About Us

Curtis Medlen (right), basketball enthusiast, inventor/designer of the HOOP SAQ and company founder in 1995, talking with Rob Smith (left) the Production Manager at an industrial sewing facility located in the Spokane Industrial Park in Spokane Valley, Washington.  Curtis was there doing quality control inspection on 5,000 bags (a mix of HOOP SAQ and SOCCER SAQ) that he had contracted Rob's company to produce. After that, beginning in early 1996, the company started importing bags from overseas.

In the spring of 1994, Curtis and company, then called Courtside Products, Inc., after searching high and low for a local seamstress with industrial sewing experience, just happened to find the perfect person, Gail Roberds. Gail, who was conveniently located within just 5 minutes of his office, not only had industrial sewing experience working with heavier materials - like the materials used in athletic bags/backpacks but she also had been a Quality Control Inspector for a large U.S. backpack company, Jansport, for over 8 years. 

Curtis and Gail hit it off immediately and began working together to refine Curtis's concept (prototype) into a production-friendly design. Gail was very good at all aspects of production, including sampling and pattern creation. She taught Curtis a lot. Then, Curtis commissioned Gail, and her small team of sewers, to build the first 750 HOOP SAQ bags in April of that year. The rest is history!