The Gen Z athlete is a key face for Rocket Dog as the brand marks 30 years.

On a recent Monday morning in Santa Monica, beach volleyball phenom Sally Perez steps onto the sand and immediately notices that all the nets are hung to men’s standard height, not women’s.

Luckily, it’s not a practice day for the 20-year old UCLA star, who is hitting the beach for an entirely different reason — an FN cover shoot.

It takes a minute for Perez to switch from athlete to model mode, but she embraces the challenge, gamely posing for the camera and asking questions about photography as the shots roll on.

One of Rocket Dog’s most important new faces, Perez personifies the attributes the brand wants to represent: She’s resilient, strong and celebrates her unique style.

For both the athlete and the brand, the beach is the center of everything.

“Sally is a great fit for Rocket Dog because she embodies the origin story,” said Christine Kayayan, head of marketing, U.S. at parent company Top Pick Global Inc. “We were founded in 1997 on the Santa Monica sands. Beach volleyball was born on those same sands. Sally isn’t just a beach athlete; she’s a beach champion.”

Just as importantly, Perez, a North Carolina native, is also helping tell the story of the brand’s future, according to the executive. “We didn’t just want nostalgia, we wanted someone who [will help shape] the next 30 years,” said Kayayan.

Indeed, Perez is already blazing new trails for the sport and her university.

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