Originally published on DICK'S Sporting Goods Sideline Report

We gave the Jerome High School softball team $100,000 to build a field to call their own.

As he read the hand-written note from the DICK'S Sporting Good Foundation, Jerome High School softball coach Lyle Hudelson couldn't even finish before he fell forward with his hands on his knees and the players surrounding him burst into cheers. All he could say was, "Oh my gosh! Are you kidding me?"

This was no joke. The Sports Matter program likes nothing better than to take sports seriously in fun and exciting ways.

Hudelson and the Tigers were surprised with the funds to build a brand-new field that is expected to be completed in 2023 for the Idaho-based school. Their love of the game has kept them going, but it’s been far from a perfect situation.

The team currently uses a community field that's about a 30-minute walk to and from the school to practice and play home games. There are no locker rooms or on-site trainer or even restrooms -- the program rents portable toilets. The school baseball team has a facility on-site; however, the softball team only recently had school ground approved for a field and needed approximately $100,000 to build.

As the team was fundraising to build a field on campus, they asked for $20,000 for fencing in the form of a Sports Matter grant. That’s what they were expecting when DICK'S Community Marketing Manager Dan Doell handed coach Hudelson the note with the feel-good twist ending for a program that truly deserved it.

"We just want somewhere to call our own," said pitcher Jada Bos.

To that we say, "Welcome home.”

Check out our video to learn more about the program and share in the joy when they learn they’re getting a field to call their own!

DICK'S Sporting Goods

DICK'S Sporting Goods

Founded in 1948, DICK'S Sporting Goods 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 30, 2021, the Company operated 734 DICK'S Sporting Goods locations across the United States, serving and inspiring athletes and outdoor enthusiasts to achieve their personal best through a combination of its dedicated teammates, in-store services and unique specialty shop-in-shops dedicated to Team Sports, Athletic Apparel, Golf, Outdoor, Fitness and Footwear.

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, DICK'S also owns and operates Golf Galaxy, Field & Stream and Public Lands specialty stores, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile app for scheduling, communications, live scorekeeping and video streaming. DICK'S offers its products through a dynamic eCommerce platform that is integrated with its store network and provides athletes with the convenience and expertise of a 24-hour storefront.

For more information, visit the Investor Relations page at dicks.com.

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