WHY WE STARTED HOOPFUEL
WHY WE STARTED HOOPFUEL
The Brand Story
The Problem
In the summer of 2024, Will (aka the Corporate Hooper) was training for NYC's top leagues and looking to dial in his supplement stack. Instead, he was shocked to find that there wasn't a single product built for basketball’s unique physical and mental demands. Everything was made for lifters, runners, and the general athlete.
The Vision
After seeing players chug Gatorade for hydration and slam energy drinks before tip-off, Will knew hoopers needed something better. The idea was simple: build supplements designed for how hoopers actually play, move, and recover, so they can hoop harder for longer.
Building the Team
To bring the idea to life, Will teamed up with his college friend Hudson, an everyday hooper with a degree in health and exercise science. Together, they spent seven months testing formulas, sourcing top-tier ingredients, and building the foundation of the brand from scratch.
The Launch
HoopFuel launched with Hydrate, a clean electrolyte mix designed to replace the electrolytes lost in 1 hour of hooping, and Performance, a pregame fuel designed to boost athleticism and focus. Both products are formulated specifically for hoopers, made with high-quality ingredients, and third-party certified.
Looking Forward
This is just the beginning. HoopFuel is expanding into new products that support energy, recovery, and everyday performance. But just as importantly, we’re building a community of hoopers who share one mindset: to hoop harder for longer, together.
"HOOP HARDER FOR LONGER"
At HoopFuel, “Hoop Harder for Longer” isn’t just a tagline, it’s our mission.
Whether you’re chasing a scholarship, playing pro, or getting buckets after work, you deserve supplements that are built for you. Every HoopFuel product we make is formulated to support the quick cuts, fast decisions, nonstop movement, and recovery between bursts that basketball demands to help you stay sharp, stay strong, and keep showing up when it counts.
But more than that, we’re building a community of hoopers who push themselves, support each other, and believe what you put in your body matters as much as what you leave on the court. This is for the ones who still get shots up when no one’s watching. If that’s you, you’re already part of what we’re building.
OUR FOUNDERS
Will Custis, Founder
As HoopFuel's founder, Will (aka the Corporate Hooper), leads everything from partnerships and marketing to operations and growth. A lifelong hooper from Atlanta, Georgia, Will played varsity in middle and high school, club ball at Wake Forest University, and dominated the intramural league before graduating with a degree in Business Mathematics. After college, he moved to Charlotte, where he began taking basketball more seriously while working full-time. Eventually, he took his game to the next level in New York City, training relentlessly and earning respect in iconic streetball leagues like Rucker Park, West 4th, and Zone 6. Will founded HoopFuel in early 2024 and currently runs the brand full-time.
Hudson Schertz, Co-Founder
As co-founder, Hudson leads branding and product development at HoopFuel. A lifelong athlete and everyday hooper, he grew up playing AAU and high school basketball before continuing on the intramural courts at Wake Forest University, where he earned a degree in Health and Exercise Science with a focus in neuroscience. After graduating, Hudson moved to Raleigh to work at a health clinic specializing in supplements, where his passion for sports performance truly began. He later relocated to New York City, where he’s spent the last few years working in marketing at leading health tech startups while continuing to hoop whenever he has time between work and HoopFuel.
BUILDING HOOPFUEL: BEHIND THE SCENES
Growing a brand in NYC | First brand event
Behind the scenes of the first HoopFuel Halfcourt 3x3 tournement in Brooklyn, NYC.
Why I started the first supplement brand specifically for basketball
The story behind HoopFuel and our first two products, HoopFuel Hydrate and HoopFuel Performance