TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa's McLain High School's varsity football team received a big surprise today.
They're going to be sporting new uniforms this fall thanks to a local clinic's generous donation. Varsity football players said this donation is a game-changer for them.
“You feel good, you play good,” junior Titus Morgan said.
When he and his team play, he said they always leave their heart on the football field. Now, the community is rallying behind them.
“We want them to feel good about themselves, so that they know when they step out in the field they look just as good as their opponent," Natalie Jones, nurse practitioner with Novastar Family Medicine said.
Jones and her husband own a clinic just across the street from McLain High School. They've been partnering with the school to provide physicals for student-athletes, but they aren't just meeting the student's physical needs.
“The school has had a need for football jerseys and pants so we felt this year was the year that we should bless them with the check to purchase their uniforms for the varsity football team,” Jones said.
McLain Athletic Director Jamar Louie said it's been eight years since the team has had new uniforms. He said they haven't had money to buy new ones.
“You know, with COVID, we were dealing with much smaller crowds, we weren’t getting as much, as many sells as far as tickets, and so that took away from the funding to provide our student-athletes with uniforms, cleats and other things that are needed for their particular sport,” Louie said.
They know meeting this need will be a win for the students.
“We’ve been needing this for a long time now at Mclain,” Morgan said.
“Getting new unies for our student athletes is significant because it will add to the morale. They’ll want to be a part of our program. They’ll want to show their comeraderity between each other and their teammates and I think it’s just going to boost our whole athletic program,” Louie said.
“When you give back to the community, the community is only as healthy as its members,” Jones said.
The head coach said they are excited to kick off the next football season.
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