09 04 2025
Here at The Pack Smart Group, our business has grown from strength to strength over the past 16 years.
We’re very grateful that our dedicated team have worked incredibly hard to get us to where we are now, and our clients have trusted us to make their fulfilment journey as smooth as possible.
This year, we wanted to focus on giving back to the people and communities that have supported us – and have been looking for opportunities that align with our strong values and resonate with our core brands.
How can we make a difference?
SportsSmart is one of our subsidiary brands and contributes in a big way to our overall success.
We work with clients across the sports industry, and our directors are passionate about encouraging everyone to participate in sport to improve well-being in some capacity. We were keen to leverage this knowledge and enthusiasm to support the dreams of young sports people, inspiring the next generation of athletes.
When we heard about the exciting sports journey of a grandson of one of our company’s very own employees, we knew that as a fulfilment company, we wanted to help him fulfil his potential.
Introducing Ethan
That’s why in April 2025, we sponsored Ethan, a promising ice hockey player and the grandson of our Warehouse Assistant, Steve, for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play for the England Ice Hockey team in Finland. Sponsorship included Ethan’s England Kit Bag, England Thermal Jacket and travel to Finland.
Ethan’s passion for skating began at the age of five and grew into a hunger for success in the ice hockey arena – with his natural speed and agility helping two of his teams earn a spot in the National Competition.
Despite being only 12 years old at the time of writing, Ethan played for both the Solihull U14 and U16 teams, showing skill and maturity beyond his years. This talent and dedication earned him individual recognition, with an invite to compete in the Showcase Exhibition games, featuring the top 80 players in the country. In September 2024, Ethan was invited to trial for the England U13 team and secured his place in the squad travelling to Turku, Finland in April 2025.
With unwavering determination, Ethan was keen to make the most of this amazing opportunity and show that passion, hard work and dedication can turn dreams into reality – inspiring both the Pack Smart Group family and all those who have a dream to succeed in the sport.
Sponsoring Success
We were very excited to share this opportunity with Steve, Ethan, and their family.
We spoke to Steve ahead of the trip, who shared, “I am obviously delighted for my grandson and excited about this opportunity for him. In fact, I am also excited as I’m going out there to support him. I am really chuffed that The Pack Smart Group is supporting my family with the sponsorship, as well as supporting me with my job here. I think it’s brilliant”
One of our core company values is Care which extends across all aspects of our business – including taking care of our employees. To be able to support Steve’s grandson with his ongoing dream was an absolute pleasure and providing him with sponsorship was an easy decision for us.
Want to find out more about Ethan’s journey? This blog is to be continued – so head back soon to keep up to date.
