Originally published on DICK'S Sporting Goods Sideline Report

From working as a part-time teammate to being the community and experience director at DICK’S House of Sport in Katy, Texas. Former Minor League Baseball player Ruperto Rojas called his journey with DICK’S Sporting Goods an incredible ride.

Rojas was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft. That same year, he started working as a part-time operations associate at DICK’S Sporting Goods near his home in Lakewood, Colorado.

“My wife told me I had to go out and make a little extra money during the offseason,” Rojas said. “There was a DICK’S right across the street, so I went over and applied.”

He immediately hit it off with Store Manager John Varner. “He became my mentor, and he continues to impact me to this day,” said Rojas.

Rojas worked at DICK’S every offseason. When his playing days ended in 2021, Rojas said Varner encouraged him to stick with it.

“Working with him, you could just see his passion for both his teammates and the athletes,” said Varner.

Rojas discovered he had a real passion for helping athletes chase their dreams, and likened working for DICK’S to playing baseball. “It’s all about the team,” Rojas said.

Within a year and a half, Rojas worked his way up from part-time operations associate to store manager. Then in April 2023, Rojas got the chance to move back to his hometown of Houston. He was offered the role of community and experience director at the DICK’S House of Sport in nearby Katy.

“He leads people the way he would like to be led,” Varner said of Rojas. “He is a true people first leader who has the common purpose at the center of what he does every day.”

As community and experience director, Rojas is responsible for integrating DICK’S House of Sport into the community and overseeing internal and external events. He also works to develop and maintain partnerships in the community.

“This role allowed me to combine my two passions: giving back to the community and sports,” Rojas said.

A few years ago, Rojas said when he thought about what he’d do with his life, retail was never in the picture. “Now?” Rojas said, “I can’t see a future without DICK’S Sporting Goods.”

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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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