The sporting goods retailer is supporting a roster of athletes on their quest to be part of Team USA
PITTSBURGH, 2016-1-6 — /EPR Retail News/ — DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS), the official sporting goods retail sponsor of Team USA, announced today its roster of more than 180 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Contenders being supported by the Company through flexible employment opportunities and sponsorship agreements.
To date, over 170 Contenders are currently working in 87 DICK’S Sporting Goods stores in 31 states across the country. The Contenders are offered flexible work schedules and competitive compensation, allowing them to devote the necessary time to training to be part of Team USA at future Olympic or Paralympic Games. Athletes from 36 different sports, across both Olympic and Paralympic, summer and winter events, are participating in the program.
“We’re honored to provide these inspiring athletes with what they need – a flexible source of income – to pursue their Olympic and Paralympic dreams,” said Lauren Hobart, Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Offer, DICK’S Sporting Goods. “At the same time, the Contenders are able to offer our customers their expertise as elite athletes. We have had such positive feedback on the program, from the Contenders, our customers and their fellow associates. It’s truly a win-win.”
DICK’S announced a multi-faceted partnership last February, which included the in-store employment program, sporting goods and equipment donations to the U.S. Olympic Training Centers and sponsorships to Team USA hopefuls to help them pursue their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.
“DICK’S Sporting Goods’ commitment to America’s elite athletes through their sponsorship of the USOC and the Contenders program is opening up important new pathways for athletes working to achieve their Olympic and Paralympic dreams,” said Lisa Baird, USOC chief marketing officer. “We are thrilled that this program has grown so fast and is helping so many athletes, and we are proud to call DICK’S a member of the USOC family of partners.”
To date, 11 additional Contenders, outside of the in-store employment program, have been provided with sponsorships from DICK’S Sporting Goods to support their journey to make Team USA, including 2016 U.S. Olympic Team hopeful Kerri Walsh Jennings and 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team hopeful Lex Gillette.
A current roster of the DICK’S Sporting Goods program as of today is included.
| First Name | Last Name | Sport | Hometown | Store Location |
| Megan | Absten | Track & Field – 100m & 200m | Anna Maria, FL | Bradenton, FL |
| Kelly | Allen | Paralympic Kayak | Kingsford, MI | Bethany, OK |
| Sarah | Anderson | Curling | Broomall, PA | Roseville, MN |
| Joshua | Fryman | Track & Field – Hammer Throw | Maysville, KY | Myrtle Beach, SC |
| Jerome | Avery | Paralympic Track & Field -100m, 200m, 4x100m (Guide Runner) | Hanford, CA | El Cajon, CA |
| Courtney | Baker | Paralympic Sitting Volleyball | Crofton, KY | Lexington, KY |
| Michael | Barminski | Field Hockey | Ventura, CA | San Diego, CA |
| Daianna | Barron | Track & Field – 200m & 400m | Warrensville Heights, OH | Aurora, OH |
