UNDER ARMOUR UNIFORMS ON DECK FOR WICOMICO VARSITY STUDENT-ATHLETES

Wicomico Varsity Athletes to Phase Into Playing in Head-to-Toe Under Armour Gear Starting in 2016-2017 Thanks to Pioneering Contract with Team Distributors

 Wicomico celebrates its pioneering Under Armour varsity uniform contract with Team Distributors. Pictured are, front row from left, student-athletes Dara Gregory (James M. Bennett High), Anna Waggoner (Wicomico High), Rodney Dawson (Parkside High), Barry Gaines (Wicomico High), Tyler Dunn (James M. Bennett High), Noah O’Barsky (Parkside High), Arieonna Joynes (Mardela High) and Maddy Catlin (Mardela High). Back row, Bryan Ashby, Supervisor of Athletics for Wicomico County Public Schools; Tim Berquist of Team Distributors; Butch Waller, head boys basketball coach at Wicomico High; and Micah Stauffer, Director of Secondary Education for Wicomico Schools.

Spring sports are wrapping up and commencement ceremonies and summer vacation are just a couple of weeks away, but that’s only part of the excitement for the student-athletes of Wicomico County Public Schools and their supporters. Thanks to a pioneering agreement with Team Distributors Inc., athletes are looking forward to playing in high quality uniforms made by Under Armour, with new uniforms beginning to be phased in starting when teams return to action this fall.

Wicomico will be one of the very first county school systems in the nation to outfit all of its varsity athletes in Under Armour gear. The school system signed a five-year contract with Team Distributors of Annapolis, effective January 2016, for varsity athletes to be outfitted head to toe in school-branded Under Armour gear. These varsity uniforms will be phased in for varsity teams in all four high schools starting this fall.

Thanks to the Team Distributors contract, the uniforms will be provided at a significant cost savings to schools. Fans and school supporters will be able to purchase school-branded Under Armour items, with a portion of sales going back to the school system as rebates to support athletic programs and facilities.

“Our athletes and coaches love the quality, look and performance of the Under Armour athletic gear. We’re very excited that we’re going to be able to have this high quality clothing and gear for our varsity athletes at a lower cost than what we’ve paid for current uniforms, and that our families and other fans are also going to have a chance to purchase Under Armour gear for the high school they support,” said Dr. Cathy Townsend, Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services.

Team Distributors will work with schools to set up Under Armour “spirit wear” team stores online by the time students return to school for fall sports practice. Parents, siblings and other supporters will be able to purchase Under Armour attire online at very reasonable prices to show support for the school. Schools may also choose to make select Under Armour items available for purchase in their school store, along with other school merchandise.

Bryan Ashby, Supervisor of Athletics, attended an Under Armour presentation last year, and then began talking up the possibility of an Under Armour uniform contract for Wicomico Schools athletes along with longtime Wicomico High School basketball coach Butch Waller. Every school had to be on board so that no athlete or team would be left out. By signing a contract as a school system, Wicomico secured unified pricing for Under Armour gear and relieved schools and teams of the need to negotiate uniform purchases themselves.

“This was an opportunity that all four schools needed to be a part of, and we’re pleased that every one of our varsity athletic teams and each one of our schools is on a level playing field when it comes to pricing,” Ashby said.