Panthers football hosting Lift-A-Thon event, fundraiser

By JEREMY SCHNEIDER

IMA SPORTS

So much of high school football is done in the offseason, behind closed doors, with just coaches and players watching what happens. With only 10 games guaranteed each year, it gives teams a limited opportunity to put their hard work and dedication on display.

For the second straight year, Maumee coach Evan Karchner is giving the community a look behind the curtain while also raising funds for the program during the Panthers Lift-A-Thon from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on Saturday, May 31.

“The Lift-A-Thon is a huge deal for our program and our players,” Karchner said. “It is an event we use to kick off our summer and to get our players and community excited about the upcoming season.

“I know our players love it. They love any chance they can get to compete in front of our community that supports us every Friday night in the fall. This is one event that creates the ‘Maumee vs. Everybody’ mentality that we all want and are trying to build.”

Community members are invited to the weight room that morning to watch the players do their max-outs on four key lifts — bench press, squat, power clean and deadlift. Lunches will also be offered for purchase.

It’s also a fundraiser, like a walk-a-thon, with the players soliciting pledges. Each player is responsible for raising at least $150.

Players can take donations in cash and check, and new this year, they’ll also take donations via credit or debit cards through a secure donation site with links specific to each player. Flat donations can be made in any dollar amount. Sponsorship can also be made in the form of pledges per pound.

See pictures from last year's Lift-A-Thon

“It is also a huge fundraiser for us and it helps us push our program forward to keep chasing being a championship program,” Karchner said. “We use this fundraiser to keep building and improving our program to influence kids to play football, look like a top tier program on Friday nights in the fall and continue to update our technology and equipment to improve player safety.”

Karchner said the program would like to purchase Guardian Caps for player safety, new alternative uniforms, more Titan GPS vests to track player health and athletic performance, an Aerial Attack football throwing machine, and funds to feed players and do laundry during the season.

If you’d like to donate to the Lift-a-Thon, football players will have donation sheets available now through the end of May, or contact Karchner at ekarchner@maumeek12.org.

Photo courtesy of Pride of the Panthers

Reach IMA at insidemaumeeathletics@gmail.com