| Sheldon | Battle | Track & Field – Shot Put | Jamestown, NY | Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Sarah | Beard | Shooting | Danville, IN | Colorado Springs, CO |
| Tyler | Bennett | Paralympic Soccer | Wadsworth, OH | Akron, OH |
| Amelia | Bizer | Rugby | The Woodlands, TX | El Cajon, CA |
| Brandon | Blackley | Speedskating | Eagle River, AK | Salt Lake City, UT |
| Dominique | Booker | Track & Field – 100m & 200m | East Orange, NJ | Deer Valley, AZ |
| Mark | Braun | Paralympic Track & Field | Mounds View, MN | N/A |
| Joshua | Brown | Judo | Wasilla, AK | Colorado Springs, CO |
| Rodney | Brown | Track & Field – Discus | Chappell Hill, TX | Baton Rouge, LA |
| Amanda | Burke | Diving | Southampton, PA | State College, PA |
| Monique | Burkland | Paralympic Sitting Volleyball | Ardmore, OK | N. Oklahoma City, OK |
| Kathleen | Burnett | Track & Field – Race Walk | Issaquah, WA | El Cajon, CA |
| Kyra | Caldwell | Track & Field – Hurdles | Ypsilanti, MI | El Paso, TX |
| Kelsey | Campbell | Wrestling | Milwaukie, OR | Tempe, AZ |
| Amber | Campbell | Track & Field – Hammer Throw | Indianapolis, IN | Myrtle Beach, SC |
| Alexandra | Carlson | Curling | Inver Grove Heights, MN | Roseville, MN |
| Veronica | Carlson | Wrestling | Addison, IL | Rock Hill, SC |
| Nicholas | Christie | Track & Field – Race Walk | El Cajon, CA | San Diego, CA |
| Ernest | Chun | Wheelchair Rugby | Waipahu, HI | Scottsdale, AZ |
| Charles | Clark | Track & Field – 200m & 400m | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach, VA |
| Alyssa | Cleland | Paralympic Sitting Volleyball | Laguna Hills, CA | Oklahoma City, OK |
| Phoebe | Coffin | Synchronized Swimming | Los Gatos, CA | Pleasant Hill, CA |
| Michael | Coleman | Track & Field – 100m & 200m | Ruston, LA | San Diego, CA |
| Sineaid | Corley | Bobsled | New London, NH | Yonkers, NY |
| Bradley | Craig | Swimming | Midland, MI | Knoxville, TN |
| Brooke | Crain | Cycling – BMX | Visalia, CA | N/A |
| Franchon | Crews | Boxing | Baltimore, MD | Glen Burnie, MD |
| Joshua | Dangel | Track & Field – Pole Vault | Cincinnati, Ohio | San Diego, CA |
| Royce | Dates | Track & Field – Long Jump & Triple Jump | Memphis, TN | Nashville, TN |
| Abel | Del Toro | Paralympic Goalball | Fontana, CA | Fort Wayne, IN |
| Robert | Deller | Wheelchair Rugby | Marietta, GA | Kennesaw, GA |
| Ajai | Dhadwal | Field Hockey | Agoura Hills, CA | San Diego, CA |
| Quincy | Downing | Track & Field – 400m hurdles & 400m | Cleveland, OH | Baton Rouge, LA |
| Korey | Dropkin | Curling | Southborough, MA | Duluth, MN |
| Heather | Erickson | Paralympic Sitting Volleyball | Fayetteville, NC | N. Oklahoma City, OK |
| Quinn | Evenson | Curling | Fairbanks, AK | Duluth, MN |
| George | Fields | Track & Field – Long Jump & Sprints | Columbia, SC | Columbia, SC |
| Jeremy | Finton | Paralympic Track & Field – 100m, 400m, Club Throw | Tampa, FL | Lancaster, OH |
| Jason | Flanagan | Track & Field – Javelin Throw | Philadelphia, PA | Myrtle Beach, SC |
| Eileen | Ford-Faherty | Paralympic Archery | Perry, GA | North Macon, GA |
| Jonathan | Garcia | Speedskating | Houston, TX | Salt Lake City, UT |
| Richard | Garrett | Track & Field – Shot Put | Garland, TX | San Diego, CA |
| Amanda | Ghannam | Rugby | Danbury, CT | Danbury, CT |
| Lex | Gillette | Paralympic Track & Field – Long Jump | Raleigh, NC | N/A |
