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SquadLocker Custom Apparel & PlayyOn Sports Community Software: No...

'Necessity is the mother of invention,' and that's how SquadLocker and PlayyOn were born.

Inspirational Quotes from Black Sports Icons

As much as we all love to play various sports as kids, few of us are good enough to win a college scholarship, let alone become a professional in our sport. Even fewer go on to become true sports legends – athletes who inspire us, people we want to...

[INFOGRAPHIC] Coaching during COVID

COVID-19 has definitely changed a lot of the way we do things, especially when it comes to playing sports. But are there any real numbers behind what we're hearing and seeing? SquadLocker is here to tell you - YES! We conducted a survey of over 600...

Diversifying Lacrosse

Here we are celebrating Black History Month, which naturally gets us to thinking about diversity in sports. Not the biggies like baseball, basketball and football, but the myriad lesser-known (at least in some circles) sports. Take lacrosse, for...

The Benefits of Peer-to-Peer Mentorship

Our youth have lost so much social interaction throughout the pandemic, especially kids who have missed out on playing their beloved team sports. One way coaches can help young athletes resume meaningful relationships is through peer-to-peer...

Boosting Participation in Youth Sports [+ INFOGRAPHIC]

As adults, one of the things we love about youth sports is the many ways participation benefits kids later in life. Knowing that, we want to do everything we can to encourage all kids to find a sport they love and then get out there and play. So...

On The Whistle Podcast | Penance to Mission: Shaping the New Face of...

It all started at a keg party on the Georgetown campus. Paul Caccamo and scores of his friends were celebrating his graduation until the police showed up. In a turn of events worthy of Les Mis, a passing Jesuit priest convinced them to let Paul go...

Coaches Guide to Attending Virtual Events

Who would have thought this time last year that we’d be primarily engaging with partners, parents, students, and more all through video conferencing. Our lives have shifted from on the field or court to on, in most cases, Zoom. And with this shift...

7 New Year’s Resolutions for Coaches and Athletes

We laugh at making New Year’s resolutions. Yeah, right, we say. Our intentions are good, but our follow-through? Not so much. But with 2020 officially in our rear view mirror (and not a moment too soon!), we all hope 2021 will be a major...

On The Whistle Podcast | What I Learned About Management on the Ice...

Always a player that played to her strengths, building them to their full capacity, Erika Lawler won 3 national championships and a silver medal in the Olympics for ice hockey.

On The Whistle Podcast | Building a Coaching System That Can Change...

In youth sports, we talk a lot about changing the world. But once kids leave the field, how are they changed? Are they any different on the ride home in the minivan than they were when they arrived?

7 Tips for Starting A Youth Sports League in Your Community

If you saw our recent post on finding the best youth sports organizations in your community, you know that there's a lot that goes into a great league. But what if you went through your local leagues and came up empty? If you're truly passionate...

On The Whistle Podcast | How to Thrive as a Woman in Sports

How do you thrive in adverse situations?

15 Inspiring Sports Quotes for Athletes and Coaches Alike

As a high school track runner, my coach always prepped me to greet my opponents and “kill them with kindness.” His words have always stuck with me, as he taught me how important it is to be kind to everyone you come across, whether a competitor or...

On The Whistle Podcast | Unlock Structure With Free Play

By teaching people to do something, you take away their ability to figure it out for themselves.

Analytics Strategies Are Changing High School Football

You gotta have heart. We always say that about aspiring athletes, because self-motivation and willingness to give your all are fundamental to sports success. Especially in a tough game like football. That’s why the best, most successful coaches have...

Return to Play: New Requirements for Youth Sports in Rhode Island [+...

We all knew as we started to venture out from pandemic-inspired quarantine that we were heading into unknown territory. Among other things, schools, youth sports organizations and parents wanted to know how they could help kids return to play while...

COVID-19 Has Changed Coaching The Admin Side of Coaching, Here's How...

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all facets of our daily lives, from how we work and learn, to how we communicate and interact with one another. Culturally, for many Americans, sports were one of the main ways people came together -- by...

On The Whistle Podcast | The Not So Secret Recipe for Effective...

Willie Edwards, assistant football coach at Brown University, believes the recipe for effective coaching blends discipline, love, firmness, and hard work. It took tough love for him to lead a team to five straight High School Super Bowl visits and...

