Coaches from the Los Angeles Rams surprised Victorville’s Hesperia Sting youth football program with a practice takeover on Tuesday, June 23.
Earlier this spring, the Hesperia Sting suffered a surmountable loss when equipment was stolen from a storage container at Hesperia High School just weeks before the start of the season, leaving dozens of young athletes without the gear they needed to play: helmets, shoulder pads, tackle wheels and bags, arm shields, and more.
The uncertainty of how the players would move forward without gear was sidelined with the arrival of the Rams. Not only did they surprise Victorville players with a practice alongside professional coaches, but they also gifted the Victor Valley football program with enough new equipment for 70 players from equipment retailer LEGION just before the first day of practice, July 27.
“The theft of this equipment would’ve sidelined an entire season for these young athletes,” said Curtis Cruz, chief of the product office at LEGION. “Our team at LEGION heard about this story and jumped at the opportunity to help this fantastic group of kids. We’re honored to help replace what was lost and give them the chance this summer to focus on growing in the sport, making lifelong friends, and reaching their full potential.”
This is not the first time coaches or players from the Rams have visited the High Desert.
In 2023, the team held a youth football camp at the Adelanto Plaza & Event Center. About 100 children participated in various football drills at stations within the stadium.
The charity this time around ensures each Victorville player can take the field this season.
McKenna Mobley is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@usatodayco.com or on Instagram @mckenna_dailypress.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Los Angeles Rams surprise Victorville football team with new gear after theft
Reporting by McKenna Mobley, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By McKenna Mobley, Victorville Daily Press | USA TODAY Network
