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Geared up High School football team Update

Perhaps you’ll recall back around Labor Day of 2013, when I posted about the order for 21 bracelets to a local high school football team. I wanted to give an update of how things went.

The day after I delivered the bracelets to the team I decided to go to their football game. It was only about 12 miles from home, so why not. I only watched the first quarter of the game but when I got there, the table where I purchased my ticket to enter the game had several items on it related to the team, sort of like fundraisers. They had T-Shirts, stickers, mugs and guess what: some of the extra bracelets that I had delivered just a day prior. I was proud to see them there on the table. Felt real official.

Well it put a thought in my mind right then. They were obviously selling things for the benefit of the team, so maybe I could help out. I figured I could donate a few bracelets to them so they could sell them at the games and use the money for the team. Fast forward to a couple weeks later and I made about 6 bracelets in my small, medium and large sizes, packaged them all up and took them to their practice.

My second visit was unannounced so I had no idea if I would be able to speak to the coach or not. I waited around for a while to see the coach, but he didn’t come. I figured the guy probably has an outside job and couldn’t get away. Soooo what to do now. I saw a few ladies, who were obviously moms of some of the players, laying out a blanket so they could talk while waiting on the boys’ practice. I went over to them and they were very helpful. I told them what I wanted to do and they took the bracelets for me and and one of them said that she was in charge of the table and would definitely put them out for sale.

This post is the first time I’ve said anything to anyone about this other than my wife. This is not me bragging or boasting. This is just announcing a way to give back for my appreciation of their support for our business. Hopefully this will encourage others to consider doing the same.

As you can probably figure the Head Coach is the guy standing on the sidelines with his hands on his hips. As most coaches, he’s probably trying to figure why the guy’s aren’t executing a certain play like they did all week. 🙂

Local Football team gets geared up!!

Around Labor Day of 2013, my brother contacted me and said that a friend of his who is a coach of a local High School football team wanted to equip all of his team with our bracelets. My brother told me the guy saw a bracelet he was wearing last year and showed some interest. Apparently now he wants to make it happen.

The order started out with 16 bracelets and was increased to a total of 21, all medium blue and black. Team “W” and I got to work and banged them out in a few days.

On September 6th, I stopped by the teams practice and presented the bracelets to the team with the coach. As he spoke to the team, he explained that he wanted to give these as a gift and a symbol of his love for them. He called them “Warrior Bands”. I love it.

All the young men seemed to like them and I was honored to have been a part of such an experience. No pics of the team as yet, you know, permissions are needed from parents to publish pictures, but here are a few pictures of the hard work we’ve put in.

Bikes on the Bricks…the first show.

The day before the show, my wife drops a bit of a bomb on me. It was good though. She made up a great logo design about a week prior and put it on a T-shirt for us to wear at the Bikes on the Bricks event. It looked awesome and after we all gave her the go ahead, she made up shirts for all of us, even her to wear. To add to that, Amy decided to tag along and go with us on the first day. I was extremely happy to have her. Frankly I was so anxious I probably needed her.

Well we get to the surface lot where the officer’s are going to be practicing, but I don’t see the Flint Police Motor Unit trailer. We wait around a bit and eventually find that initial supervisor that I spoke to and a couple other people on the event committee that I work with. The point me to a spot in the lot, next to there food tent and we begin setting up there.

A few firsts were in play here as well. First time being at an event like this or at all. First time setting up our collapsible canopy. First time selling my creations on a larger scale.

As I talk with the guys from earlier, they tell me that today(Friday) I can set up in the lot, but they give me a couple suggestions on setting up the next day or two for the official event, Bikes on the Bricks. I was also told that the motor unit trailer, will be on the main thoroughfare, Saginaw St., with a suggestion of maybe setting up right there with them the next day. As you can imagine, I’m trying to take all this in and feeling a little bit like a fish out of the water. There are people putting up large commercial tents and it all feels more official than I imagined. I’ve never done this before and am so far small potatoes. So what am I doing here? The answer I kept coming back to, is that I’m working on building a business. I’ve also got that quote from Eleanor Roosevelt rolling around my head of doing something every day that frightens you. Well here I am, a bit frightened. My family is with me and I don’t want to look stupid in front of them or waist there precious time as well.

Tune in next time to see what happened next, Constant Reader.

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Geared up High School football team Update

Local Football team gets geared up!!

Bikes on the Bricks…the first show.

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