TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A fire on the campus of a Tampa high school destroyed nearly all of its football program’s equipment on Saturday, from game day necessities to practice dummies and more.
The Tampa Bay Times reported the blaze started Saturday night at Blake High School.
Fire officials said it was completely contained in under 45 minutes, but destroyed the 10-by-20 foot shed that housed the school’s equipment. No other part of the school was affected.
Head football coach Duane Thomas said the school was talking about starting practice July 15.
The school’s game-day equipment, field markers, pylons, chains, practice equipment, pop-up dummies, pads and all daily workout gear are presumed lost.. Some of the equipment was bought by the team’s coaches.
An irreplaceable item was a donation from the booster club: a homemade stencil that was made specifically for Blake to re-create the school’s yellow jacket logo in the center of the field for game days.
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