Calling all Vikings: we need your help!

Over the past five years, I've dedicated much of my career to building a boys soccer program that the community at Lanier High School could be proud of. It has been a long road full of learning experiences, but our hard work has paid dividends on and off the field. The Varsity team has qualified for playoffs in three straight seasons, and a huge first round victory in 2019 was documented in the Austin American Statesman. More importantly, our players learn life lessons through sport and graduate, some of them at the top of the class- the 2018 Salutatorian and 2019 Valedictorian were both Varsity soccer players. 

One of the first changes we implemented in my tenure was to outfit our squads in matching uniforms for all team practices and games. We wanted to purchase all match-day gear from top brands like Nike and UA. It meant a massive fundraising effort from our players, 90% of whom come from low-SES families- selling candy and volunteering at UT Football games to raise tens of thousands of dollars. The strategy has worked. Our kids wear their gear around campus with pride, and they feel like they are a part of something important. 

But all of that spending, the wealth we accumulated and meticulously cared for from year to year was rendered useless when Austin ISD announced that our school's name change from Lanier to Navarro. We printed "Lanier" or a logo with "LV" (Lanier Vikings) on everything, and we are not allowed to wear any of it this season. We have bags, sweats, stadium jackets, and uniforms to replace for 75 kids. I estimate that the funding we will receive from the school district will cover only 25-30% of the financial loss caused by the name change. We are asking for donations to help cover the difference. Please consider a donation of any size to help us order replacement uniforms and equipment for all of our teams.

Thank you,

Chris Hellums

Navarro High School

Head Boys Soccer Coach