53 Stats About Coaching to Know in 2021 [SlideShare]

We recently spoke with over 600 coaches about their role, motivations, and how coaching has changed in 2020. As we get closer to a new year, we wanted to reflect together on what we’ve learned. The coaches we interviewed had an average tenure of six...

11 books that will change your coaching game

Coaches expect their players to be constantly improving. The best coaches expect the same of themselves, constantly sharpening their skills and mindset so they can be great leaders and examples as well as teachers.

Building Lacrosse Champions Through Team Culture

We’ve all heard the expression the whole is better than the sum of its parts. Coaches especially understand the truth in this; an impressive player can shoot a back breaker with ease, another may be able to block a lazer with their eyes closed, but...

On The Whistle Podcast | Mentorship: How To Coach The Right Way

On this episode of the On the Whistle podcast, I, Gary Goldberg, talk about mentorship with Dan Koppen, two-time Super Bowl champion for the New England Patriots.

Coaches Answer: What matters most in your role?

We recently spoke with over 600 coaches about the impact COVID has had on return to play and their roles. Through these conversations, we learned more about what coaches care about and what motivates them to do their job. We heard a number of...

3 Ted Talks That Anyone in Youth Athletics Leadership Should Watch

Every coach knows that each year is different and each athlete is different. The one thing that stays the same for coaches and league leadership is that it's important to be an inspiring and knowledgeable resource for your players. Catch up on some...

Team Rosters: What to Include, Surprising Benefits, and Free Template

Team rosters can quickly become an afterthought. I mean, it’s just a piece of paper on a clipboard right? It can be. But it can also be an invaluable resource for managing teams in a covid-world and preparing your players for life beyond high...

What Really Matters to Youth Sports Coaches

Coaches serve the needs of their players – skill-building, strategy, etc. They also serve their organization, giving it a winning name even when it’s not a winning season. To accomplish all that, coaches need some things from their players in...

Athletes. Listen Up! Academics Are Important.

This is a guest post written by Zack McGee of Grant-Tutoring.com. You can follow @GrantTutoring on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Millions of kids across the United States dream of becoming a college athlete. When you get to high school, you are...

Staying Safe as We Return to Play

How are we to play it safe as we return to sports play? It’s the big question on everyone’s mind these days as we emerge from isolation and head back onto the field or court. It is so exciting to finally reconnect, but health officials are concerned...

Returning to Play – How Will It Feel? What Will It Mean?

We’re getting our lives back, bit by bit. For sports enthusiasts of all ages that means a return to play. This is exciting indeed, especially for youth that have been kept away from their friends and teammates as well as their favorite sports. But...

SquadLocker Coach Of The Year 2019 Finalist: Aaron Rouselle

We'd like to give a shout out to Squadlocker Coach of the year Finalist, Aaron Rouselle - Coach in Rising sun, MD

SquadLocker Coach Of The Year 2019 Finalist: Dan Duest

We'd like to give a shout out to Squadlocker Coach of the year Finalist, Dan Duest - Coach in Hopedale, MA

SquadLocker Coach Of The Year 2019 Finalist: Lauren Bouchard

We'd like to give a shout out to SquadLocker Coach of the year finalist, Lauren Bouchard - Coach in Hopedale, MA

SquadLocker Coach Of The Year 2019 Finalist: Walt Jackson

We'd like to give a shout out to Squadlocker Coach of the year Finalist, Walt Jackson - Coach in Springfield, MA

SquadLocker is Excited to Announce Our Coach of the Year 2019!

Tim Perry Head Football Coach and AD | Wetumpka, Alabama "Tim Perry is the Head Football and Athletic Director at Wetumpka High School in Wetumpka Alabama. Coach Perry has been the coach at Wetumpka since 2012 and has done a great job. In 2017 he...

Why Losers Win

If winning is the only option, why do we compete? Losing is essential. Losing is an everyday experience, whether it's racing to make a traffic light or missing the game-winning shot. So why don't we focus on losing?After all, losing makes winning...

Participation Trophies: Yay or Nay?

Participation trophies have been around for a short period of time, and they tend to be a controversial topic. Some argue that the point isn’t to win or lose, it’s a celebration of your efforts and the work you put into the game. Others point out...

SquadLocker Could Be Your Single Source For All Your Sports Equipment...

If you’re the athletic director for a school system, or otherwise responsible for the logistics of your school’s sports initiatives, you’re undoubtedly aware of just how much of a hassle sourcing gear and merchandise can be. The more teams your...

