Boosters worry Chargers departure penalizes schools

With a possible move by the Chargers outside of San Diego County, the city could potentially lose lots of money.
But two South Bay school districts will feel the financial pain if the Chargers pickup their bags and head north on Interstate 5.

Sweetwater Union High School District spokesman Manny Rubio said in the last eight years he estimates the district has received close to $500,000 in funding from the San Diego Chargers.

In 2011, Sweetwater High School in National City, the oldest school in the district, received a $200,000 grant from the San Diego Chargers for a new synthetic turf field.

“It’s a pretty significant impact that a team like the Chargers usually have on us,” Rubio said.

Several high schools and middle schools in the district have also been recipients of the Chargers Champions Grant Program, which helps San Diego County school districts improve student health and wellness by giving them money for facilities and wellness programs.

The Chargers annually provide selected schools with grants of up to $75,000 for high schools, up to $40,000 for middle schools and up to $30,000 for elementary schools, according to the Chargers website.

Schools in the Chula Vista Elementary School District have also been able to revamp their fitness rooms because of the Chargers Champions Grant Program.

“Those are schools that are getting their weight rooms or fitness centers completely renovated and upgraded, so that’s a financial savings to that school community and that’s a significant investment by the Chargers to that school community’s students,” said Anthony Millican, director of communications and community development at the Chula Vista Elementary School District. “That would be missed very much, I believe, by all of the school districts in San Diego County. It would be a very sad day for San Diego schools to see that funding source go away.”

Millican said the Chargers throughout the years have been “tremendous partners,” whether it’s partnering in a blood drive, shoe dive, clothing drive or meal giveaways with the district.

If the Chargers were to move out of America’s Finest City, Millican said the team’s support for the school district would leave a void that needs to be filled.

“Their involvement and whole menu of community benefit events and activities will be missed. So we definitely would be sorry to see them leave,” said Millican.

The Chargers are involved in a variety of activities both in an individual player and organizational perspective, he said.

“We appreciate their investment in trying to make the lives of our students a little better, whether it’s helping more kids have shoes and socks in our community or more kids being able to have a holiday meal,” Millican said, “the impact is the same, it touches those kids’ lives.”

Millican said when the Chargers get involved with an activity or event with the district they generate publicity because the local media will cover the event, thus bringing more attention.

Last October, Harborside Elementary hosted a fitness-themed assembly where the Chargers presented the school with a $10,000 check for a Hometown Grant, part of the National Football League’s Play 60 Initiative.

The Chargers also teamed up with the nonprofit group TeamSmile to give free dental care to more than 150 third- and fourth-grade students from Vista Square Elementary.

Millican said the Chargers provide more than financial help. He said every time a player makes an appearance at a school it’s motivational for the children because players often speak about overcoming adversity in their lives, the importance of an education and the impacts of health and fitness.

The Sweetwater Union High School District for the last several years has also done a lot of partnerships with the team, whether it’s players coming in during assemblies to give motivational speeches or give financial contributions or discuss the importance of exercising.

Last year the Sweetwater District was the exclusive partner of the NFL’s Play 60 campaign. Rubio said Castle Park High recently was the beneficiary of an $80,000 Chargers Champion Grant to remodel the school’s weight room.

“They definitely filled some (financial) gaps,” Rubio said, “especially in the areas of facilities and sports equipment the school district needs.”

Rubio said if the Chargers decide to no longer make San Diego their home then the district will be left looking for additional funding sources to fill in the financial hole, or cut funding for equipment and health and wellness programs all together.

The Chargers public relations department issued a statement saying they are committed to helping out school districts for the 2016 football season.

“The Chargers announced Friday that the team will be playing in San Diego in 2016. We’re proud to continue the Spanos family’s long-standing support of San Diego County’s schools. And the application period for the Chargers

Champions annual school grant program opens on February 10.”