Sci-Sport Ltd (company registration 2348597) was founded by the present owner Sean Cayless in 1989, and has traded as an SME profitably and successfully ever since.

The name Sci-Sport was a reflection of the 1988/9 schools national curriculum addition and use of the phrases “science in sport “and “sports science”.

The company originally started trading as a mail order specialist in field hockey supplies (under the trading name Hockey Warehouse) to players clubs and schools from a small retail unit on Leicester High Street and as a schools sports equipment supplier under the name Sci-Sport Ltd. Within 18 months it was the largest hockey trader in the UK and has remained in that position or thereabouts for most of its 24 year history.

During the early 1990’s the company reverse integrated into manufacturing protective equipment for hockey goalkeeping, and in the following years supplied Dunlop Slazenger, Dita, Brabo, kookaburra etc with their own bespoke protective ranges.

The development of protective equipment went further, during the later 1990’s into police and military protection, including ballistic vests, hard armour and simulated ammunition protection for police and Special Forces, and a number of specialist Home Office departments especially those involved in counter terrorism. This resulted in the opening of a sister company Polimil Ltd (Company registration no. 05001907 . This was founded by Sean Cayless in 2003; along with a business partner Clifford Oliver Major (retired) H.M Special Forces.

Polimil Ltd then developed an e-commerce trading arm which supplies police and military units with a large range of items from ballistic protection to footwear and clothing (see www.polimil.co.uk). Polimil LTD has more recently been successful in tendering for a number of specialist items to Home Office customers.

Sean Cayless then founded a sister hockey company specialising in web trading in 2004 called Hockey Factory Shop Ltd (Company registration 5068455). This is the largest e-commerce hockey trader in Europe trading under the URL www.hockeyfactoryshop.co.uk. Since then this company has also launched websites for rugby, netball, and other specialist sites.

The three sister companies combined turnover is £3.2 million with 20 staff. The company premises and warehouse cover 20,000 square feet and group held stock is insured at £900,000 plus a seasonal addition.

The original Hockey Warehouse name is in the process of being subsumed into the group trading name of Frog Island Sports, reflecting the development into new sports, such as triathlon, cycling (the group now manufacture its own range of bespoke bicycles under the Frog Island brand name) at the same trading address.

There are further structural changes to the group likely made in future. Generally, the model that has been used previously is that a new idea or trading concept is formed, trialled then incubated until it has proved likely to achieve growth. At the appropriate point, a new company is formed.

If any further details are required, please contact Sean Cayless. Bank and customer references are available if required.