Boosters contribute to winning team and spirit

NORTH TAMPA -- Chamberlain High football coach Billy Turner wanted players to remain on campus after school on game-day Fridays.

One particular reason: A few times last year, starters left school on Friday and did not return for that night's game.

"Several times, kids went home and couldn't get a ride back," said Glen Shamblen, Chamberlain's athletic booster club president. "Or a parent decided (the player) had to stay home and babysit so (the parent) could go out."

Such situations were rare, but Turner also thought it would be beneficial to have players stay after school, do homework and eat dinner as a group. That meant the booster club would have to pay for close to 1,000 dinners for the season.

Though Shamblen worried about the cost, his club had overcome several challenges since he became president in August 2000. Its finances were in the red when he arrived, he said, and the club was largely ineffective.

The club is in the black and much stronger now, which Shamblen believes is one reason school spirit was on the rise even before the football team went on its 12-game winning streak. Chamberlain plays Naples for the Class 5A state title tonight in Tallahassee.

To increase excitement at football games, the board paid to paint the field with yardage numerals, add end-zone checkerboard designs and paint a 40-foot Chief head logo at midfield. The club also provided additional uniforms, allowing Turner to dress five more players.

Coincidence or not, the football team has been fired up all year. The program had never won a playoff game before, but has won four so far this season. The boosters also purchased mats for cheerleaders so they could avoid taking spills on asphalt.

The booster club, composed of parents a friends of the school, increased concessions revenues greatly. During last year's football season, concessions brought in about $1,500 per week. This season's regular-season game against Hillsborough brought in $4,800, and the post-season rematch generated $6,900.

The club solicited more volunteers to work stands, had the stands open earlier and found ways to cook more food and do it faster, which made lines move and attracted more patrons.

Shamblen is a King High graduate, but his wife, then Debbie Jones, was a member of the Chamberlain dance corps, the Chiefettes, in the '70s.

As for the pregame dinners, the club tried it on an game-by-game basis. With discounts from local restaurants, the Chiefs fueled up on pizza, fried chicken and other teen-friendly options through the season. Also, a Chamberlain faculty member unaffiliated with the football team donated $500 to feed the crew. The club intends to continue the program in future seasons.

"We saw so much more excitement from the football coaching staff," Shamblen said. "They had fun this year."

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