Football Players Give ‘Shirts-Off-their-Backs’

The football team hosted their first ever Shirts-Off-Our-Back game on Friday, Sept. 9.

To recognize outstanding staff members, players chose teachers who have positively impacted their high school careers in education and athletics.

Throughout the school day, teachers could be seen sporting the jerseys of players during classes.

Chemistry teacher and assistant football coach Nick DeLuca wore the jersey of freshman left tackle Gabe Clabaugh, #8.

“It was awesome to get to wear his jersey,” DeLuca said. “It really made it feel like there was a sense of unity between the team and the staff.”

Head football coach Joe Sorice was inspired to host the Shirts-Off-Back game after seeing its success at the college level.

“East Stroudsburg University started doing this under coach [Jimmy] Terwillinger about 4 or 5 years ago,” Sorice said. “I saw the success that it’s had, and I called up coach Terwillinger [to ask] him if I could steal the idea. He said to ‘run with it.’”

The program was a success that Sorice hopes to continue in the future to recognize people that help the community and to make them feel appreciated.

Clabaugh wanted to show appreciation for DeLuca. “ He was my old coach and was very inspirational…,” Clabaugh said.

The teachers met on the field at 6:45 p.m. to wish the students luck and to be honored by the crowd at the Friday night game.