By: Marissa Casper
Like many High School Sports Teams in the Everett Public School District the 4A Jackson High School Football Program in Mill Creek, WA took a massive hit with Covid. Even now that we are years after the pandemic, we are working to fully recover our student athlete participation numbers, our Football Booster Club, and our replace our failing equipment.
One of our greatest needs last year and this coming 2024 season was shoulder pads so every student athlete that tries out can play with the proper effective and safe gear.
Last year in 2023 the Mill Creek Chamber of Commerce stepped up and through their annual Mill Creek Classic Charity Golf Tournament (Monday, August 26th, 2024) at the Mill Creek Country Club that raises money to benefit Mill Creek Area Youth. The Chamber of commerce donated $3,000 to the JHS Football Booster Club.
Since one pair of brand-new pads is $200 to $330 depending on what position you play, the booster club held onto those funds and looked into alternative ways we could supply our team with needed equipment. The solution came in the form of a winning bid of an online auction for a lot of 69 shoulder pads being off loaded from the Colorado State University Football Team! We secured new to us pads for our whole 4A football team!!
The Varsity Football Players were ecstatic to have such high-quality equipment! They were quoted saying they were comfortable, they have better arm movement range when reaching above their head, the new pads are equipped with Velcro to hold your jersey in place so your opponent can’t grab onto your jersey. The new pads also have safety back plates which are an expensive added cost.
Varsity Football Head Coach Siddick was surprised with the donation celebration from the Mill Creek Chamber of Commerce President Greg Elwin, the Mill Creek Chamber of Commerce Director Jeff Ritter, the JHS Football Booster Club President Eric Casper, JHS Principal Lance Bella, and Vice Principal Michelle Renee.
This wouldn’t have happened without the donation from the Mill Creek Chamber of Commerce, special recognition to CTE Logistics (a Sumner, WA based logistics company) who arranged pickup and delivery of the shoulder pads, and of course none of this would be possible without Colorado State University off-loading their used equipment!
For more information and pictures, and limited video regarding this story please contact:
*I am not a writer by any means so excuse my poor attempt at doing a professional’s job.
Marissa Casper – Member at Large of the JHS Booster Club, and member of the Mill Creek Chamber of Commerce 425-275-3554
Eric Casper – President JSH Football Booster Club 425-236-9979
