Having the right gear is an essential part of any athlete's performance. Whether it’s finding a jersey that fits just right or a cleat that feels comfortable during a game, everyone needs great gear to perform at their best. However, for Bryce Goggin, this wasn’t always the case.
Goggin is a senior at Southern Oregon University, studying business management. As a multi-sport athlete, Goggin had struggled with endless wear and tear to his socks. After deciding to follow the advice of his father, who suggested, ‘What about changing the sizing of socks?” Goggin founded Legacy Athletica, a sock company dedicated to helping athletes, specifically those with “outlier” feet, in order to provide socks that fit their needs.
In Goggin’s view, “It really seems like no matter what you're doing, there's always a problem within your feet, whether it is someone getting blisters or someone has ankle problems, or someone is jumping, but their toes are hurting from it.”
Looking to take the sock market in a new direction, he started by conducting research to figure out what it was athletes needed. Through his research, Goggin discovered the need for more comfortable socks while also improving ankle support.
After making this discovery, Goggin said he came to a realization: “I can make a difference in not only my own life as an athlete but the lives of other athletes who are struggling with injury or just comfort.” Additionally, Goggin attributes some of his success to Invent Oregon, saying, “I love InventOR because it’s allowed me to figure out better ways to come up with inventions.”
One of the goals of Invent Oregon is to provide teams access to professional mentors and investment dollars to help take their ideas from prototypes to commercialization. It is also a way for faculty to support and encourage students with innovative ideas.
Following the 2022 Invent Oregon competition, one of Goggin’s key takeaways was to take action on your ideas and bring them to fruition. Additionally, Goggin has big aspirations for Legacy Athletica, with the hopes of one day working with large apparel companies in the region, such as Nike and Adidas.
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