Hello and welcome to ATEK Performance - my online Shopify shop that specialises in Performance Grips socks. My name is Aaron Cusack and.............................wait "who?".................. "Aaron Cusack".........."ok...aaanndd who are you .....exactly?"....................exactly!!!!!!!
So, I wanted to start by apologising - Yep, a good old "sorry everyone"......why, I hear you ask?.....well....ATEK Performance has been active for nearly 5 months now and it has only just dawned on me (Sunday May 14th, 5:33pm) that I haven't actually introduced who I am........you know..... the person behind the sock!!!!!
So, it makes total sense (doesn't it? emoji man with his hands up!!!) to make my first post on here about me, myself and I. Because, let's face it, why would you want to buy some socks from a brand or even a guy you have no idea about (I know I wouldn't!!).
So (that's the 3rd time I've used "So" in the space of 9 lines!!!), I started to explore ways in which I could provide an insight into who I am and it was my wife who said "why don't you write a blog?" - Yeh, good idea - I thought - Therefore, (fancy word for "so"), I searched on Google "Are there any blog platforms I could link to my Shopify store?" and after 0.7s it returned 30,500,000 results - The top one being a blog option built into Shopify itself. "Great", I thought - In truth, I wasn't even aware there was an option to blog on this platform which is kind of ironic as my ATEK brand goes by the motto "excellence is in the details". Well done Aaron!!!! emoji man with a hand over his face!!!)
Sooooooooo, here goes.......
Who am I?
Well, by day I work in Higher Education as a Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching and PE, and by night I moonlight as a Football Coach. I possess an MSc in Sport and Exercise Medicine and hold the UEFA A Licence and FA Advanced Youth Award in Coaching Football. Therefore, when you mix it all together - I am an educator and have been for nearly 20 years.
I have taught at University for nearly 15 years and have coached at professional academy level working with players from the u11 age through to the u18 age group. Lots have gone on to play professionally whilst others have settled for non-league football (at a good standard may I add!!). I am currently the Head of Coaching at a football development centre and have worked as a coach educator tutoring the UEFA B Licence for the FA too. Recently I joined the England Girls Pathway as a Technical Coach. Most might know me from ATEK Coaching - a technical and position specific programme that acts as a supplement to players wishing to enhance their game. So I think it's fair to say I have some experience in the world of education and football development.
My two non negotiables as an educator have always been quality and application - I believe you have to provide quality education so that learners can leave feeling inspired and in the possession of greater knowledge. However, without providing the tools on how to apply that knowledge, makes the whole process redundant.
At this juncture, I know what you are thinking "so, why socks?" - I often ask myself the same question.
Well, it was something I stumbled on really (not literally, I didn't actually fall over a pair of socks!!!). It was last summer (2022) when coaching in heat that I realised how hot and sweaty (and uncomfortable) my feet were getting when coaching and I wondered if there were any "special" socks I could buy to wear instead - I undertook some research online and came across grip socks......"ooooooooooooooo, what are these, I thought". After reading more about them I invested in a pair (from another brand - not naming names!!!) - They arrived a few days later and I wore them for my next coaching session. My overall thoughts were "nice fit and feel but could be better overall".......so, rather than feedback to the company in question, I sought to create my own version and that's where the research began......
Fast forward 6 weeks later and my first ATEK Grip sock arrived - I liked them and duly offered samples to players I work with for feedback - The shared agreement was "good, nice, comfy." - But I wasn't prepared to accept that - Remember how quality and application are my two non-negotiables as an educator? Well, this came into play with my ATEK Grip - I didn't want good, nice, comfy I wanted great, amazing, Aaron your socks are the best EVER!!! - I knew they were liked by players but I wanted a product that was great because of the applications it offered to enhance training and game performance. Just being good wasn't going to cut it - Therefore, I quickly started working on ATEK Grip 2.0 - based on feedback and even more research I created a sock that was much more refined. ATEK 2.0 was launched a few months later and instantly the feedback was what I wanted. "Fantastic, the best grip I have worn" "outstanding fit and comfort' "a game changer" - In November of 2022 my socks made there way into the professional game and was now being trusted by many who played the game every day (more about this in future blogs!!!). Had I finally made it? No, but I was now on a journey where quality and application were being expressed in a product I had created. And this is where the journey continues.........
I will leave you with this.....
What does the sock actually do? Well, their aim is 3-fold:
1) To Reduce Blisters - This anti-slip grip technology helps to reduce movement of the foot in the boot or shoe - when a material rubs constantly against the foot and boot it creates friction - coupled with sweat or moisture from exercise, this combination ultimately results in the formulation of a blister.
2) Superior Comfort - The blend of materials allow for superior comfort - A quality product needs adaptability and it is this blend that allows for the creation of a highly efficient product without compromising comfort. Optimising comfort enhances confidence and trust.
3) Compressive Fit - Optimising the shape and fit of the sock means players can gain lots of feel when performing. Ultimately, all athletes strive for marginal gains and to date, the compressive tension has received the most compliments from feedback provided.
When it comes to competition why would any performer want to compromise on what they wear? We see athletes spend hundreds on footwear yet not the same investment is made when it comes to the quality of the sock they wear. To me, this doesn't make sense as it's the sock inside that is ultimately the conduit between the foot and boot or shoe. So if your sock is poorly fitted it will implicate your game overall. Remember, excellence is in the details!!!!
So, I guess that's me, myself and I in a nutshell - My first EVER blog about how ATEK Grips originated ..... I hope you enjoyed it.......My future blogs will vary between socks, player development, more socks, how I create practices, socks, coach education......and maybe.....just maybe ...socks!!!!
All the best
Aaron