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Project Sooner Equipped - The Football Community Coming Together in Support of Moore Oklahoma Football Programs

6-11-2013
Brian "Jake" McCrae - Head Football Coach
Bishop Snyder HS, FL

Project Sooner Equipped

Hello. My name is Coach Brian "Jake" McCrae. I am the head football coach of Bishop Snyder HS in Jacksonville, Florida. After seeing the destruction from the horrible tornadoes in the OKC/ Moore area and knowing first hand how awful these tragedies can be (I had Hurricanes Charlie and Frances come over my town), I feel that anyone who can help, should help...and that's my plan...even if it's in a small way.

So, this email that I have constructed and is being sent to you all, is one that I am trying to get to news stations, news papers, coaches, school officials, business leaders and anyone else I think can help get this project off the ground.

I am calling my project "Sooner Equipped". The idea behind it is to gather a "wish list" from football coaches, (or any sport really) in the affected areas in Oklahoma. This list will entail all of the equipment needs they have, due to what was lost or destroyed by the tornadoes. After getting the list from the coaches, I will then pass it on to every coach, sporting goods store, gym etc. and see if we can get these items, donated, loaded up in a few big container trucks and sent to Oklahoma for these programs to use for both their off season and in-season needs.

I know that there are much bigger issues to be dealt with right now in the greater Moore and OKC areas, but I figure if this is one less thing we can get these athletic programs worrying about, the more they can concentrate on the bigger things. I was told by a coach in Oklahoma yesterday that Moore High School football team alone has 18 players who lost their houses. That would be about 60% of the kids in my current program. Unbelievable. My eyes well up as I type this just thinking about it.

I will never forget the devastation of Hurricane Charlie and how it affected the towns and athletic programs in Central Florida. But what I remember most was how emotional those Friday nights were, when everyone was able to put their problems behind them for 3 hours and come together to root for their teams at their mostly dilapidated football stadiums. We need to let the same healing occur in Oklahoma...even if it's just for a few hours a week. And I think "Sooner Equipped" is a good start.

I really, really want this to happen on a large scale and get these coaches and programs even MORE than they ask for. That's why I am contacting you guys. I am a man of limited resources (not to mention I am basically bed ridden due to a recent back surgery). But I (and my staff and players) will work our tails off to see it through. We just need people to get the word out and people to kick in to the effort.

One of the common themes I pass on to my players is that everyone has two choices in every situation: to do something or do nothing. This is not a situation that we can let "nothing" be the response.

So, let's talk about what we need:

1. A list. This is simply a list of items lost in the storms from the Oklahoma athletic programs. This is most important. This will give us direction in what we need to set our sights on. It can be anything....helmets, weight lifting equipment, footballs, shoulder pads etc.

2. Donors. Lots of them. Whether it be 2 helmets, 5 pairs of knee pads or an old tackling sled, these items will add up if we have a high number of donors.

3. Communication and Advertisement- we need to get the word out. This is where this email, newspapers, social media and news outlets come into play. We really need your help here.

4. A logistics plan. That means we need smart people to help plan the "how" in regards to making this happen. Remember...I'm just a dumb Ol' football coach. We need some brainiacs who can organize and use technology to advance the plan. We will take all comers.

5. Dedication and Commitment from all involved. I'm all in. I need more people to help me see this through.

6. Elbow Grease. We're going to need some voluntary labor to load trucks and see that the equipment gets to its destination. The Bishop Snyder Cardinals are in and I know a few other programs here in Fla that will be willing to put in the work needed.

7. Humbleness, humility and role players. We are not looking for "credit", "publicity" or "accolades". Just results. When everyone comes in with that mindset, the highest levels of accomplishment are achieved.

8. A deadline. We need a date in which to have all of the equipment in trucks and on its way to Oklahoma. How does Wednesday, July 17th sound?

So, there it is. "Project Sooner Equipped" in a nutshell. Right now, this is only an idea on paper. It needs people and a HUMAN SPIRIT to help see it through.

Please contact me (Coach Jake McCrae) and help me help these kids and communities who have lost more than anyone ever deserves.

My cell number is 863-698-5529. My email is soonerequipped@yahoo.com or jakemac51@yahoo.com.

Thanks for your time and attention.

Coach McCrae

P.S. Just spoke with the Head Football Coach (Todd Watters) at Moore HS in Oklahoma. Lots of kids lost their homes and lots were spared. As you know, there is plenty of need from the local teams in all sports out there. As I figured, they haven't even begun to assess what they are missing, what the insurance company will cover and what they need. I told him that's OK, and to pass on that email to everyone and send a wish list to soonerequipped@yahoo.com, regardless of insurance and they can have two of whatever it is. You could tell that he and the folks out there are so overwhelmed...also very grateful from the outpouring of love they've received from around the country. God bless those folks.

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