Scoring big with flag football: A UC alum’s ‘win-win’ story

Baldwin grew up in Cincinnati and attended UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) – a program he calls “rigorous, competitive and absolutely life-changing.”

“I didn’t get in the first two times I applied,” he admits. “But I spent that summer practicing my entrance speech, got in front of the assistant dean and finally made it. Third time was the charm.”

His perseverance paid off. At DAAP, Baldwin discovered the blend of artistry and problem-solving that defines industrial design. “The teachers were tough but honest,” he says. “The best day of the year was when everyone came back from co-op, trading tricks and lessons from Nike, Ford or wherever they’d interned. That culture shaped how I think as a designer.” Recently, U.S. News and World Report ranked UC’s cooperative education program as fourth in the nation.

WIN WIN Athletics was founded in 2022, and its flagship product is a beltless flag football kit that packs everything a coach needs into one portable item. The all-in-one tiered design is backed by four patents and houses 20 beltless snap flags inside 10 cones that stack together like a nesting doll.

The company’s beltless system, which clips directly to a player’s waistband, eliminates tangled straps and inconsistent pulls. “It’s simple enough for a 7-year-old to use, but competitive enough for adults,” Baldwin says. “And it makes life easier for coaches, teachers and parents.”

The innovation quickly gained momentum and found fans far beyond youth leagues, especially following the news that flag football will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Physical education teachers across the U.S. embraced WIN WIN’s gear.

“We didn’t even realize we were solving those problems such as helping adaptive physical education teachers or kids who don’t want to wear belts. That was a big moment,” Baldwin says.

Today, WIN WIN Athletics supplies schools and organizations from Connecticut to California. Its products are sold through Gopher Sport, the nation’s largest P.E. supplier, and have caught the attention of major retailers and the NFL’s youth programs.

The brand’s name reflects Baldwin’s philosophy on both sports and design. “At the end of every game, you line up, give high fives and say ‘good game,’” he says. “That’s what WIN WIN is about: Mutual respect, sportsmanship and designing products that make the experience better for everyone.”

Baldwin’s perspective also extends to the broader culture of youth sports. As he prepares to speak at the UC Founders+Funders Summit, he hopes to remind audiences what sports are really about. On Oct. 24, the summit will take place at the 1819 Innovation Hub.

“Youth sports have become this billion-dollar industry focused on elite competition,” he says. “But the games that matter are still the ones in the park, at the beach, the Thanksgiving Turkey Bowls. Sports are supposed to teach teamwork, resilience and joy. If you focus on that, the wins come naturally.”