Taylor Smith, Sports Editor
Many young athletes fantasize of one day having their likeness on a trading card. At the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows boys’ home wrestling quad in mid-January, Flex Trading Cards out of Urbandale, Iowa helped turn that dream into a reality for CGD student-athletes.
“We started our company one year ago,” said Flex co-founder Heath Banks. “My partner, Andy Woodley, and I are former college athletes, and we currently referee football together. We both take great pride in Iowa sports and wanted to create something that gave back to the communities that make these programs possible.”
“That vision led us to the idea of specialized trading cards,” Banks continued.
“From the beginning, we knew we didn’t want to produce just another card—we wanted something that felt comparable to licensed products like Topps, Bowman, and Panini, while still being truly unique. Our goal was to create a product that no one else is doing. After a full year of development, [Thursday] night marked our very first public appearance.”
The trading cards were wildly popular at the quad, and many curious Cowboy fans visited the Flex booth before or during the action.
“We reached out to the Clarion Wrestling Booster Club to see if they would be interested in helping us launch our product through a fundraiser,” Banks said when asked how he landed on CGDHS. “Clarion is widely recognized as one of the top-tier wrestling programs in the state, and with our office based in Urbandale, we wanted to partner with a program outside the schools we typically see.”
Also, the list of those who get their likeness on a trading card is not just limited to the wrestlers.
“We recognize that a successful program is built by more than just athletes and coaches,” Banks added. “That’s why we included wrestlers, coaches, managers, and cheerleaders in the card set.”
For Banks, who generously donated half of the Flex Trading Card proceeds back to the CGD Boosters Club, it all comes back to connecting with communities.
“Seeing the reactions of people opening the cards—and of those featured on them—was incredibly rewarding. The satisfaction we felt watching students see themselves on a trading card for the first time is truly priceless. We are extremely grateful to the entire Clarion community for welcoming us and giving us the opportunity to bring our idea to life.”
Fans still interested in purchasing trading cards can do so by contacting Brittany Redenius.