| Cameron | Glasgow | Track & Field – 400m | Santa Maria, CA | Cerritos, CA |
| Catherine | Graham | Team Handball | Hanover, IN | Opelika, AL |
| Brian | Graham | Wrestling | Kansas City, MO | Roseville, MN |
| Alex | Grassi | Field Hockey | Brookeville, MD | San Diego, CA |
| Mirielle | Graves | Judo | Edwardsville, IL | Colorado Springs, CO |
| Kimani | Griffin | Speedskating | Winston Salem, NC | Midvale, UT |
| Lindsay | Grogan | Paralympic Swimming | Macon, GA | Austin, TX |
| Tyson | Gunter | Paralympic Track & Field – Long Jump & High Jump | McCammon, ID | Pocatello, ID |
| Jenna | Haag | Curling | Milton, WI | Wauwatosa, WI |
| James | Harris Jr. | Track & Field – 400m & High Jump | Lanett, AL | Tallahassee, FL |
| Kevin | Hensley | Paralympic Soccer | Memphis, TN | Memphis, TN |
| Darrell | Hill | Track & Field – Shot Put | Darby, PA | State College, PA |
| Derick | Hinch | Track & Field – Pole Vault | Auburn, CA | San Diego, CA |
| Daniel | Hoffman | Paralympic Soccer | Baltimore, MD | Lawrence, KS |
| Austin | Hollimon | Track & Field – Hurdles | Atlanta, GA | Lenox – Atlanta, GA |
| Daryl | Homer | Fencing | Bronx, NY | N/A |
| Christopher | Hoodye | Paralympic Sitting Volleyball | Downey, CA | Oklahoma City, OK |
| Andras | Horanyi | Fencing | Boulder, CO | Colorado Springs, CO |
| Thomas | Howell | Curling | Brick, NJ | Wauwatosa, WI |
| James | Hurt | Track & Field – Steeplechase | Bogart, GA | Salt Lake City, UT |
| Isabella | Isaksen | Modern Pentathlon | Fayetteville, AR | Colorado Springs, CO |
| Candace | Jackson | Track & Field – 200m & 400m | Dallas, TX | Scottsdale, AZ |
| Jon | Jones | Track & Field – Shot Put | Portville, NY | Amherst, NY |
| Mahogany | Jones | Track & Field – 100m & 200m | Cleveland, OH | Phoenix, AZ |
| Kaleo | Kanahele | Paralympic Sitting Volleyball | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City, OK |
| Katelyn | Kelly | Bobsled | Orchard Park, NY | Midvale, UT |
| Joshua | Kennison | Paralympic Track & Field – 100m, 200m, Long Jump | South Paris, ME | Topsham, ME |
| Joshua | Larney | Track & Field – Long Jump | Cleveland, OH | Scottsdale, AZ |
| Christopher | Lawson | Track & Field – Hurdles | Temecula, CA | Cerritos, CA |
| Danell | Leyva | Gymnastics | Miami, FL | N/A |
| Chase | Madison | Track & Field – Discus | Newton, IA | Tuscasloosa, AL |
| J. Dee | Marinko | Paralympic Sitting Volleyball | Guthrie, OK | N. Oklahoma City, OK |
| Trevor | Marsicano | Speedskating | Ballston Spa, NY | Saratoga Springs, NY |
| Manuel | Martinez | Field Hockey | Lakeside CA | Arlington, TX |
| Elbert | Maxwell | Track & Field – Long Jump | Pittsburgh, PA | Glendale, AZ |
| Daniel | McCoy | Sled Hockey | Cheswick, PA | Pittsburgh Mills, PA |
| Daniel | McDonnell | Indoor Volleyball | Glendale, AZ | Huntington Beach, CA |
| Kaitlyn | McElroy | Kayak | Bethel, ME | Oklahoma City, OK |
| Jessica | Medina | Wrestling | Pomona, CA | Tempe, AZ |
| Desiree | Miller | Wheelchair Basketball | Monroe, WA | East Madison, WI |
| Asya | Miller | Paralympic Goalball | Lapeer, MI | Gresham, OR |
| Ibtihaj | Muhammad | Fencing | Maplewood, NJ | N/A |
| William | Mullarkey | Speedskating | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City, UT |
