Leveling the Playing Field

It’s one thing to talk about a problem. It’s another thing to build an entire business around fixing it. That’s exactly what Kevin McGuire did. Recognizing a startling shortage of female softball equipment, Kevin created Resilient SFBL. His company is now a licensed vendor for USA Softball, and multiple college teams across the U.S.

“When my daughter started playing softball, I was excited to take her to purchase new equipment,” Kevin said. “The options were disappointing and surprisingly sparse. There was no selection.”

So when a friend approached Kevin about starting a business, he agreed with one stipulation.

“I agreed, but only under the condition that our products are made for girls and women in the sport.”

While he’s pleased with the business aspects of his venture, Kevin speaks most passionately about the heart behind it. To Kevin, Resilient SFBL is an extension of the family legacy left by his two grandmothers.

Kevin’s Grandmother Bengs helped raise nine siblings while she was in high school. She was widowed at a young age, but she bravely raised her children and completed a teaching degree. She was a beloved teacher to countless students, and shared her wisdom with each of her grandchildren while she taught them to quilt. His Grandma McGuire was “a real life Rosie the Riveter” who helped build bombers at Douglass Airfield during WWII. “The word to describe both of these women is resilient,” Kevin said. “It was the perfect name for our business.”

Kevin aims to empower young women, not only with quality gloves made for female hands, but with opportunities to build their own personal brand. Now that the NCAA’s Name, Image and Likeness policy allows athletes to receive compensation for partnering with brands, Kevin hopes to see female athletes reap the same benefits as their male counterparts.

One of Resilient SFBL’s many talented athlete ambassadors is Brighton Gilbert, a UCO graduate and softball alumna. She currently coaches, offffering hitting and fielding lessons full-time.

“I work with 40-50 young athletes each week, and parents could never find a glove to fit their girls’ hands while also being high quality,” Brighton said. “The technology that Kevin has implemented has changed this for so many and it’s been amazing to witness. Being able to help girls find the glove of their dreams that is truly made to fit them is remarkable.”

Brighton says the ‘why’ behind the company is what caught her attention.

“Resilient SFBL is solely based on enhancing female athletes’ experiences through tailored gloves,” she said. “You don’t find companies like this very often when it comes to softball, because baseball brings in more money so they tailor their gloves toward boys.”

To learn more about Resilient SFBL go to resilientsfbl.com.