Equipping a football team comes with a lot of financial responsibility. With school districts facing more and more difficult financial decisions each year, more sports are relying on funds raised by their booster clubs to help supply the basic equipment needed to play while keeping costs down for students. The Hastings Raider Football team is no different. 

“The funds raised support our high school football program: every year, we purchase the Hudl subscription. The coaches use Hudl to watch films that help every athlete and the team improve. The athletes can also utilize Hudl to put together highlight reels and recruiting videos. We also use the funds to replace and upgrade equipment. Over the past couple years, you may have noticed the new helmets the players are wearing. We have been purchasing the new helmets in batches and these new helmets provide better protection against concussions. We are currently looking at purchasing guardian caps and we did purchase some new game pants,” explained booster club Fundraiser Chair Michelle Bleed. 

The new equipment is a welcome addition for the team and using Hudl is a huge asset for coaches and players alike, but that is not all the boosters provide. One thing the boosters are helping with is the trip to Owatonna to start the season. From Hastings, the trip is a little over an hour, which is not a fun bus ride in a school bus, especially for the varsity players who tend to be on the larger end of the spectrum. 

“We also purchase milk for the varsity team for team dinners and after the games. This year, we are upgrading the buses to the Owatonna game to coach buses and providing pizzas after the game for the ride home. We also award five scholarships in the spring to five seniors. 100% of the profits go to support the team,” added Bleed. 

“This year, we raised roughly $13-14k! Something we could not do without our sponsors,” said Bleed. 

Hastings Automotive was the cart sponsor. 

Dugarels and Advanced Sportswear sponsored the Putt 4 Booze and Party Cart, respectively.  

Preferred sponsors were Cushman & Wakefield, Monster Erecting, Merchants Bank, Muddy Waters, Inside Edge, Graphic Design, InMotion Realty, Slumberland, Marty Welch - Farmers Insurance, Molitor Brothers Farm, Golden Key Property Management, Wagner Tax Law and Hastings Subway. 

Hole sponsors were Millner Family Chiropractic, Catalyst ARPwave Therapy - Sarah Wasvick, Dakota Electric, Seleskie Financial, Precision Landscape, Tennis Sanitation, Landoll Detailers, United Promotions, Evolution Auto Service, Premier Bank, Grandview Lodge, Rogers & Hollands and Viking Forest Product.