Strategies for Stress-Free Coaching

Coaching can be a lot of fun, but there’s also plenty of responsibility and stress that comes along with it. In order to operate effectively, a good coach focuses on their own needs in addition to the needs of the team. A great coach is also a great...

Not All Players Need the Same Coach

Sometimes one of the hardest things for a coach to understand is that different players respond better to different approaches. There are too many personality types on the field for a “one-size-fits-all” coaching style to be effective. A serious...

6 Tools for a Stress-Free Registration Season

It’s that time again. Spring is rapidly approaching so it’s time that you start planning for your team’s preseason, and ordering your custom team gear should definitely make that list.

Fundraising and Sponsorship Tips, Tricks & Ideas

Your store at SquadLocker can be personalized in many different ways. Sure you can get logos created or modified, you can choose the colors you want, you can personalize all of the gear and you can even make sure certain mandatory safety items are...

Seven Types Of Little League Coaches (And How To Deal With Them)

A great little league coach truly is a treasure, mostly because of how rare they seem to be. If your kids have been involved in little leagues for a while, you may have noticed that certain “types” of coaches seem to appear fairly often. We’re not...

Coaching Tips To Motivate Your Basketball Team

There are many different ways to motivate your basketball team. While some methods may work better than others, finding the best way to motivate your unique team may take some time. Every team is different, there are some tried-and-true methods that...

Getting The Most Out of Your Reserve Players

The Basics of Youth Basketball Coaching

It all starts on the court in youth basketball for a lot of players. The lessons they learn here will stay with them throughout their entire basketball career, whether it is just on the street, in school or in the pros.

How to be a Better Volleyball Coach

As a coach for a volleyball team, hopefully you'll never be set in your ways. Granted, there are some things that you don't want to change, but there are other aspects that need to be re-evaluated and changed from year to year. In some cases you, as...

It's Football Season – Time to get Your Coach On

It's that time of year again for football season, and it's time to get your coach on. Time to start thinking about teaching, motivating, drills, practice and best of all, making sure they all have the right equipment. But there is a method to all of...

SquadLocker Team Gear: Not Just For The Big Leagues Any More

Maybe it sounds over-ambitious, but at SquadLocker, we're not simply trying to build a good -or even great- team gear store. We believe we could change how custom apparel is ordered everywhere, in every field. Right now, we offer a truly...

Video: How SquadLocker has made things easier for coaches and...

How SquadLocker has made things easier for coaches and administrators.

SquadLocker, USA Football and Your Team ~ Now One Team Together

Being involved in managing and coaching youth sports may be one of the most time consuming things to be associated with, yet it can be one of the most rewarding situations you'll ever experience. For the most part, you'll want to do the things that...

The 4 Main Challenges of Managing a Youth Sports Team

As a coach, manager or administrator of a youth sports team, the challenges can be many. From purchasing custom team gear, fan apparel, and organizing the distribution of sizes, numbers and names – the checklist as a coach may seem endless. There...

Coaching In the Present

It's difficult telling a coach how to coach. What works for one coach may not work for another coach, and then we can have an argument about which coach is better. And, even with that, does a winning or losing record even count here? Some of the...

Baseball: Coming Back From the Loss

Going into every season, we all like to believe that our baseball team is invincible. No one thinks their team is going to lose, yet losing is as much a part of the game as winning is.

Coach: Inspiring and Motivating Your Youth Sports Team

Coaching youth sports is a far different animal than coaching any other type of sports program. And do you want the basics here? OK, then swearing is out. Complicated plays are out. Yelling when someone makes a mistake is out. Picking favorites to...

6 Tips for the Youth Coach Newbie

Just getting started as a youth coach? Well, you’re in for a wild ride my friend. Buckle up for a little bit of stress and maybe a few headaches… but most of all, a ton of fun. Being a youth coach is a rewarding experience, and not only will you...

The Best Pre-Season Prep Drills for Lacrosse

The Lacrosse season begins soon – in April – and you’d better get moving if you want your team to be prepared for the season ahead. Any good Lacrosse coach knows that performance during the season is affected by the players' off-season training....

The SquadLocker Difference #3: Establishing a TeamLocker™ Close Date

The SquadLocker Difference: This 8 part series details the ways SquadLocker is the best online store for team gear and apparel. For part 3, we dive into the ability to set the launch and close date of your TeamLocker™ online store.

