The Derry Demons were, to make a football analogy, hit in the backfield this weekend.
But like any good football player, the Demons organization picked itself up, brushed itself off and is already back in the huddle.
After a fire was intentionally started in two port-a-potties at the Hood Middle School that adjoined a metal storage shed, about 60 helmets, a few dozen shoulder pads and several other miscellaneous pieces of football equipment inside the shed were damaged beyond repair. Demons President Fred Gendron estimates that the damage amounts to somewhere between $10,000 and $20,000.
"I definitely think parents and kids were upset," Gendron said. "The parents of the organization have been great, and the kids say who would do that? I've been trying to be happy because others have been kind of down."
Despite what could have been a very bad situation for the Demons, there is good news. The organization had handed out almost all of its equipment to the players earlier in the week.
"We don't have any margin for error now," said Gendron. "We're often swapping helmets or helmet parts and we don't have any margin for error. We're on the hot seat there, but at least all the kids have their gear right now. We probably carry about 200 helmets and 150 are out with the kids and the other 50 or 60 are destroyed. Now, if someone's face mask has a crack in it, that's going to be difficult to take care of."
Another shipment of equipment was to arrive on Friday, but ended up not coming on time.
"That helped out," Gendron said with a laugh.
The outpouring of support from the New Hampshire youth football community was both immediate and surprising. The fire happened late Sunday night, and by Monday morning, several organizations as well as private parties had called about helping out.
"By Monday, the Londonderry Wildcats president called and said to let him know if we need anything," Gendron said. "It's good because they have black helmets, as do we. The last couple of days I've been meaning to call him. Bedford, Salem, and other organizations have called too. And Modell's (Sporting Goods) out of Manchester is going to try to work with me to get corporate donations, and some private individuals have also made some donations as well."
Gendron noted that this latest act of vandalism is one step above the usual pranks to which the team has become accustomed.
The team's press box, which it shares with several other local youth sports organizations, has been broken into several times over the last year, and any unlocked gate invariably led to a car being drive onto the field to do doughnuts and ruin the turf. The port-a-potties have even been a target for vandalism before. Many times, officials have arrived at the park to find them tipped over.
"It's probably just kids," he said. "I think moving the port-a-potties so they couldn't flip them made them frustrated. I just hope that they or someone that knows them make them realize that this kind of stuff is dangerous and people can get hurt."
In spite of the setback, the Demons have been practicing all week in preparation for Sunday's season opener, which Derry will host.
All things considered, Gendron is still happy the football season is almost here.
"The next day (after the fire), I got to the field and the sun was out, the grass was green, and the kids were playing," he said. "We have some work to do, but it's not so bad."
