New company enters the growing youth sports wellness category with age-appropriate daily hydration and game-day performance products.
PLAYR, a new performance nutrition company focused on youth athletes, has officially launched with a mission to address a growing gap in the sports nutrition market: products designed specifically for kids and teens participating in competitive sports.
Founded by sports parent and DTC operator Dustin Vann, PLAYR was created in response to what the company sees as a lack of age-appropriate performance nutrition options available to youth athletes. As youth sports participation, specialization, and year-round competition continue to rise, many families are increasingly navigating a market dominated by adult-focused supplements, high-caffeine pre-workouts, and sugar-heavy sports drinks.
“Over the last several years, youth sports have become more competitive, more demanding, and more year-round than ever before, but nutrition for youth athletes hasn’t evolved alongside it,” said Dustin Vann, Founder of PLAYR. “Parents are investing heavily in coaching, travel, training, and recovery, yet many are still left choosing between products designed for adults or products loaded with sugar and stimulants. We saw a major opportunity to build something specifically for this next generation of athletes.”
PLAYR launches with two flagship products:
- PLAYR CORE — a daily hydration and recovery powder formulated to support hydration, recovery, immune support, and connective tissue health.
- PLAYR CLUTCH — a game-day performance gummy designed to support focus, readiness, and sustained performance without caffeine.
According to the company, both products were developed specifically for youth athletes and formulated without caffeine or proprietary blends. PLAYR states that its products are third-party tested and developed alongside credentialed advisors across medicine, sports science, and elite athletic performance.
The company’s advisory network includes:
- Dr. Ricardo Komotar, MD, FAANS, neurosurgeon and Chief Medical Advisor
- Dr. Colleen Gulick, PhD, CSCS, sports scientist and performance consultant
- Aaron Feld, veteran Division I strength and conditioning coach, Performance Advisor
- Jim Cavale, entrepreneur and strategic advisor in athlete brand building and sports performance ventures
The launch comes amid broader growth in youth sports participation and increasing consumer demand for cleaner-label wellness and performance products. The company believes a new category is emerging at the intersection of youth athletics, wellness, and performance nutrition.
“Parents today are significantly more educated and ingredient-aware than they were even five years ago,” Vann added. “We believe the future of sports nutrition includes products intentionally designed for younger athletes, with transparency, safety, and trust at the center.”
PLAYR is currently available direct-to-consumer through the company’s website and is focused on continued growth through athlete partnerships, youth sports communities, and content-driven education around hydration, recovery, and performance nutrition for young athletes.
For more information, visit playryouth.com.
Media Contact:
Dustin Vann
About PLAYR
PLAYR is a youth performance nutrition company focused on developing age-appropriate products for athletes ages 8–18. The company’s products are designed to support hydration, recovery, focus, and daily performance without caffeine or proprietary blends. Founded in Birmingham, Alabama, PLAYR was created to help meet the evolving nutritional needs of the next generation of athletes.
Website: playryouth.com
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