INNOVATION PAC-12 STUDENT-ATHLETES SUCCEED
For most Pac-12 student-athletes, “going pro” means hitting the job market. However, the experiences they had on the fi elds and in the gyms of their alma maters often prove life-changing, even if they do not make sports their profession. To fi nd out how being a student-athlete changed the lives of some Pac-12 alumni, we turned to current Pac-12 student writers. Each tracked down one alum per school to talk about how college sports continues to have a positive impact long after the cheering stops.
JAMES LEPP WASHINGTON
By Joe Doyle
A former University of Washington men’s golfer has taken one of his talents and turned it into a career. James Lepp played for Washington from 2004-2006, hitting his peak when he became the Huskies’ fi rst NCAA individual champion in golf. As a senior, Lepp was named second-team All- Pac-10 and fi nished the season as the number-eight ranked amateur player in the world according to Golfweek. After turning pro and graduating with a degree in entrepreneurship in 2006, Lepp and
two friends created Kikkor Golf in 2008, a company specializing in golf shoes and accessories. Lepp said playing competitive golf and majoring in entrepreneurship has been a great combination for starting an original golf brand. “I can thank both school and golf for helping pave the way for Kikkor,” said Lepp. Lepp says the goal of Kikkor has always been to create “awesomely different shoes” for all the cool golfers. “Making one
98
customer happy at a time will slowly get the word out there,” said Lepp. “Appealing to the masses takes time.” Kikkor’s golf shoes vary from the classic golf shoe to a retro tennis-shoe style in vibrant colors.
The goal is to
sustain the company’s success and compete against the biggest players in the industry, such as Nike, Adidas, and Footjoy in the near future. Lepp said there are a few aspiring tour pros that wear Kikkor gear, but nobody on the PGA Tour quite yet. Though he still golfs regularly, Lepp
considers himself more of a businessman now. However, there are instances in which those roles reverse themselves. Several Husky golf principles have helped him become suc- cessful, including being accountable, working hard, and above all, having fun.
“If running this business wasn’t any fun, Kikkor wouldn’t exist,” said Lepp.
Kikkor Golf
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116