Dick’s Sporting Goods worked out a deal to hire Olympic and Paralympic athletes at its nearly 650 stores across the country — giving them the flexibility to keep training while still maintaining a job that pays the bills.

Headquartered in Coraopolis in western Pennsylvania, Dick’s employs both summer and winter Olympic hopefuls, writes Stephanie Ritenbaugh for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

“Being in the sporting industry, it’s a natural fit for them to work in our stores,” said Maureen Hester, the retailer’s community marketing manager.

According to the company, its Contenders Program supports 200 Team USA hopefuls across 36 Olympic and Paralympic sports in 106 stores in 34 states. It aims to provide a competitive wage and a flexible work schedule to accommodate an intense training schedule, while also allowing them to travel for competitions.

Of the athletes working at Dick’s locations, 18 Paralympians and seven Olympians so far have qualified for the Summer Games in Rio.

Take, for instance, Darby native Darrell Hill, who works at Dick’s in State College.

The Penn Wood High School graduate, 22, qualified for the shot put. He heard about the program at Dick’s last summer when he made the U.S. team for the Pan-American Games in Toronto.

“They give you a duffle bag with USOC gear, and there was a pamphlet in there about the program. I’m from Pennsylvania, so I know what Dick’s is,” he said. “I knew my financial situation, and I needed a job.”

Hill began working in the team sports department in September, after he graduated from Penn State, where he studied rehabilitation and human services.

“It’s been an awesome experience here because being an athlete — and growing up I played a ton of different sports — if people have questions, like ‘My 7-year-old son needs gloves and knee pads.’ I can give them insight because I went through all those stages,” he said.

Click here to read more in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about the support Dick’s Sporting Goods is offering Olympic hopefuls.