Most parents love to involve their children in active extracurricular activities like sports. But with the price tags of snowboards, ice skates and mountain bikes, who can afford it?

That’s where stores like Replay Sports come in. The consignment sporting goods shop just opened in Ladner Village about a month ago, and co-owners Steve Robinson and David McMurchy-Barber say if through Replay people get in the habit of both buying and selling, that’s success. That would mean discounted sports equipment in good condition is changing hands between young families in the community.

McMurchy-Barber teaches physical education at an elementary school in Vancouver, and runs an after-school sports program. He sees first-hand families who can barely afford to register their little ones in sports, and has been active in raising money for various after-school activities.

McMurchy-Barber, who has two teen boys, 14 and 19, says, “As they grow the children need to be in sports but then they grow and the family budget gets exhausted.”

He adds, “I’m a proponent of trying every sport, and keeping it fun and simple even up to the age of 19.”

Opening a sports consignment store is something that’s always tweaked his interest, he says. He still teaches, but decided to join Robinson as well.

Robinson, a father of four, coaches hockey in South Delta and has also experienced how growing kids in expensive sports have an impact on the wallet.

“I can relate to the battle of buying my kid a pair of $400 skates. They grow out of them after a season only 20 per cent worn—you can apply the same logic to skis and snowboards.”

Robinson says he did the “corporate stuff” for years before looking for something else. One day, he walked into Replay in Richmond to buy used skates for one of his sons.

“I went there to buy some used skates and ended up buying the store,” he says.

That was three years ago, and one year ago the Tsawwassen resident began looking for a second location in Ladner Village. And he thought of McMurchy-Barber as the perfect partner.

“Dave is an active consignor and a dad and a school teacher” who frequented Replay in Richmond, says Robinson. “We became friends over the last few years.”

He chose Ladner, on Chisholm Street, for the second shop because with an active family living in Tsawwassen, he always drove through the Massey Tunnel to get snowboards waxed, buy used ice skates, or visit a big box sporting goods store.

The core products Replay carries year round include hockey equipment, bicycles, snowboards, skis and golf clubs.

“We always do a little bit of everything else depending on the season,” he says.

As a backdrop to the sporting goods in the new shop is an electric lime green paint scheme to go along with the eco-friendly theme of “reuse, recycle, replay.”

About 50 per cent of the stock is new, but it’s discontinued styles that can be sold at a lower cost.

Robinson says the way goods are displayed—”like a proper retail store” rather than piles of used gear—and the quality of service is what distinguishes Replay from other consignment sporting goods stores. Part-time employees are youth who play the games, and as a longtime coach, he says, “a kid can walk through the door and I can be like: junior medium. It’s just experience.”

Replay also offers services like bike repair, snowboard and ski servicing and skate sharpening.

Says McMurchy-Barber, “We’re here to serve the community, to keep the business running of course, to keep the flow going and keep the kids active.”

Replay can be reached at 604-946-5070 or visit www.replaysports.ca.

n kthiessen@southdeltaleader.com