American retailer Dick's Sporting Goods announced it's 'Here for Her' initiative offering more in-store options for female athletes as part of their mission to champion women's sport and to keep young girls active.

Using the inspiring stories of U.S softball player Jennie Finch and Canadian Soccer player Sydney Leroux, Dick's Sporting Goods have made several large investments to overcome the obstacles faced by women in sport. 

Dick's unveiled its plans to revamp the women and girls section providing a better range of products for them in-store - specialising in key sports such as basketball, soccer, softball, and dance.

The retailer also revealed its $5 million investment into the grassroots initiative, 'U.S Soccer Foundation's United for Girls' for over three years. With support from Dick's, the initiative aims to create safe spaces to play, fund coaching and offer training opportunities to keep 100,000 girls engaged in sport by 2023.

Additionally, the company announced its partnership with USA Softball in which they will be providing sporting goods for the U.S Women's National Softball Team ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Speaking at the Here for Her Summit in New York, Leroux said: "That speaks to me because I was one of those girls who didn't have the means to play at the highest level and I needed help to get there. I want these little girls to take full advantage because we're missing out on some really good athletes because they don't have the money or the means. This is definitely a step in the right direction and I'm excited to see what happens."