A youth football tournament series, 7v7 Elite, is scrambling after a fire at its storage facility destroyed roughly $35,000 of equipment and gear.
According to News6, the Brevard County (Fla.) organization rented a storage unit at a U-Haul storage facility in Merritt Island. At least eight units received significant damage, and 7v7 Elite’s unit neighbored the area where first responders believed the fire started.
A GoFundMe posted by the organization said, “The fire did not start in our unit, but may have begun in a unit that stored a motorcycle, multiple propane tanks, and other ‘banned’ items.”
Some of the lost gear included commercial tents, soft shell helmet covers, pylons, batteries and electronics. Meanwhile, 7v7 Elite was only able to save one tent and a few pylons.
Adding to the organization’s woes is that the storage unit was not insured. The team has had no communication from U-Haul since the fire.
“You would just think that you would get some type of information, some type of email, some type of something. Saying I know you guys didn’t have insurance on your stuff, but here are some things you could do. Some kind of guidance,” Nicholas Donahue, one of the owners of 7v7n Elite, told News6.
7v7 Elite is a youth football tournament series that began five years ago. There are several age categories for players, including 8U, 12U and 18U. The youth athletes compete in a championship series across Florida, with regional games in Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville and Panama City as they work their way toward the championship.
“Each tournament is a break-even,” Donahue said. “It’s not like we’re walking away with thousands of dollars when it’s all said and done. We have 20 employees during tournaments.”
7v7 Elite is hoping for community donations to give the organization the best chance of hosting its regional and championship events this spring.
