PITTSBURGH, Dec. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The DICK'S
Sporting Goods Foundation announced today it is awarding Top
Prospects Baseball facility in Los
Angeles a $10,000 Sports
Matter grant in partnership with pro football player
DeSean Jackson, an ambassador
for United Sports Brands – parent company of Shock Doctor, McDavid,
and Cutters.
The funds from the Sports Matter grant will be used to purchase
new equipment and refurbish the organization's fields where
hundreds of inner-city youth athletes continue to learn to play
baseball. A Los Angeles native,
Jackson learned to play baseball with Top Prospects and is one of
the most accomplished athletes in Southern California prep sports history.
"It's really special for me to be able to give back to my
hometown and help give kids the opportunity to play sports," said
Jackson. "I played a lot of different sports growing up, but most
people don't know that I almost played pro baseball. So much of
what I do in football comes from what I learned in baseball, and
that all started at Top Prospects."
Jackson is the latest pro athlete to give back to his community
via The DICK'S Foundation Sports Matter program, which has pledged
to provide access to sports for one million young athletes by
2024.
"We're thrilled to partner with DeSean and United Sports Brands
to provide this Sports Matter grant to Top Prospects Baseball
to help more kids have the opportunity to play," said Aimee Watters, Executive Director of The DICK'S
Sporting Goods Foundation. "Sports Matter was created because we
believe playing sports make people better and we are committed to
supporting all youth athletes in need, and this is just one way we
are doing that."
Jackson is also working with Shock Doctor, McDavid and Cutters
on raising additional support for Top Prospects Baseball through
exclusive on-field gear promoted on his Instagram channel today,
December 9. This includes a pair of
custom cleats that Jackson will unveil live supporting The DICK'S
Foundation's Sports Matter program. For more information on the
gear, visit DeSean's Instagram channel.
"We are honored to make this donation with DeSean and The DICK'S
Sporting Goods Foundation," said Michael
Magerman, President/CEO of United Sports Brands. "I've
watched DeSean as a star on the football field for years, and to
see him do this with an eye for the future of sports and young
people in his community tells me a lot about who he is."
Since 2014, DICK'S and the DICK'S Foundation have pledged more
than $100 million to support youth
sports teams and leagues in need. The Sports Matter
program strives to increase awareness for the growing issue of
underfunded youth athletics nationwide and provide much-needed
support through equipment, uniform and monetary
donations.
For more information on Sports Matter, visit
SportsMatter.org.
About The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation
The DICK'S
Sporting Goods Foundation is an exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit
corporation with a mission to inspire and enable sports
participation. It was created by DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc.
as a private corporate foundation to support DICK'S charitable and
philanthropic activities.
Contact DICK'S Sporting Goods: press@dcsg.com
About United Sports Brands
United Sports Brands is a
global leader in sports performance and protective products
designed to help athletes perform at their personal best. Brands
within the portfolio include Shock Doctor, the #1 global leader in
mouthguards and protection; McDavid, a performance and protective
brand at the top of the recommended lists of pro athletes, sports
medicine professionals and athletic trainers for more than 35
years; Cutters, the innovative leader in football gloves and high
performance glove grip technology; and NATHAN, the running
essentials market leader in athletic hydration, visibility and
performance gear. United Sports Brands is also a portfolio company
of Bregal Partners, a private equity investment firm. For more
information, please visit www.Unitedspb.com.
Contact United Sports
Brands: emiller@unitedspb.com
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SOURCE DICK'S Sporting Goods