This year’s football season marks the start of a new partnership between Thorsby High School and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

As part of the relationship, Dicks Sporting Goods presented Thorsby’s football team with a $500 gift certificate as well helping supply equipment, such as blocking pads, balls and water bottles, for the town’s youth football league.

“They’re [Dick’s Sporting Goods] really helping all the way up,” Thorsby head coach Daryl Davis said.

According to Davis, the gift certificate will be used to help add materials to the weight room.

“Primarily medicine balls and stuff that you wouldn’t normally buy if you didn’t have that money,” Davis said.

Members of the Rebels football team and cheer squad spent time at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Alabaster handing out flyers promoting a weekend sale of 20% off for those involved in Thorsby youth football and cheer.

“It makes you feel good about yourself, when the community wants to give back,” Thorsby senior Tucker “Dale” Patterson said.

The event not only adds exposure and helps spread the Thorsby name in the state, but it also served as a excellent chance to cultivate team bonding.

“You get to interact with your friends and you get to meet new people out here,” Patterson said. “It’s a win-win basically.”

“It will definitely help us out when it comes to exercising and getting into shape,” Thorsby senior Kobe Davis said. “We don’t have that many [medicine balls] in there right now.”

The partnership with Dick’s is just the latest in a line of upgrades that the school’s athletic program has been through.

Some of the other upgrades include a new gym floor, updates to the football stadium and another retail store in Target donating a 50-inch TV to be used in the gym.

Much of the increased support can be linked to the Rebels’ recent success across multiple sports.

“We’re trying to set the goal high,” Davis said.