Brooks Running, DICK'S Sporting Goods and The DICK'S Foundation Keep Young Athletes on Track

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 13, 2023 / Originally published on DICK'S Sporting Goods Sideline Report

When he got the quote for new gear for his team, Walter Williams, a high school track coach in Tulsa, Oklahoma, printed it out and set it on his desk. He put it next to his mouse, so he would see it every day. For two years, he looked at that quote, drumming his fingertips on the paper as he racked his brain for ways to raise the necessary funds. "One day," he kept telling himself, "it will happen."

Nearly 1,000 miles away, in southeast Michigan, more young athletes were facing an uphill run. Numerous girls track teams and running groups had the drive and determination but lacked the access to facilities to reach their peak, an all-too-familiar story of inequality from the world of female athletics.

Both of these programs, and many others, got the help they needed from a partnership between DICK'S Sporting Goods and Brooks Running, who together for the past three years have donated $1 for every pair of socks, $5 for apparel, and $10 for every pair of shoes sold in the Empower Her Collection up to $500,000 to The DICK's Sporting Goods Foundation.

"Through our Future Run Platform, we work to create as many opportunities as possible for young people to discover the lifelong benefits of the run and its powerful community," said Melanie Allen, Brooks Chief Marketing Officer. "DICK'S Sporting Goods and The DICK's Sporting Goods Foundation share this goal, and we love working with them on the Empower Her collection to support girls and youth running programs."

Aimee Watters, VP of Sports Matter and Community Marketing for DICK'S Sporting Goods, said, "I'm so proud of this relationship because when we team up with a great partner like Brooks Running, even more kids get the support they need to compete in the sports they love."

For Coach Williams, the funds will go a long way to helping the Nathan Hale High School program continue its storied history. Track teams in Oklahoma must pay registration fees to compete in meets, and annual fundraisers typically only cover those expenses. The team has been treading water just to compete and couldn't get ahead. Thanks to the $20,000 Sports Matter grant, the athletes will get new uniforms, warm-ups, training gear and a history lesson.