ROCKINGHAM — It’s been a pretty successful week for the Richmond Senior High School football community.
During a time that Richmond would normally have been preparing for a deep-round playoff game, the fields have been quiet. But the support of Raider Nation has been loud and overwhelming.
On Wednesday, senior quarterback Caleb Hood was voted as WSOC-TV’s “Big 22 Player of the Year.” As a part of the win, the football team was awarded $10K.
The day prior, the Raiders closed out their month-long virtual fundraiser, and their fanbase raised an impressive $23,085. A total of 386 participants from across the county, state and country donated to Richmond’s drive.
“Thank you first and foremost,” head coach Bryan Till said to those who helped the Raiders. “We want to say a HUGE thank you and give them a big virtual hug.”
New this school year, athletic programs at Richmond are using Snap! Raise, a crowdfunding website to help raise money. Per the school’s agreement with the company, the football program will receive 80 percent of the funds, with the other 20 percent going to Snap! Raise.
Till said the “actual number is $17,655.80 after the cost of our prize incentives are taken out.” Football players were able to earn pieces of gameday gear as a result of getting donations.
The football team’s fundraiser, which had 133 players and team personnel involved, will also see a certain percentage of the money feed the general athletics fund at Richmond.
Athletic director Rob Ransom explained that How much goes into the general fund “will depend on how many games are played and the size of the gates due to limited attendance restrictions.”
He added that all funds go back into the athletic program for travel expenses, equipment, field maintenance and coaching contracts.
“With gate receipts so uncertain and a portion of the money going to general athletics we are not sure at this time where it will be needed,” Till said.
“Normally we have helmets shipped off in December for reconditioning. That total alone is around $12K every year,” he added. “There are plenty of needs. We will just have to assess as the season gets closer and see what our gates will be able to cover.”
Till said the additional funds raised will “probably have to cover anything (gate sales) won’t this year.”
The high school football season in North Carolina will officially begin on Feb. 8, followed by nearly three weeks of practice before the season opener on Friday, Feb. 26.
Till and the Raiders will play a seven-game regular season, starting with a road game at Purnell Swett High School. Richmond is the two-time defending Sandhills Athletic Conference champion.
