Jenni Peters, a former USA Track & Field athlete and a competitor in the first-ever Olympic Marathon Trials in 1984, turned her passion for running into a thriving business. She launched Varsity Sports in 2000 near the Perkins Road overpass, growing it into a beloved local chain with four locations. The stores, often set in repurposed houses, are known for their warm vibe, expert service and weekly group runs. Peters also spent 25 years teaching marketing at LSU—where she held the Marjorie B. Ourso endowed professorship and earned the LSU Student Government Outstanding Faculty Award—before leading marketing for LSU athletics. Her impact both in business and the community has earned her numerous honors, including the Sales and Marketing Executives of Greater Baton Rouge Lifetime Achievement Award and the WRKF Community Catalyst Award in 2024.
HOW I INSPIRE MY TEAM
By example. If I am going to ask them to dress up like a circus person for a big top birthday sale, I am first in with my ringmaster/mistress costume.
MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY IN A LEADER
It depends on your leadership style, of course, but for me it’s a sense of humor. It makes a leader more relatable and human, which helps build rapport and trust. Ultimately, a sense of humor balances emotional intelligence with serious business objectives, making a leader more effective.
PIVOTAL MOMENT IN MY CAREER
When I decided to take a break from LSU grad school studies when some friends invited me to the Miller Lite 5K on College Drive. They said for $5 you get a T-shirt and free beer. I was not a runner before that moment.
ADVICE TO MY YOUNGER SELF
As much as you think you know where you are going, Jenni, you have absolutely no idea where this path is going to take you. Buckle up.
BEST BUSINESS ADVICE RECEIVED
“You will never make a running store work in Baton Rouge.” That’s what you tell a competitive marathoner when you want them to work really hard for a long time.
ONE THING THAT WOULD MAKE THE CAPITAL REGION BETTER
Of course, I am going to say much, much better community parks and walking/biking path systems. Go to other growing cities to see examples of how we are 10 years behind in that regard. Parks attract families and result in overall well-being and recreation.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
Spearheaded the initiative to build a safer, more connected path under the Perkins Road overpass—right in Varsity Sports’ own backyard. Earned national recognition for community engagement in fitness from Saucony (Run for Good), The North Face (Never Stop Exploring) and HOKA (Making a Difference). Founded Envision Parks and Paths, a local initiative pushing for more high-quality parks and paths across Baton Rouge.
ORIGIN STORY
I became a college professor because I didn’t want to go to LSU Law School. I found a job at an ad agency because it sounded fun. I saw a notice on the journalism school bulletin board. That led me to graduate school in marketing and a 25-year career teaching. Plus that one Sunday afternoon I decided to take that break from LSU grad school studies when some friends invited me to the Miller Lite 5K on College Drive.
FIRST SET OF WHEELS
I had a bright yellow VW Thing. Who even still knows what a VW Thing is? I put the name “Sunshine” on the outside in vinyl letters.
