Mention “professional development program” in the running world and most imagine a post-collegiate-type training group preparing talented athletes for the Olympic Trials starting lines and major marathons.
Virginia-based =PR= Run & Walk, however, has cooked up a different kind of running-oriented “professional development program.” The =PR= Run & Walk Next Gen High School Development Program – or =PR= Next Gen for short – is designed to create the next wave of run specialty leaders.
Launched this past spring, the focused leadership and mentorship program is giving a select group of high school athletes in the northern Virginia and Richmond, VA, markets a backstage pass to all arms of the =PR= Run & Walk enterprise – its nine retail stores, its grassroots community work and its race timing business among them.
“This program is a professional pipeline designed for athletes who are ready to transition from being participants in the sport to being leaders of the culture,” =PR= Run & Walk announced when introducing the program.
In 2019, =PR= Run & Walk, then named Potomac River Running, launched a high school ambassadors program in the northern Virginia market as an organic bridge to the youth and high school market. Initially comprised of 25 athletes, the program grew to include more than 50 local athletes, according to =PR= Run & Walk general manager Bronson Lee.
“We brought in friendly, enthusiastic student-athletes who were active on social media to promote store events through word-of-mouth, test new gear and share store events with their teammates,” Lee tells Running Insight+.
While the high school ambassadors program proved effective, company leadership’s vision outgrew the original concept. Leaders wanted to transcend the traditional definition of a store ambassador – “Give an athlete a discount code and a free shirt and ask them to build an online highlight reel,” Lee says – and expose young people to professional opportunities in the run specialty marketplace.
“To do that, we had to change how we interact with them,” Lee says. “We had to give them a real seat at the table.”
Enter the =PR= Run & Walk Next Gen program, a highly curated, selective leadership and mentorship program with two independent regional chapters: Northern Virginia (NOVA) Next Gen and Richmond (RVA) Next Gen.
An immersive experience
Next Gen participants receive an introduction to various components of the =PR= Run & Walk business. They learn grassroots sports marketing, work on-site with the company’s professional race timing business and serve as head mentors at =PR= Run & Walk’s youth running camps. The program’s “Raw Lens” initiative, meanwhile, brings members into collaboration with creative professionals to produce original content – photography, video and writing – to strengthen their digital media skills and sharpen their creative storytelling.
“We want them to master the art of effective communication and creative self-expression,” Lee says. “If they can communicate effectively out in the field, the sky is the limit for them.”
In addition, =PR= Next Gen exposes its members to other careers in the industry. Through monthly Next Gen Meetups with brand executives, sales reps, event directors and other industry insiders, members learn about distinct roles and journeys in the run specialty market, gaining both insight into the mechanics of the sport as well as professional networking.
“Through mentorship and different aspects of this program, we help these young individuals see the potential of run specialty,” says Annie Lutz, a buyer at =PR= Run & Walk who also leads the RVA Next Gen chapter. “It’s something I wish I had as a teen.”
Whereas =PR= Run & Walk’s original high school ambassadors program was a much larger, general group, Next Gen is a smaller, elite group – and intentionally so. =PR= Run & Walk’s Richmond chapter, for example, has about a dozen members.
“By keeping the circle tight, we can provide direct, meaningful mentorship,” Lee says.
Benefits all around
In selecting the inaugural Next Gen class this spring, Lee says =PR= Run & Walk leadership was not interested in personal bests or podium finishes. Instead, they targeted individuals with a growth mindset and a genuine desire to promote movement – a fundamental staple of the =PR= Run & Walk brand.
Of course, bringing youthful energy into the =PR= Run & Walk business delivers some important advantages to the 23-year-old company. It provides an early beat on high-end talent, access to a younger generation’s perspective and deeper ties with local communities.
“Our main goal is to keep brick-and-mortar retail alive, welcoming and deeply relevant,” Lee says. “What keeps a physical storefront thriving today isn’t the product on the wall; it is deep human connection and community.”
In handpicking enthusiastic young people for the Next Gen program and crafting an initiative focused on mutual benefits, Lee believes =PR= Run & Walk has a compelling program capable of accelerating run specialty’s momentum and supporting its future.
“We pride ourselves on being leaders in this space and this program is how we ensure the next generation is ready to lead it tomorrow,” Lee says.
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