| Christopher | Murphy | Paralympic Cycling | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Colorado Springs, CO |
| Amy | Naber | Rugby | Tucson, AZ | San Diego, CA |
| Nicole | Nieves | Paralympic Sitting Volleyball | Kissimmee, FL | Kissimmee, FL |
| Leah | Nugent | Track & Field – Hurdles | Abington, PA | Lexington, KY |
| Imani | Oliver | Track & Field – Triple Jump | Brooklyn, NY | Nashville, TN |
| Matthew | Parker | Weightlifting | Garland, TX | Colorado Springs, CO |
| Whitney | Pavlik | Beach Volleyball | Laguna Beach, CA | Laguna Hills, CA |
| Brett | Perry | Speedskating | Midland, MI | Midvale, UT |
| Elizabeth | Podominick | Track & Field – Discus | Lakeville, MN | El Cajon, CA |
| Jillion | Potter | Rugby | Austin, TX | N/A |
| Maya | Pressley | Track & Field – High Jump | Ft. Lauderdale, FL | Lenox – Atlanta, GA |
| Candice | Price | Track & Field – 100m Hurdles | Ypsilanti, MI | Ann Arbor, MI |
| David | Prince | Paralympic Track & Field – 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m | Marietta, GA | Venice, FL |
| Chase | Reichman | Speedskating | West Allis, WI | Midvale, UT |
| Shealen | Reno | Cycling – BMX | Dallas, TX | Arlington, TX |
| Mason | Rhodes | Track & Field | Glennville, Georgia | El Cajon, CA |
| Keith | Ricks | Track & Field – 100m & 200m | Suffolk, VA | Findlay, OH |
| Monique | Riddick | Track & Field – Shot Put | Edison, NJ | East Brunswick, NJ |
| John | Risch | Track & Field – Race Walking | Williamston, MI | Grand Rapids, MI |
| Melanie | Roach | Weightlifting | The Dalles, OR | N/A |
| Ricky | Robertson | Track & Field – High Jump & Triple Jump | Hernando, MS | El Cajon, CA |
| Daniel | Robertson | Cycling | Rolling Meadows, IL | Colorado Springs, CO |
| Laura | Ryan | Diving | Elk River, MN | Athens, GA |
| Julia | Salata | Wrestling | Canton, MI | Colorado Springs, CO |
| Jonathan | Sanford | Track & Field – Long Jump | Tampa, FL | Nashville, TN |
| Kristen | Santos | Speedskating | Fairfield, CT | Salt Lake City, UT |
| Ian | Satterfield | Indoor Volleyball | Manhattan Beach, CA | El Segundo, CA |
| Nicole | Saunders | Track & Field – 400m | Newport News, VA | Newport News, VA |
| Carlijn | Schoutens | Speedskating | Heemstede, Netherlands | Midvale, UT |
| Jared | Schuurmans | Track & Field – Discus | Norfolk, NE | Nashville, TN |
| Donald | Scott | Track & Field – Triple Long Jump | Orlando, FL | Canton, MI |
| N’aithan | Scott | Track & Field – Hurdles | Oxnard, CA | Glendale, AZ |
| Erich | Seals | Track & Field – Hurdles | Baton Rouge, LA | Baton Rouge, LA |
| Allysa | Seely | Paralympic Triathlon | Glendale, AZ | Scottsdale, AZ |
| Claressa | Shields | Boxing | Flint, MI | N/A |
| Alexis | Shifflett | Paralympic Sitting Volleyball | Waseca, MN | N. Oklahoma City, OK |
| John | Shuster | Curling | Chisholm, MN | Duluth, MN |
| Parameet | Singh | Field Hockey | Simi Valley, CA | Moorpark, CA |
| Jerome | Singleton Jr. | Paralympic Track & Field – 100m, 200m, 4x100m | Greenwood, SC | Dedham, MA |
| Kristin | Smith | Track & Field – Hammer Throw | Marietta, GA | El Cajon, CA |
| Kenneth | Smith Jr. | Track & Field – Hurdles & 400m | Newport News, VA | Newport News, VA |
| Morgan | Snow | Track & Field – Hurdles | Decatur, GA | Lenox, GA |
| Toby | Stanley | Diving | Little Rock, AK | Durham, NC |
| Shakur | Stevenson | Boxing | Newark, NJ | N/A |
