Win Sports and Uniforms Inc. is a specialty sporting goods store selling cricket and soccer goods in Mississauga. The company deals with sports equipment and accessories, providing the best quality branded cricket products at the most reasonable prices to the Canadian market.
WinSports was started by Kulwinder Singh, a veteran and a third-generation businessman in the trade.
Since 1922, Singh’s grandfather, Sardar Uttam Singh, manufactured the famous ‘Jagriti’ hockey sticks and managed his sports shop in Sialkot, a town in Pakistan that shifted to Jalandhar, India, after partition.
Kulwinder Singh assisted his father, Jagjit Singh, to continue the business till 2020 that marketed sports goods, sportswear and playground equipment from their unit in Jalandhar.
Cricket has long been an influence on Singh. His passion for the sport began as a child when for every India-Pakistan match, young Singh rooted for India and against his native Pakistan. On migrating to Canada in 2010, Singh became a follower of Canadian Cricket, which gave him a sense of home among the various cultures he encountered in North America.
Born and raised in a family that engaged in a multigenerational sports business for a hundred years, young Kulwinder nurtured a passion for this trade.”
And thus, in 2015, Singh found Win Sports, aimed at catering to the needs of novice and seasoned cricketers ranging from the Junior (U 10 to U19), Beginners, recreational and professional Cricketers. The store has a vast assortment of brands, styles, and models suitable for every need and every pocket.
Singh has witnessed the stages of evolution that Canadian Cricket has gone through. “The scenario of the game was different when Win Sports was established. There was no T20 format, no Junior Cricket, no Indoor Leagues, no Hard Tennis Ball Cricket,” reminisces Singh. With the current format of Cricket, batsmen are now more flexible in the way they take shots, and the bats have to be customized to aid in their run-rates, informs Singh. Cricketers can go through 10 or 12 bats in a season, so making them economical is also a priority, shares Singh.
Singh’s company WinSports is the largest stockholder of more than 300 new English Willow bats brands. The company procures all its equipment directly from reputed manufacturers. Win Sports is also the official distributor for all major cricket brands like SS, SG, GM, Kookaburra, Gray Nicolls, NB, DSC, Shrey, MRF and Adidas. The company also stocks a vast range of cricket shoes in rubber and spike soles in Puma, Asics, NB and Nike, along with a vast range of cricket accessories at its store. Top Cricketers like Navdeep Sekhon is a happy Customer of WinSports and says,” It’s a wonderful collection. I have really good experience with WinSports”.
One of the specialties of Win Sports is the white and pink balls it makes for 50 0ver, 35 over and 20 over formats under the brand WIN. WIN balls are used officially for most leagues in GTA and other provinces across many formats like the TDCA T20 League. Unlike other balls in a similar price range, WIN balls have good shape retention, last longer, and feel soft on hands and bats. They do not damage the willow of the bats. The company invests a huge amount in R & D to develop WIN balls that withstands tough Canadian conditions.
WinSport’s practice range balls (white and pink) too are highly sustainable with excellent shape retention. The teams preparing themselves for the summer season, these Win balls are in good demand.
Life’s true purpose cannot be found by oneself alone until another like-minded individual walks in. Two years ago, a meeting with Mr. Shiv Persaud, President of Scarborough Cricket Association, helped Singh choose his Life’s purpose. SCA’s dedicated and sincere effort to develop the game of Cricket in Canada at all levels impressed Singh and inspired him to make a choice. The decision led Win Sports to collaborate with SCA and be one of their sponsors. To date, Win Sports and SCA have covered a wonderful journey while working with SCA as a sponsor for the last two seasons.
But there is another side of Singh, the humanitarian, as well. Being an immigrant himself, Singh empathizes with struggling immigrant players who look for support to pursue their passion for the game. Singh’s company makes it a point to provide the best quality uniforms and equipment to the Cricket fraternity at all price levels and ensures that budget constraints do not impede a talented cricketer. The 2019 TDCA t20 Champions Australasia adorned uniforms manufactured by Win Sports.
Singh’s driving motto has been the commitment to deliver on time and within budget. And thus, WinSport was able to arrange some special-sized cricket gear for a few U19 players at just two days’ notice. Just not that, Singh also convinced two of the renowned cricket gear companies, Sareen Sports Industries (for SS brand) and Sanspareils Greenlands (for SG brand), to sponsor the U19 cricket team players.
As Physical Literacy and Health Literacy form significant components of the Canadian school curriculum, Cricket forms a part of the sports co-curriculum in Ontario schools. Win Sports has come forward to provide elementary cricket equipment for school children.
With Covid-19 hitting the sporting world particularly, Cricket, Singh had to be extra vigilant about manufacturing standards. His overseas production facilities based out of India take precautions like sanitization of factory premises, wearing masks, and maintaining social distance while manufacturing cricket uniforms for all levels that cater to the needs of both recreational and competitive games. Singh’s skilled craftsmen deliver superior quality dry-fit jerseys which are colourfast, long-lasting and adhere to North American sizing.
A devoted family man, Singh lives by the principle,” A family that plays together, stays together,” Play is the missing ingredient that glues the family together, says Singh. “When the younger generation plays the same sports as their previous generations have played back home, values get transcended down generations and families build lifelong memories and to play together.”
Kulwinder Singh is an immigrant, a voluntary exile, who would like to etch his Life’s story through his service to the game of Cricket. The changing pattern of the sport mirrors his journey of self-discovery and the nations and cultures that have shaped his identity.” My ultimate dream is that Cricket should flourish in Canada and be played at all levels by all segments of society. I dream that our future generations should enjoy and have learning experiences from the game that should help them both on the field and off the field. This will help develop better communities and ultimately help make a better society,” concludes Singh.
Cricket, the sport, is on everyone’s lips. Kulwinder Singh and Win Sport’s story is also worth mentioning. The man’s arduous journey in a new country was not without big blows, but Singh pursued to leave distinctive footprints on the journey called Life.
Kulwinder Singh dared to win, and he smiles.
And there is no stopping for Win Sports.