The swoosh on their chest comes from the most well-known sporting goods company in the world.
In the early weeks of March, Nike presented a contract to Athletic Director Greg Mulkey that would require select varsity sports teams wear Nike endorsed products. The athletic department will also receive funds to purchase said equipment.
“It’s an exclusive deal where varsity sports will have to wear Nike gear,” Mulkey said. “One big positive aspect to this is that Nike gives us $15,000 a year, for five years.”
Marshfield junior and three-sport athlete Richard Godden said new uniforms will help the morale of the many varsity teams involved.
“We’re going to intimidate other teams around,” Godden said. “Not many schools have things like this going for them.”
The money provided by Nike will be used to buy the uniforms for select varsity sports.
“The sports included in the deal are most of your fall sports – football, volleyball, cross country,” Mulkey said.
Other varsity sports included in the Nike deal are softball, basketball, track and field, baseball, soccer, tennis, and golf.
While the catalogue provides a large variety of uniforms to choose from for those teams, there are also those that will not be included in the deal.
“Nike said that they don’t do a very good job at providing quality uniforms for some sports- cheer, dance, wrestling and swimming,” Mulkey said. “Those four sports are not supported.”
Mulkey said with this agreement the school will also receive 45 percent off all product they buy, whether it be football jerseys or running tights for track and cross country.
Mulkey said the money will be available soon and head football coach Josh Line is already looking at Nike uniforms to purchase for next football season.
Jump coach for track and field and head cross country coach Steve Delgado discussed how this deal would help his distance runners.
“We have lots of different nice gear,” Delgado said. “However, our warm up clothing we have is pretty dated, so we’ll probably be replacing those.”
Freshman Gabe Prasad, a three-sport athlete, said the Nike contract will help Marshfield athletes.
“It helps make us all feel professional,” Prasad said.
Godden agreed.
“Look good, feel good, play good!”
