Hawks Sign Deal To Sport A Swoosh

SEFFNER - The Armwood football team will be sporting some new jerseys next season, courtesy of the most recognizable sport apparel company in the world - Nike.

The Hawks football program has agreed to a sponsorship agreement with Nike that will provide $10,000 in product apparel this year from the company, Armwood football coach Sean Callahan said Friday. The money will go toward new home and road jerseys for the football team, jerseys that will bear the company's trademark swoosh, Callahan said.

Callahan said no papers were signed with the company and that it is a "gentlemen's agreement" that will be revisited on a year-by-year basis.

"I'm really excited being a part of Nike and representing them," Callahan said. "It's an exciting thing because we were selected by them."

Callahan said he was approached midseason by Nike officials about being the next football team under the sport apparel franchise's umbrella. Four state football teams had agreements with Nike prior to this season - Lakeland, Miami Northwestern, Miami Washington and Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas. Callahan added he was also approached around the same time by officials from the sport apparel company Under Armour, but an agreement never materialized.

Callahan said he spoke with both Lakeland football coach Bill Castle and Miami Washington football coach Tim Harris about the Nike agreement and received positive feedback from both coaches. Callahan then, with the help of Armwood principal Marc Hutek, approached Hillsborough County director of athletics Lanness Robinson about the agreement to make sure the Hawks' new apparel would meet county specifications. Robinson said Friday the apparel met county specifications.

This is the latest improvement for Armwood athletics and the football program. The school's new athletic facility is currently under construction and scheduled to be completed this summer. A new all-weather track has been installed at Armwood, purchased jointly with county funds and excess money raised by the Hawks football program for the new athletic facility. And the football/soccer field also will have new lights installed before next season, Callahan said.

"A lot of really neat things are happening that are brand new, and that has a lot to do with our success," Callahan said.