PITTSBURGH (BRAIN) — Dick's Sporting Goods announced a commitment to expand its support of female athletes in conjunction with the upcoming National Girls & Women in Sports Day on Feb. 3.
Dick's announced four initiatives to champion women and also highlight the importance that youth sports play in the lives of girls.
- A commitment by The Dick's Sporting Goods Foundation to donate 100,000 of its sports bras in the next 18 months to under-resourced female athletes across the country. To distribute the sports bras, the foundation will partner with Good Sports, a nonprofit organization that provides athletic equipment, apparel, and footwear to young athletes in need. Sports bras are an essential piece of equipment for girls, but many girls do not have access to them, something that can contribute to increased dropout rates in sports. Research shows that by the age of 14, girls quit sports at two times the rate of boys. In addition, 73% of girls have concerns about their body when they play.
- The formation of the company's first Girls' Power Panel for ages 13-17 with the goal of giving a younger generation of females a voice to provide general insights on sports issues, provide input on product offerings and initiatives for the company, and help overcome barriers for women in sports. Starting Friday, interested panelists can apply or learn more by filling out the online application.
- A National Girls & Women in Sports Day social challenge, #StrongerWithSports, aimed at showcasing the strength girls and women gain by participating in sports. Candace Parker, Sydney Leroux, and Morgan Simianer are among the group of women sports advocates and leaders supporting the challenge. Each will post a sports photo from when they are younger and describe how sports positively impacted their life and will encourage others to post in support of the challenge on National Girls & Women in Sports Day.
- Offering exclusive access to the Brooks Running Empower Her collection, specifically celebrating National Girls & Women in Sports Day. The product line — including a variety of footwear, apparel, and accessories — will be available at Dick's nationwide and online starting Feb. 1. A portion of sales up to $500,000 will help The Dick's Sporting Goods Foundation to support under-resourced Girls Running Programs across the country.
"We know that when young female athletes have access to the proper equipment and can look up to other female athletes, they are more likely to remain in a sports program and gain the skills to help equip themselves to be future leaders," said company president Lauren Hobart. "We intend to stay at the forefront of advocating for female athletes and athletics."
These initiatives follow the actions last year when the foundation provided a $5 million grant to the U.S. Soccer Foundation's United for Girls initiative, began a partnership with USA Softball, expanded women's offerings in-store and online, and launched a marketing campaign celebrating the power of the sports bra.
Dick's will be a co-presenting sponsor of Girls Fest, a 90-minute virtual event streamed on YouTube designed for girls from elementary to high school level.
