First year head football coaches have plenty to worry about. From meeting players to setting expectations to implementing game plans, nearly every moment is accounted for.

Such was the case for Klein Collins head coach Adrian Mitchell when he took over the Tiger program last year. Though he’d been an experienced head coach, that experience was with the track team. As a first-time head football coach, he needed someone he could rely on to handle things such as marketing and fundraising, things the Klein Collins Football Booster Club already excelled at.

“I’d been a head track coach and I’d never had a booster club to work with,” Mitchell said. “I did all of that fundraising on my own. So it is really refreshing that they are doing the types of things we need to help the program be successful.”

Mitchell said the club functions as a well-oiled machine. Meetings with him are quick, easy and informational. He appreciates how much time that frees up for him to focus on football.

“They do an awesome job,” Mitchell said. “They are consistently amazing me by how much they are here for these kids. They are always coming up with new ideas.”

Club president Dominic Rosamilia said the 100-member club knows what it needs to accomplish and sets about doing that in the most effective way. He praised the leadership of the board and the willingness of members to help where they can.

“We have a really active membership,” he said. “Everyone wants to be involved in their kids’ lives and help them grow. That’s why we all do this…for the kids.”

Rosamilia said the club has several priorities including fundraising, but they also work with area businesses, and restaurants in particular, to provide donated or discounted food that helps keep players and coaches fed on long practice or game days.

“We are a little different as a club,” he said. “We do a lot of foodraising instead of the traditional fundraising. One of our big objectives is to collect food for the coaches, volunteers and players.”

While the foodraising benefits the team, the club recently completed a sizable project designed to enhance the program’s image in the community. 

“We recently completed a project where we wrapped the stadium press box in our colors,” Rosamilia said. “We were really able to improve the look of the stadium that way with our colors and logo. That was important because you can see the press box from the street as you drive by the stadium.”

The club has also increased its social media presence. That includes a new website with a fresh link to an improved team store where fans can purchase Tiger merchandise. 

“Staying connected to the community through social media is huge,” Rosamilia said.

The team’s Facebook page gets updated several times every day, and a club member also puts out team information and news via Twitter and Instagram.

The club also thrives with traditional team and community-based events. Meet the Tigers is a preseason event where the community can see the team and the team can celebrate and honor its season sponsors.

“That’s a great time for the program,” Rosamilia said. “After the intersquad scrimmage, we hold a silent auction, sell concessions and unveil all of the new sponsor signage that will be at the stadium all year. We really like to honor our sponsors at this big family day.” 

And there’s the year-end football banquet, a marquee event the club throws to celebrate the team.

“They throw a great banquet for us,” Mitchell said. “They do a phenomenal job getting all of the details line up for that. All we have to do is show up and it’s a great night for the kids.”