How to Deal with Difficult Parents as a Coach: The Complete Guide

In every coach's career, it is inevitable that they will at some point be faced with the wrath of an angry or overly aggressive parent. You might be faced with that parent who is convinced that their eleven-year-old son or daughter is cut out for...

The SquadLocker Difference #2: Instant Stores for Athletes

The SquadLocker Difference: Instantaneous TeamLocker™ Store Launch

Best Coaching Advice: 13 Coaches Share Their Wisdom

Being a coach is an incredibly rewarding experience that comes with its own unique challenges. We asked a wide variety of sports coaches with different backgrounds and years of experience the same question: What is the single best piece of coaching...

Youth Basketball Tournaments: Tips for Coaches

Teaching children how to play a sport is an effective tool that can not only teach the fundamentals of the game, but can also instill discipline, work ethic, and several other skills that can be used in everyday life. While playing basketball is a...

The SquadLocker Difference #1: Check Out the GearMatching Selector

The SquadLocker Difference: World’s Best Gear Matching Selector Who Benefits? Coaches, League Organizers, Parent Volunteers, and Athletes

Top 5 Best Basketball Blogs for Coaches

It's not always easy to find the information you're looking for among all of the videos, cat memes, GIFs, and other noise on social media and the rest of the web. Sometimes you just want to have a central place to go to for trustworthy, helpful...

Coach's Toolkit: 5 Simple Basketball Games for Kids

As all coaches know, basketball can very quickly become competitive - aggressive even - if we let our teams spend all their time playing five on five games. The number one goal of youth basketball, however, is supposed to be to have fun. Every coach...

Take-Aways from Start-up CEOs: 4 Core Values for Coaches & Athletes

In August, 2015, SquadLocker, the nation’s leading provider of technology-enabled athletic apparel solutions for teams, announced that it had recently closed A-round financing securing $2.25 million in equity capital which the company will invest in...

The Most Common Mistakes Youth Football Coaches Make (And How to...

Whether this is your first year coaching or you are a seasoned youth football coach, every coach is forever a student to the game. And every great coach knows that in order to improve their players, they must constantly be learning new coaching...

Coach's Toolkit: Basketball Drills for Kids

Coaching youth basketball is a great way to help get young athletes ready for middle school, junior high, or high school basketball. You are able to teach them the fundamentals of the game, team work, and most importantly, sportsmanship. The...

Can I just be a Coach, not a customer service rep? A tale of 3 coaches

“Can I just be the Coach, Not the customer service rep for all the issues with apparel and gear?”

4 Ways Today’s Coaches, Athletes, and Retailers Are Driving the...

We know of your interest in the sportswear industry, so we wanted to ensure that you saw the recent article, “Nike vs. Under Armour, Which Is the Better Sportswear?”. The article states that the “popularity of sportswear and apparel has reached a...

Why Athletes Dominate in Under Armour Team Uniforms and Apparel

Under Armour consistently churns out new, impressive athletic apparel and uniforms. In previous years, the brand added new functionality and design to their apparel. The ArmourVent™patented mesh fabric that came out in 2013 enhanced their HeatGear®...

Spring Sports: Plan ahead and use "player-pay" ordering solutions.

Practice. It makes perfect. The perfect practice for the perfect team gear ordering experience is to use an online ordering service for your "player-pay" team apparel orders!

Promoting Team Values through Community Partnerships

There are a lot of teams and athletes who put time and effort into community outreach, that's not always recognized by the public. At SquadLocker, we are dedicated to forming partnerships with local organizations and nonprofits, especially when it...

The Top 10 Things Your Team Dealer Should Practice Everytime

Have you ever wanted to purchase top brand gear for your team, but can't seem to find it for a good price from a local vendor? Perhaps you aren't happy with the service that your current dealer provides, or want to create a new logo and aren't sure...

Team Gear Guide for Summer Camp Success

Summer camps are quickly approaching, and team gear packages are one of many items on your end of school year agenda. As your students prepare for pool parties and summer vacation, you struggle with grading report cards, finishing lesson plans, and...

Lacrosse Practice Packages Your Players Can Actually Afford

Earlier this week we talked about some of the most popular choices for lacrosse uniforms, but when it comes to practice gear, it's a whole different story. About 90% of teams who are looking for game-day uniforms have a particular brand in mind (or...

