Innovating flag football with WIN WIN Athletics
DAAP graduate changing the game with design
Geoff Baldwin, the creator and owner of WIN WIN Athletics, fused his design expertise with his passion for sports to tackle common challenges athletes face. To do this, he used his creativity and academic training from the University of Cincinnati to fix the design flaws he identified in traditional flag football gear.
Geoff Baldwin. Photo by Geoff Baldwin.
A 2006 design school alum from UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), Baldwin shares that the skills and techniques he developed as a student are evident in his work today.
"My entire career has been built on what I learned at DAAP,” says Baldwin. Through DAAP, he had the chance to co-op at various design firms, with Nike being his favorite. During his time at Nike, he was able to design athletic gear, which later influenced his career path to redesign flag football equipment.
According to Youth Sports Business Report, flag football has emerged as the fastest growing youth sport, with more than 2.4 million kids participating in flag football programs and teams. The number of female players has also seen a remarkable 63% increase from 2019 to 2023. The NFL is furthering its reach by launching the NFL Flag program, the largest youth flag football league in the nation.
Offensive player tries to run through the opposing team for a touchdown. Photo by Matt Chirico.
Flag football is set to make its debut in the 2028 Olympics, with leagues for both men and women included. This addition contributes to the sport's increasing popularity and appeal.
In 2022, Baldwin’s inspiration to modify the gear came from coaching his son’s flag football team. With flag football's rising popularity, he sought to simplify the game, making it easier to set up and play. “I started to see some of these issues with the gear firsthand as a coach, the designer inside of me started to kick in,” says Baldwin.
He noticed several durability concerns with the flag football belts being used. His goal was to address these flaws with a new design that would be reliable and suitable for players of all levels. A major issue he found was that the belts would wear down over time, making it easier for the flag to be pulled, sometimes even falling out without being touched. He also realized that the belts commonly used were uncomfortable for players because they would tug at the waist and hips when being pulled. "We wanted to create the best flag football experience for everyone,” says Baldwin.
WIN WIN Athletic flags. Photo by Geoff Baldwin.
He also developed a unique clip that glides onto the players' waistband with ease, allowing the flag to be attached and pulled without the clip moving. By eliminating the need for a belt, his design maintains durability even after repeated use and constant tugging.
The WIN WIN Athletics flag football kit, he says, makes it possible for anyone to play a game anywhere, whether it's at the beach or at the park with friends. The kit features 10 cones along with 20 belt-less snap flags. It’s designed to resemble a football, with the cones creating the football shape where the flags are stored inside. Its compact, portable design ensures hassle-free transportation wherever the game takes you.
Following many prototypes, trials, and missteps, he was eager to have his new product put to the test. In his original design, Baldwin used a magnet to attach the flag to a belt. He soon discovered a new innovative approach to create a beltless flag. After experimenting with various clip designs, he finally settled on his one-of-a-kind clip shape. After finalizing his design, he sent his flag football kit to numerous physical education teachers so their students could give it a try.
WIN WIN Athletics flag football kit. Photo by Geoff Baldwin.
The feedback was overwhelming; teachers found that his product made it easy for students to jump right into the game. They also realized that the flag football kit was adaptable for other games, such as tag. Not only did it offer an opportunity to play flag football, but it inspired creativity for the users to invent their own games.
Teammates cheer after scoring a touchdown. Photo by Matt Chirico.
Continuing to expand their platform, WIN WIN recently sponsored the ‘Got Her Back’ camp for girls, organized by the Women’s National Football Conference. This event was held during the Super Bowl weekend in New Orleans. While at the camp, Baldwin had the chance to meet Vanita Krouch, the quarterback of the US Women’s National Team. She is recognized as the most decorated female flag football player in the world. She is also a physical education teacher, which led to Baldwin offering his kit to be used for her classes. She and her students enjoyed the kit, resulting in her integrating the product into her own camps.
Baldwin plans to expand the brand by developing an app that functions as a referee right from your phone. “With so few referees available, I wanted to create an app that lets you grab your phone and start playing right away,” says Baldwin.
He continues to modernize the game by introducing a new app that allows users to learn the game, teach flag football classes, run practices, and manage games. WIN WIN Athletics is dedicated to transforming the flag football experience with its innovative design and products, making it a sport for everyone.
Feature photo at top of flag football container. Photo provided by Balwin.
Written by Maya Little
Third-year journalism major, DAAP student associate
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