JAMES J. GREEN The Standard
SCUGOG: Zechariah Thomas, former pro athlete and founder of the industry disrupting hockey stick manufacturing company, SWIFT, is happy to announce that he has been selected to appear in an upcoming episode of DRAGONS’ DEN, airing (date), at 8 p.m., on CBC and the CBC Gem streaming service. Thomas is grateful for all the support he has received.
The twenty year old entrepreneur, a long time Oshawa resident, recently moved to the Port Perry area, where he has focused his passion for Canada’s favourite sport into an impactful business which has been disrupting the hard-to-break into hockey stick industry. He’s proud that “SWIFT hockey sticks are the first Black owned business product recognized by the National Hockey League (NHL).”
Swift is already being used by pro players in the NHL, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), college hockey, and pro leagues throughout Europe. The stylish stick only weighs 370 grams. So far Zechariah has sold 3,000 sticks through his online store, swift-hockey.com.
The appearance on CBC’s Dragon’s Den is indicative of the growing excitement developing around the brand.
It’s not surprising to see this level of success. It’s an incredible product at an affordable price. SWIFT is much more than a great idea for a fantastic business, though. Interestingly, the company was born of a solution to a problem that Zechariah had been doing his best to solve since his early teenage years.
“Hockey sticks are more than just a piece of equipment for players,” he explained. “They are an extension of themselves, a source of pride and confidence that they carry with them onto the ice. However, for many players, the cost of high-quality hockey sticks can be a barrier to entry and limit their ability to perform at their best.” In a recent interview with The NHL’s Colour of Hockey blog, he said "When I was playing AAA hockey in Oshawa (Ontario), I started seeing a lot of kids breaking sticks. The parents weren't able to afford it and the kids were almost in tears because they couldn't afford to replace their expensive stick.”
In those days, Thomas would help in the ways he could as a young person - giving away his old hockey sticks, using his discount at the sporting goods store where he worked to help others get on the ice and achieve their dreams. “Growing up in small towns, I witnessed firsthand how many young players couldn't afford to bring a backup stick to the rink, let alone invest in a top-of-the-line model. As a result, I made it my personal mission to make a difference in the hockey community when the opportunity presented itself.”
In 2022, SWIFT was founded. Offering high end, professional, NHL quality hockey sticks like their latest - Quick release. Lightweight, durability, the brand new ZT PRO 1 brings next level reliability and consistency at the best possible price, opening up a world of possibility for young athletes, their families, and others who are passionate about the sport, but would otherwise be unable to access the self-esteem, skills and companionship that sports can provide.
“My pitch will be airing on Thursday, September 21st, 2023, at 8 p.m., on CBC and the CBC Gem streaming service.” explained Zechariah.
Be sure to check the website at www.cbc.ca/dragonsden for more information on Zechariah.
The future is bright for Zechariah as he has many other business ventures in mind.