Dear Grant Football Families and Supporters,
We are noticing we have a low rate of opened emails and want to get that number up, so please pass along to other players and families that we need all the families open emails to get all the info from the team. These team emails may also be going into spam folders, so adding admin@friendsofgrantfootball as a contact will help ensure these emails make it to your inbox.
We are excited to announce we have a new Sports AD at Grant. Please see the info at the bottom, introducing our New Athletic Director Chris LaCarrubba!
As the players get back to school we are hoping that families will remember that The Friends of Grant Football and coaches are here to help if needed. It has been such a trying time and we want to make sure we can support our student-athletes the best we can on and off the field. If students are struggling with online learning we can look into getting tutors or parents with that skill set to help.
At this time there are no organized team practices. If Portland moves to the next phase, workouts with coaches may be an option. We will shout it from the rooftops as soon as we find out! We are looking into the possibility of having the club pay for trainers (coaches can’t work with players through the school.) We are hoping to do training through trainers to help keep it equitable for those that can’t afford or don’t know where to start on their own. We will let you know when and if we can.
You have probably all heard, but just in case you haven’t, Football will begin on a modified schedule in March. Even though it will be a shorter schedule the costs for the team will be the same. Please consider donating to the club if you are able or if you work for companies that do charity matching. You can check it out on our site at https://www.friendsofgrantfootball.com/give
If you or someone you know own a business, please consider being one of our team sponsors. Your help with just a contact name and number can really help. We will do all the calling! Please contact our Director of Sponsorship Sean McGloughlin at Sean.mcloughlin@libertymutual.com.
Big Thanks to Our New Sponsors so far
Squires Electric
National Guard
Alpenrose Dairy
Tammy Going with Windermere Properties
American Home Funding
From Coach Beck:
Players and Parents - we have consistently been ranked in the top 10 for high school football GPA in Oregon. To keep this streak going our players must attend in online class consistently - be leaders in the 'virtual' classroom and work to their full potential! It is up to each player and family to make this happen.
#EducationalExcellenceIsTheExpectation
Please know there is help if your player starts to struggle and please contact Coach Beck immediately if the players find themselves starting to struggle in a class so he can get them needed help. This will be a hard few months with lots of changes and we want to really keep track of the players.
Coach Russell Update on his Brother:
Again, thank you all for the support and prayers you have given me and my family. As we go through these tough times with the deaths of one of my first cousins, @soicyyboyy, from Sacramento, CA and 4 days later the death of close family friend Aja Raquell who had been living in Las Vegas, NV, just in town for cousin Virgil. This has been the toughest time of my life and I can’t thank you enough for the support you have given me personally, I literally don’t know where I would be without it. The village has shown me and my family love, and we really appreciate it, but there is still a mission to stop the violence and take back our streets from the violence nonsense going on in our communities.
Mase will be transferred to a rehab center Tuesday, where he will start his journey to a full recovery🤞🏾Mase will be doing 3 hours of physical therapy a day and we plan to be there every step of the way. Mase is in good spirits and knows it’s going to be a challenge but he is ready. Please those close to him keep calling, FaceTiming, and supporting him, he needs us all.
Lastly I would like to say they caught the suspect in Bend, OR this past weekend and we won’t stop till we get justice.
Coach Russell Go-Fund me update
A big thank you to our Football family for supporting Coach Russell during this difficult time. With your help and the help of friends and family, we were able to help raise $7800 for them! There is still time to donate if you were planning on it.
From the District
2020 PIL Open Golf Tournament Registration- October 5th 2020 at Columbia Edgewater Country Club
The PIL Open Golf Tournament is a fundraiser conducted by the PIL Foundation to generate resources to support Portland Public School (PPS) student-athletes. Nearly, one in three PPS students, grades 6-12, participate in PIL athletic programming. Over the past 7 years, the PIL has grown from providing opportunities for 5,500 student-athletes to providing opportunities for over 13,000 student-athletes. With the continual expansion of athletic opportunities, there is a greater need for additional resources.
COVID Updates:
Although many sporting events have yet to restart due to their elevated risk during COVID-19, golf is considered a low-risk sport because it takes place outdoors and social distancing is possible. We are working closely with Columbia Edgewater Country Club to ensure the tournament will comply with all local government and safety regulations, including PGA’s Back2Golf operations.
Thank you for supporting the goals of our foundation and more importantly for potentially changing the trajectory of one of Portland’s youth.
Justin Delaney- PIL Foundation Board Chair
Marshall Haskins- PIL Athletics District Athletic Director
Any questions please feel free to email back anytime.
Thanks,
Karmen von Arx
Friends of Grant Football
New Athletic Director
Christopher (Chris) LaCarrubba – Grew up in New Jersey and Maine where he was heavily influenced by his father who played in the Ivy Light Weight Football League for Columbia and his uncle who was a member of Dartmouth’s fencing team. Together they instilled a love of physical activity, positive competition, and the outdoors.
Sports experience
Athletic Director - Brooklyn Technical High School. Over 40 teams. At almost 6,000 students Tech is the country's largest school and consistently ranked in the top 100 schools in the country for academic excellence by U.S. News.
Wrestling Coach-Brooklyn Tech (Boys Varsity Team and Girls Varsity Team)
Reached finals every year and won 2 NYC Championships (over 60 teams competing), coached several All-State wrestlers and an All-American
Awarded Assistant Coach of the year in 2012 by the US Olympic Team and Beat-the-Streets
HS: Wrestling, All-District as individual, 2 time State Sectional Champions as team
Youth: Football, Baseball, Soccer, Wrestling
Age:44
Post-Secondary Education
MA in Educational Leadership - Montclair State University
MEd in School Counseling - Lewis & Clark College
BS in Political Science - Portland State University
Education-High School
George Stevens Academy, Maine (12)
High Point Regional HS in NJ (9-11)
Spouse:
Stephanie Camelio LaCarrubba, from Santiago, Chile but a graduate of St. Mary's Academy here in Portland, Rower and XC runner, JD Brooklyn Law
Children:
Sofie – 20 – Rock Climbing
Francesca- 14 – Wrestling, Rock Climbing
Petra- 8 - Soccer
Hank – 6 – Soccer, Futsal, Cyclo-cross
Hobbies: Cycling, camping
Favorite foods: I like them all!
Favorite motto: Work hard and be nice to people.
