BCAT - Basketball Coaches Association of Tennessee - 2022
While we were busy showcasing the Grip Spritz basketball shoe grip pad in Columbia, Missouri this weekend, we found time to also make a stop in Franklin Tennessee as well! Unfortunately, this trip took a wild turn.
Grip Spritz is the newest basketball traction mat. For decades, schools have used sticky pads to get better traction on the basketball court.
When you talk to coaches and athletic directors about these sticky pads, you're met with an eyeroll. Players always want better grip on their basketball shoes but schools are tired of paying so much money for an outdated option that only lasts a few possessions.
That's why we knew we had the opportunity to created the best basketball shoe grip pad on the market. We wanted to hammer out what the pain points for basketball coaches and athletic directors were and completely fix them. Here's what we found:
- Sticky/traction pads are expensive. The board and enough sheets for the season can approach $400.
- Coaches have more important things to do during games instead of worrying about peeling off sticky sheets and finding somewhere to put them.
- The average basketball team will use 3-6 sticky sheets per game. Coaches are responsible for that because when they let kids, every kid wants a new sheet or they accidently peel off 4 sheets at once by grabbing the wrong tab.
- When you run out of sheets, replacement sheets are incredibly pricey.
- The traction on the basketball shoes just doesn't last that long. After a few possessions, your shoes lose their grip. Adhesives are going to build up a residue on the shoes, making them sticky so that dust and dirt on the court only has one place to go.
We knew our individual player basketball shoe grip spray was perfect for players. It wasn't overly expensive for schools, coaches didn't have to worry about it during the game and it lasted long enough that players didn't have to worry about their shoes. However, if you're a coach during a timeout, you don't want to be going over a set and see your players spraying their shoes, so we had to make it quicker and easier!
That's when we created our Grip Spritz Traction grip pad. We designed it specifically for high schools, colleges, and AAU programs to solve how to get better grip on their basketball shoes, without creating a whole new headache for coaches. Here's what we did:
- Make it affordable for every basketball program. Our traction pad, 64 games or practices worth of Grip Spritz, and an easy to carry tote bag for all your coaching equipment for less than half the cost of a sticky pad.
- No plastic sheets. Coaches can coach, not deal with sticky sheets and finding somewhere to throw them away. Just pour some Grip Spritz on the mat pregame and forget about it.
- By eliminating adhesives, the basketball shoes can grip how they we're designed to, even on dusty courts, because it won't pick up more dirt. It's like every player has a fresh sheet every time.
- Give teams enough solution for the whole season at least, so you're not trying to order replacements during the season.
High School programs love making the switch from sticky pads to Grip Spritz. It is the easiest way to make sure every pair of shoes can be the basketball shoes with the most grip!
Grip Spritz is much different than other products out there, working much longer and being more effective, but they also save schools a lot of money!
The Tennessee Basketball Coaches Association (BCAT) clinic came very highly recommended and it did not disappoint! Unfortunately, the trip was cut a bit short. While we split up to go to Missouri and Tennessee, we had plans to meet up in Atlanta for another clinic for Georgia. That event was cancelled the very last second! We had to cancel our flights from St. Louis to Atlanta and find a way back to Cleveland. While this was happening, our team in Tennessee got in a car accident and had to leave their car there to be repaired. The final result ended up with us driving from St. Louis, to Nashville, back to Cleveland. It was a very long day but all part of the road!
We’re hoping this isn't a sign of things to come on the road but, you never know!
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