This year, the lacrosse team held a car raffle for a 1970 Ford Mustang. To enter the raffle, participants must have been 18 or older and purchase a ticket. For just $100 per ticket, participants had a chance to win the car while supporting the growth of lacrosse. Only 600 tickets were available for the public to purchase. The raffle was available for participants around the country.
“One of the players on the team, their parents had the car and they weren’t going to be doing anything with it any longer, so they went ahead and put it up for a raffle,” Boys lacrosse booster club president Venessa Kimball said. “The car is currently being held at Maxwell Ford off I-35.”
The lacrosse team is not UIL-sanctioned and, therefore isn’t recognized as a sport that has to do with academics within the school and receives no funding. The Texas High School Lacrosse League (THSLL) takes the place of UIL and creates well-formed lacrosse programs.
“Since we are not UIL sanctioned,” Kimball said. “We have to pay for field space, referee salaries, medical staff, photography, and the fuel for the lights at Small Middle School for practices.”
Since 285 raffle tickets were sold, about $28,500 was raised. The program also raises money by holding wreath sales during the holidays and sending out emails called Teen Snap asking for donations.
“There is a whole process you have to go through to get UIL sanctioned,” Kimball said. “There have to be petitions, you have to have a percentage of how many people within the state of Texas agree that lacrosse, girls or boys needs to be approved, and we’d have to have an advocate.”
The lacrosse program annually holds an alumni game that invites past players to play against the current team. After the game, Claudette Henderson was announced the winner of the raffle. Henderson lives in Wisconsin, so the car had to be transported out to her.
“The idea was inspired by lacrosse parents and the board of directors,” Youth director Stockstill said. “We’ve been promoting through Facebook groups, car groups, social media, physical posters at our sponsors, businesses, and word-of-mouth.”
Chris King was the one who decided to donate his car to the program. His son, Gage, is a part of the lacrosse team. Chris is the fourth owner of the car.
“My dad has been rebuilding Mustangs for decades and is in all the Mustang clubs,” Chris said. “My dad told one of his buddies if he ever was willing to part with the 1970 Mach 1, to let him be the first one to have a shot at it. This gentleman in Lubbock was only the third owner, and he has about eight cars, so one day, he just said he would love for my dad and I to have the vehicle.”
According to Hagerty Insurance, people can expect to pay around $48,000 for a 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 in good condition.
“We are always looking for ways to help non-profits and it’s very difficult to raise funds for club sports, it takes a lot with no UIL support,” Chris said. “Think of all the things we take for granted like the uniforms, nice helmets, pads, practice field, etc. So, I just asked one of the board members if they would like to attempt a raffle and I would be willing to give up the Mustang at a big discount for it.”
1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 cars were only produced from 1969 to 1973. However, many new generations and updates to the car have been produced since.
“For most of the Mach 1 cars, it’s hard to find them with the shaker still on the vehicle,” Chris said. “It’s a great vehicle but if you’re not mechanically sound classic cars are probably not ideal for you. They take a lot of work to maintain and keep running.”
