Fuel, Friction, and the Rise of VarsityGripz

Fuel, Friction, and the Rise of VarsityGripz

Maurice Manswell had made the cut.

He went through tryouts. He earned his spot. But what came next wasn’t a celebration — it was silence.
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“Truthfully, it was not being fully onboarded to my school’s football team last year, after I had made it at tryouts,” he says. “I was devastated. And it was all the fuel I needed.”

That disappointment didn’t stay personal for long. It became the origin story of VarsityGripz — a performance gear brand that blends athletic identity, regional pride, and the energy of gaming culture.

Playing the Regional Game

Many sports gear brands start by chasing one big team or one hot moment. Maurice isn’t most founders. “I believe I see the sporting & athletic gear industry from a different lens than other founders,” he says. “I tend to look at it from a bird's eye view and analyze what we need to do to dominate a certain region, not just one team or school.” VarsityGripz isn’t built for just one program. It’s designed to show up across entire regions — tapping into campus rivalries, hometown pride, and hyper-local loyalty at scale.

Built for Flexibility

College sports aren’t what they were five years ago. NIL deals have rewritten the rules. Social platforms have redefined fan engagement. For Maurice, staying ready means staying adaptable. “Adaptability,” he says, “with the way NIL & College Sports are looking, it is changing day by day so founders must be able to adapt!” That mindset shapes every move at VarsityGripz.

It’s not about locking in a single formula — it’s about building systems that flex with the market, and gear that keeps up with how fast the game moves.

Tech That Wins

VarsityGripz isn’t just built on instinct. It’s getting smarter with every update. “We plan to use AI on our website and potentially in our future mobile app!” Maurice says. From smarter recommendations to enhanced user experience, VarsityGripz sees AI not as a gimmick—but as a game-changer.

Eyes on the End Zone

For Maurice, the scoreboard in 2025 isn’t just about numbers—it’s about momentum. “Collaborating with some of the top athletes in the world, reaching $1M in revenue by the end of 2025, and launching our first pro team would be a smashing success!” These goals aren’t distant. They’re in motion.

A Mission-Driven Brand

For Maurice, VarsityGripz isn’t just about athletic gear. It’s about building something that lasts. What started as a response to being overlooked has become a way to uplift others — athletes who are navigating the same gaps, the same frustrations, the same need to be seen. He’s not just focused on revenue goals or athlete collabs, though those are firmly in motion. He’s building a platform rooted in pride, adaptability, and representation.

As VarsityGripz continues to grow, Maurice’s vision remains clear:
Create something bigger than a brand. Build something athletes can believe in. Because the future of sports isn’t just about performance. It’s about belonging — and the people bold enough to create space for it.

Learn more at www.varsitygripz.com