John, the creator of Cleat Shield, grew up in a soccer-driven family, learning from his older brother, David, and sister, Angela. He began his soccer journey at age 7 with FC Reisensburg in Germany and continued training in Augsburg before moving to California in 1992, where he quickly gained recognition for his skills at a soccer camp run by the Ziemer brothers. After playing competitively through his youth and into a men's league, John transitioned to coaching young players and now has two sons who play with a local competitive club.

David began his sports career in Ipswich, UK, playing baseball and basketball before focusing on soccer at age 8 with the RAF Bentwaters youth program. He later played for American youth teams in Germany, winning the Bayern and Southern Germany Championships. After that he joined and started for the local German youth clubs FC Riesensberg and TS Augsburg, then continued his soccer journey in California. David played for FC Elk Grove, and later a local metro team that won the 1994 District Championship, and now has two sons involved in soccer, rugby, and football, as well as a daughter who competes in Scottish Highland dance and horseback riding.

Joe, the father of David and John, began his athletic career in baseball before transitioning to soccer, playing in high school and for one year at Geneseo State in New York. After joining the Air Force, he continued playing soccer on base teams and in local leagues while stationed at RAF Bentwaters in the UK, later discovering his passion for coaching youth teams in New York and continuing his coaching career in California. Joe has coached boys’ and girls’ teams in recreational and competitive soccer, served in the Northern California Olympic Development Program, and was the assistant coach for the inaugural women's program at Sierra College, holding a USSF National "C" license and both National and Advanced National diplomas from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.