Football is definitely a team sport. And John Schwietz and some other football parents at Mahtomedi High School wanted to make sure everyone felt like part of the team. “We wanted to take what was an ordinary experience and turn it into something extraordinary,” Schwietz says.
1st Down Foundation started last June and was created to make football a better experience for everyone, beginning with getting the safest equipment for the players. “Safety has become a barrier for some kids to play,” Schwietz says. They also wanted to make sure that families who didn’t have the money to attend certain events, like their end-of-the-year banquet, were included. “You don’t want families to miss out on that opportunity,” Schwietz says.
For the fans in the stands, they handed out a 32-page program with information about the players—they plan to expand to 36-pages this year. The students/players also got music. “We bought a real nice sound system for the locker room,” Schwietz says.
Last year, they exceeded their expectations and raised just over $50,000. To get involved or donate, contact John Schwietz at 651.210.5240 or mahtomedifirstdownfoundation@gmail.com.
