BETHEL – Seventy thousand dollars. That’s what it will cost to bring high school football back to Telstar after a 23-year hiatus.
A small group of former Telstar Rebel football players and alumni was tasked in November by SAD 44’s board with raising the money and community interest.
Tim O’Connor, chairman of the Telstar Football Boosters, said Tuesday night that the group must raise $45,000 in cash and an additional $25,000 in pledges by June 30.
“Our task is not easy,” O’Connor said. “Not only must we be successful in raising $45,000, we must also require all pledges to be paid in full by June 2007.”
The $70,000, O’Connor said, represents a significant portion of start-up costs for the football program’s first three years.
“We need the whole 100 yards,” he said. This includes goal posts, helmets, uniforms and pads, footballs, bleachers, blocking dummies, and more.
The boosters meet at 6 p.m. every Tuesday in Room 222 at Telstar High. For more information, people can call O’Connor at 824-2136.
At the booster’s fourth meeting, they huddled in a seated circle of desks and brainstormed ideas for a fund-raising game plan.
Football alumni
They’ve sent out 176 letters to business members in the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce; another 94 are going out soon.
Officially, they intend to kick off their fund-raising with a football alumni dinner from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Bethel Inn and Country Club Conference Center, with a buffet dinner at $20 per person.
Former football coaches will be at the dinner, as will memorabilia and old film footage. Not to mention memories of Telstar’s former football program that ran from 1968 through 1982.
“I can remember being at games and the band would play, Proud Mary,’ and the opposing team would play Proud Mary,’ and we’d play it louder, and they’d play it louder,” reminisced Jodie Wilson, class of 1979, a marching band member.
Brad Wight, class of 1977, a defensive tackle who also played several offensive line positions, and Jerry Broomhall, class of 1975, a guard and nose tackle, reflected on past glories.
Wight said that from 1972-73, Telstar’s 21 games were the longest winning streak in the state, a streak that was ended by Jay.
Community spirit
“There was a good sense of community and a lot of excitement, going to a Friday night football game,” Wight said. “When we played football, you couldn’t find a place to park here.”
Football also paid for itself and other athletic programs, Broomhall said. It also helped build character.
“If you could make it through the football season back then, you knew you were going to survive anything,” he added.
Now, they’re hoping to revive the game and help foster the community spirit, which, they say, no other sport can provide.
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