MORGANTOWN – The University High School Football team doesn’t begin fall camp until Monday, but head coach Eric Snyder and the Hawks are already hard at work despite not yet setting foot on the gridiron.
Since 2017, the UHS football program has partnered with RH Events (based in Powder Springs, Georgia) to serve during the annual WVU Hospitals Employee Appreciation Week. Players, coaches, and parents volunteer their time in multiple ways throughout the week to give back to the community, raise awareness for their team, and fundraise for the program in the concourse at Milan Puskar Stadium.
“WVU brings the company in to help throw a picnic and some fun events, and what RH has to do is find some manpower,” Snyder said. “We come in and help with cooking, cleaning, and serving for the events that are happening here, and some other logistical things that need to be done to be able to have a successful event.”
On Wednesday night, Snyder said multiple upperclassmen worked from 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. on Thursday morning, serving roughly 1,000 hospital employees who work overnight shifts at the hospital.
“And today (Thursday) at this big event, we have over 5,000 employees we will be serving throughout the day, which is normally the case,” he said. “For us, it’s a significant fundraiser. WVU and RH Events help us raise money for our volunteer work. But at the same time, it’s good, hard work, and a chance for us to get out at these different locations and show the community that University High Football is coming out here and shedding a good light for the program.”
Coach Snyder says he worked with an assistant coach in the past who knew the people involved with RH Events, and when the coach’s team was unable to help due to proximity issues, he knew Snyder and the Hawks would be the first ones to call.
Despite it being an off week for the team before they begin fall camp on Monday, Snyder says the hard work and effort they give for volunteering is valuable.
“This is a long day, and some guys work multiple shifts throughout the week,” he said. “Some of these guys are freshmen who haven’t even set foot in the school yet. I told them this morning that they were in for a hard day of work. It’s hot, it might rain, but you have to keep doing your job efficiently for everything to run the way it’s supposed to. The food needs to be served, and the trash needs to be changed. It’s one big monster that can work smoothly if everyone works together. We are sitting at about three-and-a-half hours now (11:45 a.m.), and we will go until six. We will be tired, our legs will hurt, but it’s almost like the fourth quarter. You’ve just got to overcome it.”
