We are a family-owned company with 25+ years of experience in material science.
Erin and Lee Hanson started Guardian in 2011 with one goal in mind – innovating equipment to better serve athletes. Their 25+ years of experience owning and operating a material science and technology company has enabled them to create multiple pieces of sports equipment that better protect athletes.
In 2012, the first Guardian Cap hit football fields. The Guardian Cap has since been adapted to fit lacrosse and hockey helmets, broadening its reach to support more athletes. The purpose of the Cap is to reduce the impact and redirect rotational forces upon collision experienced by players, and to prove that soft-shell helmet technology is superior to that of a hard shell. Now more than 500,000 youth, high school, and college athletes nationwide have adopted Guardian Caps into their practices and/or games and the NFL and CFL have mandated Caps in practices. Since the 2022 season, the NFL has mandated the use of the Guardian Cap in practices with exceptional results (link to their results blog). For the 2024 season, the NFL and CFL expanded their mandates to include more positions required to wear Guardian Caps for all contact practices through the post season and also allowed players to wear the Guardian Cap, if they so choose, during games. In 2025, Guardian introduced the next version of the Guardian Cap with the same exceptional performance but a sleeker look.
In 2015, Guardian re-engineered the lacrosse ball. The first PEARL lacrosse ball was engineered to address the greasing issue with rubber lacrosse balls that took lacrosse balls out of spec by the time of play. Guardian became the only manufacturer of lacrosse balls in the USA and introduces; the Guardian team introduced the PEARL X as its first lacrosse ball. The PEARL X is a greaseless game day ball that never hardens and stays in spec. The team expanded the PEARL line with a no-bounce PEARL NX ball – practice ball that limit rebound, does not grease, and does not affect muscle memory during practice, PEARL LT textured game ball – the first game-day certified textured lacrosse ball, and the PEARL DUAL X ball – the first ever dual colored lacrosse ball that helps with better tracking. Our superior balls are pulling in Official Ball statuses across the board. PEARL was named the Official Ball of the NCAA, MCLA, & WCLO and was mandated for all MCLA games. If you are competing for any championship at the collegiate level, you are using PEARLs.
In 2022, Guardian was introduced to the issue of toxic rubber infill on sports fields. Guardian’s Bio-based Infill was created as a clean alternative so municipalities and consumers could feel confident about the infill their athletes were exposed to. Guardian Infill is made in the USA and is a cleaner more sustainable alternative to SBR and organics. In 2024, Guardian Infill was given the USDA certification, meaning it is a 49% bio-based product. Guardian Infill is now spec’d into school districts, state organizations, top landscapers, and turf companies.
In 2024, Guardian expanded its product line into 7v7 and flag football headgear. Guardian partnered with Xenith and launched the Guardian Xenith LOOP, a multi-sport soft-shell headband. The LOOP reduces impact of incidental hits and has a 5-STAR Virginia Tech Helmet Rating making it the highest-rated, most affordable soft-shell headgear on the market. The LOOP is ideal for 7 on 7, flag football, girls’ lacrosse, field hockey, soccer, cheerleading, gymnastics, and rugby.
Guardian continues to innovate and aims to continually develop technologies that can enhance sports equipment and better serve athletes.
OUR AWARDS
First-place winner in the micro category (from 10 to 24 employees) in Best Places to Work by the Atlanta Business Chronicle
“Best Employer in Sports” by Front Office Sports.
A woman-owned business, noted by our WBENC Certification.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Certified Biobased Product Label for Guardian Biobased TPE Infill.
Guardian Infill is also STC (Synthetic Turf Council) certified.
OUR PROCESS
At Guardian Sports, our design process is a collaborative experience that integrates the diverse perspectives of our team, partners, and customers. We ensure that every product we plan to bring to market is thoroughly evaluated through multiple lenses, focusing on how well it aligns with our core mission: enhancing the safety of athletes through innovative sports equipment. We strive to create products that not only meet but exceed safety standards, ultimately contributing to a more secure and protective sporting environment.
PHASE 0
LEARN
Guardian initiates projects with meetings to define the unmet need in the market and gather input on the customer, product, and design goals.
PHASE 1
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Guardian illustrates a unique design direction that addresses project requirements such as: core functionality, ease of use, distinctive/quality styling, human elements, ergonomics, technical feasibility, among others.
PHASE 2
CONCEPT REFINEMENT
The concept from Phase 1 will be modified to enhance overall design, ergonomics, feature sets, material selection, finishes, and basic part geometry.
PHASE 3
ENGINEERING
Our engineers will develop the control drawings for the design. Multiple reviews internally will ensure the technical documentation is aligned with the product requirements and the design intent.
PHASE 4
PROTOTYPING
Guardian coordinates in-house/trusted partner prototyping and testing in order to verify and validate the final design concept prior to production.
PHASE 5
MANUFACTURING
We conduct our own manufacturing of products and also work with our trusted manufacturing partners to develop the best production strategy based on the project.
OUR WORK
At Guardian Sports we approach each project with a problem-solution-result strategy. Our portfolio displays our product development thought process.
At Guardian we are first and foremost scientists and engineers working to improve sports equipment.
We have several projects that have made it to consumers either through our sales team or through consulting projects.
Impact from hard-shell helmets
Solution
Padded helmet cover to reduce impact of hits
Result
Worn by youth, college, CFL and NFL athletes & NFL HeadHealthTECH Challenge I Winner.
U.S. Patents:
10537148, 9907346, 9314061, D701999, 11064752
Climbing holds that weren’t durable
Solution
Durable, polyurethane rock climbing holds
Result
Aragon Elastomers manufactures 90% of the rock holds in the USA and supplies top climbing hold retailers with the strongest, most reliable and innovative product on the market.
Since been divested by PlayCore Corporation in 2021
Current infill options are abrasive, contain dangerous chemicals, and get very hot
Solution
Bio-based, non-abrasive, cooler infill
Result
A US-made, lower cost, cleaner & safer playing surface for athletes
U.S. Patents:
11821150, 11512438
There was only one cast urethane golf ball because it was patented but others wanted a similar ball that didn’t infringe.
Solution
Shenshen Wu was a brilliant chemist who worked for 27 years at the largest golf ball manufacturer. She invented the #1 golf ball in the sport and wrote over 200 patents around it. We created a cast urethane cover with Shenshen that performed as well or better than the #1 ball and we obtained our own patents.
Result
Our cast urethane golf balls exhibit excellent cut and sheer resistance while providing long distance off drivers and high spin off short irons. It is now being private labeled for several recognizable golf brands.
Comfortable, protective headgear for multi-sport athletes
Solution
Partnered with Xenith to create a VT 5-STAR rated soft-shell headgear
Result
Innovative soft-shell headgear designed to be worn without a helmet for multiple sports, including 7v7, flag football, non-tackle football, rugby, field hockey, and cheerleading of all levels.
U.S. Patent: D956,359 S
OUR TEAM
