The Santa Clara High School football team will have more than just the field its playing on to thank the San Francisco 49ers for on Saturday.
The Bruins will meet Gunderson at 6 p.m. at Levi’s Stadium, home of the 49ers – which is exciting enough. But Santa Clara can also thank the 49ers for its uniforms and some of the equipment it’s wearing, all dating back to a mishap at Santa Clara High in April.
A fire that engulfed the girls’ restroom near the Bruins’ field spread into the boys’ restroom and eventually into the Bruins’ equipment room, causing more than $45,000 in losses. Up in flames went Santa Clara’s uniforms, girdles and various pads, Gatorade products, etc. Fortunately for the Bruins, their helmets and shoulder pads were housed elsewhere.
That still left the Bruins in a financial bind and the tab was graciously picked up by the 49ers who will host Santa Clara in Saturday’s Friday Night Lights doubleheader featuring the Bruins vs. Gunderson at 6 p.m. The first game of the Levi’s doubleheader is Santa Teresa vs. Leland at 3 p.m. in the Pat Tillman Game.
Credit the stellar relationship between Santa Clara coach Hank Roberts and the 49ers’ Jared Muela, who is the director of fan engagement and youth football, with helping the Bruins get the money to pay for their lost equipment.
“Jared Muela has been awesome,” Roberts said. “He’s the guy who works with us on Friday Night Lights and we were talking last spring and I asked him how things were going and he said he was busy putting fires out and I told him we were literally putting a fire out and that’s how the conversation went.”
The 49ers have a tremendous relationship with Gatorade and Muela said he thought he could get Santa Clara’s coolers and liquid and edible Gatorade supplies replaced. Then Muela informed the 49ers of Santa Clara’s plight, one thing led to another and before anyone knew it the Niners had presented the high school with a check to replace all of its destroyed equipment.
It all dates back to a relationship Muela and Roberts had formed before the Niners even moved into Levi’s which eventually has led to a freshman symposium for the Bruins, Santa Clara playing twice at Levi’s and a mentorship program between the two entities.
“Jared originally reached out to us and we’ve just always had a great relationship,” Roberts said. “What he’s done for youth here and throughout Santa Clara and the entire Bay Area is unbelievable. I told my wife that I’m not really an NFL guy because I love college football, but after all this, gosh, the 49ers are my new favorite team.”
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FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS FOOTBALL DOUBLEHEADER
Saturday, August 27
At Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
3 p.m.: Santa Teresa vs. Leland
6 p.m.: Gunderson vs. Santa Clara