| Kevin | Stokes | Paralympic Track & Field – Club Throw | Roswell, GA | Alpharetta, GA |
| Tyler | Sundeen | Field Hockey | Simi Valley, CA | Simi Valley, CA |
| Austin | Surhoff | Swimming | Cockeysville, MD | Tempe, AZ |
| Ajax | Tadehara | Judo | Pocatello, ID | Colorado Springs, CO |
| Jeremy | Taiwo | Track & Field – Decathlon & Heptathlon | Renton, WA | Renton, WA |
| Jerica | Tandiman | Speedskating | Kearns, UT | Midvale, UT |
| Vaafuti | Tavana | Indoor Volleyball | Kjalaheo, HI | Newport Beach, CA |
| Matthias | Tayala | Track & Field – Hammer Throw | McDonald, OH | Niles, OH |
| Ronald | Taylor | Track & Field – Long Jump | San Diego, CA | El Cajon, CA |
| Justin | Terry | Track & Field – 4x400m Relay & 400m | Tallahassee, FL | McDonough, GA |
| Kristen | Thomas | Rugby | Philadelphia, PA | El Cajon, CA |
| Sarah | Thomas | Track & Field – 100m & 200m | Tallassee, AL | Tuscaloosa, AL |
| Sugar | Todd | Speedskating | Union, NE | Salt Lake City, UT |
| Aaron | Tran | Speedskating | Federal Way, WA | Midvale, UT |
| Katarzyna | Trzopek | Fencing | Pacifica, CA | Daly City, CA |
| Samantha | Tucker | Paralympic Archery | Gordon, NE | Nampa, ID |
| Christopher | Turori | Rugby | Valley Center, CA | San Diego, CA |
| Marthell | Vazquez | Paralympic Soccer | Long Beach, CA | Cerritos, CA |
| Derrick | Vicars | Track & Field – Shot Put | Genoa, OH | Findlay, OH |
| Kerri | Walsh Jennings | Beach Volleyball | Santa Clara, CA | N/A |
| Justin | Welch | Track & Field – Hammer Throw | Luckey, Ohio | Holland, OH |
| Taylor | Wheaton | Track & Field – Hurdles | Virginia Beach, VA | Tallahassee, FL |
| Mitch | Whitmore | Speedskating | Waukesha, WI | Salt Lake City, UT |
| Troy | Wilkerson | Skeleton | Norfolk, VA | Virginia Beach, VA |
| Wesley | Williams | Paralympic Track & Field – Long Jump (Guide Runner) | Visalia, CA | San Diego, CA |
| Jocelyn | Williams | Track & Field – Hammer Throw | Hamilton, NJ | Lynchburg, VA |
| Kenna | Wolter | Track & Field – Triple Jump | Santa Maria, CA | Nashville, TN |
| Victoria | Wood | Diving | Knoxville, TN | Grafton, WI |
| Soo | Yoo | Speedskating | Seoul, Korea | Midvale, UT |
| Phillip | Young | Track & Field – Long Jump & Triple Jump | Key West, FL | Tallahassee, FL |
| Jerebelle | Yutangco | Speedskating | Barrington, RI | Midvale, UT |
| Bethany | Zummo | Paralympic Sitting Volleyball | Dublin, CA | N. Oklahoma City, OK |
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About DICK’S Sporting Goods
Founded in 1948, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc. is a leading omni-channel sporting goods retailer offering an extensive assortment of authentic, high-quality sports equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories. As of October 31, 2015, the Company operated 645 DICK’S Sporting Goods locations, serving and inspiring athletes and outdoor enthusiasts to achieve their personal best through a blend of dedicated associates, in-store services and unique specialty shop-in-shops. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, DICK’S also owns and operates Golf Galaxy, Field & Stream, True Runner and Chelsea Collective specialty stores. For more information, visit the Press Room at DICKS.com.
Contact DICK’S Sporting Goods: press@dcsg.com
SOURCE: DICK’S Sporting Goods