In 2005, Anthony Leach was proud when his son, Grant, made the fourth-grade basketball travel team – so much so that he also decided to jump in as a coach. Hoopmatics Basketball was born, which has led Leach down a path towards sports.
Leach, who has worked for several Fortune 500 companies, spent the first half of his career in consumer products, and the second half in sales and marketing for biopharmaceutical companies. In 2017 he also founded Prep Ball Stars, designed to help student-athletes highlight and promote their skills. Ultimately, Grant not only received a Division I college scholarship, but also helped 25 other players get to college through basketball; two of them attended medical school. While coaching, Leach began making gear for the kids at his camps. Coaches kept approaching him to ask if he could make gear for their teams too.
“I thought, ‘I don’t want to just create uniforms for people. I want to create a brand,’” Leach recalls.
In 2020 he launched Sports Ventures International (SVI) Sportswear, which has since become one of the fastest-growing sportswear companies in the Midwest. Its primary targets are schools, teams and businesses. They have 150-plus schools and colleges in more than 18 states. More than 120 AAU programs either wear or have worn the brand, including six current or former NBA player-sponsored programs – Jeff Teague, George Hill, Trey Lyles, Kyle Guy, Jake LaRavia and Blake Wesley.
SVI is also MBE and Mid-States certified, and boasts Indianapolis Pal Club, Indy Chamber, Indianapolis Public Schools, Residence Inn, Mozel Sanders Thanksgiving Drive, Jack & Jill, and Card & Associates as clients.
They are also the official sportswear partner for Card & Associates, which owns Mojo Up Sports Complex in Noblesville, Pacers Athletic Center in Westfield and Farmers Bank Fieldhouse in Lebanon. “Working with SVI has been great, and we consider them a true partner with us”, says Eric Schellhamer, President of Mojo Up Sports Complex.
“Our partnership also allows us to connect our customers with our branded gear for retail on the weekends or at special events,” says Leach, who has two sons, Grant, 28, and Maxwell, 16. Grant is currently chief operating officer of the company, with a plan to be chief executive officer within five years. Grant, a 2014 Hamilton Southeastern grad, is also building the business in Illinois where he currently resides. Leach has lived in the Fishers area for 24 years and has seen the city’s growth firsthand.
“This is a family business, and we want to continue to grow with Fishers but also expand globally,” Leach says. SVI’s motto is “Create your own adventure,” so they strive to help companies and programs create their own look and image for their sportswear.
“We want our customers to have the best and most creative experience at a competitive price,” Leach says.
SVI sponsors Dizzy Runs Pro Am, to be held at Mojo Up Sports Complex. It is hosted by Kyle Guy, 2016 Mr. Basketball. Last year Tyrese Haliburton, Obi Toppin, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Jeff Teague, Jaden Ivey, and 2024 Mr. Basketball Flory Bidunga all played. Admission is free.
SVI also provides the gear for City League, another local Pro Am of mainly local players and overseas players, which is held at the Boner Community Center downtown. The Flory Bidunga Basketball Camp takes place on July 30 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for youths in grades three through eight. Campers get a T-shirt, drills/instruction, and lunch. Registration costs $125 per child. Prep Ball Stars EPO is a girls and boys high school league for elite players only. It will be held at Mojo Up Sports Complex on August 7, 14 and 21 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. ($10 admission).
In June 2023, SVI sponsored a basketball camp in Grasse, France. While there, Leach and his partner, Kelley Peoples, attended a fragrance-making class. They enjoyed it so much that they researched the concept and brought it back to Indy. In May, the couple opened Truly Fragrance Bar near Keystone at the Crossing, where customers can curate, name and bottle their own one-of-a-kind fragrance.
“It’s nice to be the only person to have your scent,” Peoples says. “You can make it spicy or rosy – whatever you want.”
Customers can sign up online for a 90-minute Scent Event class, held at 12:45 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. They begin each class by giving customers a brief introduction to the history of fragrance before giving them step-by-step instructions on making their own. At the end of class, guests indulge in a complimentary champagne toast.
Included in the cost of the class is one 30-milliliter bottle of the fragrance that you create. After making three scents, customers choose the one they like best to take home. Should they want two or all three of their creations, they are available for purchase. The Scent Event costs $99 for one, or two for $149. They also have VIP and Corporate Scent Events that include food. These prices are $1,000 for up to 12, $2,000 for up to 24, and $2,500 for up to 30. In addition, five Signature Fragrances are available for $59 in-store and online.
When Truly Fragrance Bar opened on Mother’s Day, Chris Evans, the Cincinnati Bengals’ running back, brought his mom and dad in for the event. In addition, Jannon Lampley, who became the first black female coach to lead a girls team to an IHSAA state championship, has been a client. The Scent Event is a fun experience for couples, friends, mother-daughter duos, family nights or even business parties. Truly Fragrance Bar hosted a VIP event for a family in the Cambridge community last month. They also have VIP and Corporate Scent Events that include food.
“It’s great for couples, date night, or an outing for your team or staff,” Leach says.
