College coaches coming to aid of West Virginia

West Virginia experienced a terrible natural disaster in June when massive flooding overtook much of the state.

The state of West Virginia is often overlooked, nationally, because of its small population and poor demographics. However, money and power has backed away in the wake of this terrible tragedy.

People from across the country, including high-profile celebrities and now college football coaches are coming to the rescue.

Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher and Alabama head coach Nick Saban have recently encouraged their fans and followers to help the cause. Fisher and Saban are both West Virginia natives who grew up within 45 minutes of Morgantown.

Fisher hails from Clarksburg and Saban is from Monongah.

The flooding, which killed 23 people, also demolished many buildings, houses and even football fields. Many high schools suffered damages to classrooms, hallways and the recreation fields where prep teams would soon begin practicing for the fall season.

The damage has certainly made football an afterthought, but Fisher and Saban want their home state to know that they are still thinking about all the citizens who have suffered far too long.

“I know that we can help these members of our football family,” Fisher said.

Saban fully agrees.

“Football was such an important part of my childhood in West Virginia, and to see the devastation the flooding has caused, and how it has threatened so many high school football teams, we wanted to find a way to help,” Saban said. “We are asking each high school from across the state to donate a full uniform to help these schools get their kids back on the football field this season.”

High schools, like Brooke, from the northern part of the state have traveled to the southern areas most affected by the storms.

https://twitter.com/ToniPShute/status/751222255565180928

Of course, WVU has already helped out in many ways, too.

Different organizations from across the campus have pitched in monetary donations and have held food drives over the past few months. Students have gone down to other parts of the state in hopes of lending a hand wherever needed.

WVU football means so much to the state of West Virginia. The Mountaineers, pepperoni rolls and coal are the backbone of the Mountain State. The 1.8 million people that reside within the boundaries of West Virginia, and the thousands more who have moved away, like Saban and Fisher, know what the state means to them all, on a personal level.

West Virginia is, of course, so much more than the Mountaineers, pepperoni rolls and coal. It’s a state built by its people.

When tragic moments like this happen, the people are always there to help out.

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