2022 was a turning point for us. It was the year we decided to take a step back, breathe and take in the canvas. While we loved what we saw, we felt some of what we were doing with STEAKS® Contact Wear was dated. We spent most of the year designing a new collection and redesigning our business.
The changes made during this process were so over-arching that we felt this new era deserved a new name. We decided to say goodbye to the name STEAKS® Contact Wear and take on: AUAU Athletics. Here are the reasons.
We are enhancing the experience of all women athletes and other athletes with breasts.
We launched as a brand catering to the needs of roller derby athletes. This was reflected in our name: STEAKS is an anagram of skates. Since our founding in 2014, athletes outside the roller derby community have found our company and products. First came the ramp, street and park skaters and soon after Mountain bikers and Enduro bikers. Our products have served athletes in combat sports and various team sports, in which contact and with that injuries can occur. Today our crash pants and protective sports bras and tops keep many different athletes safe. We wanted our name to reflect that.
Building athletic confidence with onomatopoeia.
We chose the name AUAU Athletics because of the humour we see in it when it comes to instinctive reactions to (impeding) pain. We are reclaiming these situations and turning them into laughable moments.
AUAU phonetically imitates the sound one makes when expressing pain. This linguistic suggestion is called onomatopoeia.
While there are cross-cultural differences and various consonant strings are used to communicate the sound in different languages, the experience is deeply human. No matter if you mutter or scream ouch (EN), Āiyō (CN), ay (ESP), aie (French), aaha (Hindi), 'awh (Arabic), aijai (FI) or auau (GER). The expression is instinctive. It is often exclaimed before pain occurs, in anticipation of the event.
While we cannot change instincts, we can decrease the impact effects on our bodies and reduce the dread and fear of impacts and falls. With AUAU Athletics we are staring that fear down and gaining athletic confidence. We are working tirelessly at reducing bruising and pain in the female (shaped) body caused by team, contact and combat sports, so you can keep your mind on the game.
