First Team

In 1996 Wayne Unruh and Jeff Roth co-founded First Team Sports, Inc. based in Hutchinson, Kansas."At that time we were using my garage as warehousing and my basement as our first office", says Wayne Unruh, president of First Team. From there things took off for First Team, quickly becoming known as one of the finest manufacturers of outdoor and indoor basketball equipment in the country. In the beginning of 1997 First Team was moved to a more suitable location on Lorraine Avenue in Hutchinson. A large converted parking garage was renovated to provide the necessary space for backboard construction, packaging, warehousing and shipping. First Team's new home provided the opportunity for even stronger growth as First Team's reputation as a basketball manufacturer grew into other sports such as soccer and volleyball.