Chicken, Gold Thongs, and Other Bizarre Game-Day Rituals

If you have played sports at virtually any level from youth leagues to professional, then you have probably developed a few superstitions along the way that you would swear up and down make you a better athlete or at least make you perform better!...

Custom Adidas and Under Armour Uniform Options

With the spring athletics season quickly approaching, many coaches and athletic directors will be looking to purchase new uniforms for their baseball, softball, lacrosse, and track & field teams. With so many options to choose from – where do you...

Should the Washington Redskins Change their Name, Mascot and Uniforms?

The controversy isn't new. Simply stated, Native Americans are urging the owner of the Washington Redskins NFL team to change their name as the word Redskin is an offensive and derogatory word to most Native Americans. Daniel Snyder, the current...

Why Your Kids’ Youth Basketball Jerseys are Stuck in the 80s (or 90s)

Retro is cool. We’ve made note of this trend before on this blog. In professional sports, teams are going retro with their uniforms as a fun way to appeal to their die-hard fans and, yes, sell more merchandise. For teams that have been around for a...

The NCAA's Refusal to Pay Student Athletes, Total Hypocrisy

With Johnny Football's recent suspension for allegedly getting a small payment for signing autographs and last week's admission by NFL player Arian Foster of receiving payments while playing in college, the controversy and hypocrisy of paying...

Can New and Improved Jerseys Motivate a Team to the Next Level?

In sports, there are a variety of factors that contribute to winning more than a team’s uniforms, including the performance of coaches and players. However, team gear should not be ignored altogether. With leading brands making innovative additions...

Why Build SquadLocker, When There is a Team Dealer on Every Corner?

Starting a business is never easy. It takes capital, dedicated employees who are willing to trust your vision and most of all, acceptance of risk and the acceptance that sometimes even the best laid plans don't go according to plan. So please allow...

Why Your Team Dealer Sucks, and How You Can Fix It

You may not think about it this way, but problems with your team uniform provider can be extremely detrimental to your athletics program. Though some traditionalists believe that players and coaches shouldn’t spend any time worrying about their...

Smart Ways to Reduce Costs for Your Ice Hockey Team on Warm Up Suits...

When budgeting for your school’s hockey team or teams, you should make sure to include the cost of warm up suits in your financial plan. The cost of ice hockey uniforms, ice time, and travel can be prohibitive, particularly at schools that have...

How a Team Gear Provider Can Help Your Athletic Program Save Money

When a school’s athletic department is short on funds, the aesthetics suffer. The soccer field’s grass fades to brown; the tennis courts crack; the ripped state championship banners in the gymnasium go unrepaired; and, perhaps most importantly to...

How Antimicrobial Team Apparel Fabrics Keep Your Athletes Healthy

In high school football, every game counts. You only have seven to ten games in the regular season. Can you stand to have your starting quarterback out sick for even one game? When a key player misses even one practice, it can derail the whole...

3 Ways a Team Sports Dealer Can Save Money for Your Whole School

One of the most consistent cost drivers in school team sports is the price of gear, uniforms, and apparel: anything your team’s players and coaches wear that bears your team or school logo. While the summer is approaching, coaches, athletic...

How to Care for Team Uniforms to Make Them Last

School athletics and league budgets are limited, especially in today's challenging economic climate, so finding uniforms your team can enjoy for years is vital. Fortunately, team uniform care is easy and helps keep apparel fresh longer. If you...

3 Reasons Coaches Should Learn About Managing Heat with Team Apparel

Coaches want their players performing their best no matter what the weather conditions are. Athletes will devote significant time to getting ready for game day, but extreme temperatures can set them back. Extreme heat is always a challenge in hot...

5 Ways a Team Dealer Will Help Your Team, School, or League Cut Costs

Coaching a team of young athletes, administering a league, or overseeing a high school sports program can be very rewarding, but along with the excitement of game day and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of your players comes the...

Team Dealer Details That Will Save You Time and Money

What if I were to tell you that a simple thing like a team organizer form would be the key to your team having an enjoyable and successful experience, trusting you to buy their team uniforms? What if I also told you that the way in which your team...

What Does ‘On-Time Delivery’ Mean for Your Team Gear Provider?

With various player schedules and field assignments to keep track of, the last thing you and your coaching staff should be worrying about is on-time delivery of your uniforms. But buyer beware: Your purchasing behavior and your team dealer’s...