the years do take a toll on people in our little world of team sports, where many of us have been toiling for many years. We dutifully report on those friends of ours who are no longer with us — and that brings me to the subject of this unique editorial because I recently heard of the passing of someone every- one in the world of team sports knew. Not personally, but rather someone just like him. His name is Vince and he was the guy you could always find down at the recreation field making sure everything was ready for the next practice, game or season. Vince was a mentor of mine when I joined our local Oakland (NJ) Recreation Commission and we spent countless hours sorting through equipment, ordering more gear and handling all of the problems that inevitably arise when you head up a local sports program — mine was soccer, Vince handled the baseball side of things. Even though our local team dealer probably didn't like this, Vince even took things a step further and purchased a small screenprinting machine so he could make sure all of the jerseys were ready for the opening day parade. Many late nights I would drive home from practice and the lights would be on in the rec barn and he would be in there making sure numbers 10-19 were lined up properly on some baseball or soball shirt. So the readers of Team Insight do know Vince. ere's one or two in every town and school — the volun- teers who go above and beyond (okay, sometimes too far above and beyond, but they can't help themselves) to give back to the community where they live. ey are indispensable to every sports program and they are the heart and soul of youth sports in America. e team business exists because of them. And to end this editorial on a different note, thanks and ap- preciation need to be sent out to the four men being inducted in the Sporting Goods Industry Hallof Fame this month. We profile two of them – Kent McKeigg of OrderMyGear and Bill Hunt, founder of Champro – as they take their rightful place in the Hall of Fame, along with Jeff Lynn of Dunham's Sporting Goods and the late Jim Keen, of Cliff Keen. ese are the type of innovators who make team sports the great business it has always been. So thanks Kent, thanks Bill, thanks Jeff and Jim … and thanks Vince. n THE TOLL OF THE YEARS These men and women are indispensable to every sports program and they are the heart and soul of youth sports in America. The team business exists because of them." STAHLS.COM | 800.4.STAHLS Kickoff Your Personalization stahls.com/pro-letters-numbers GET GAME DAY READY WITH STAHLS' LETTERS & NUMBERS TI0523 • Tough, lightweight, and special effect options • Applies in seconds • Variety of font, sizes, and colors STYLES FOR EVERY SPORT

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