By John Raffel
Ithaca’s remarkable four-year run of 14-0 seasons and state championships has made the it a known entity in many circles, including that of Adidas, the corporation that designs and manufactures sports shoes, clothing, and accessories.
Coach Terry Hessbrook and his staff were seen wearing Adidas apparel at a practice during the summer.
“We signed an Adidas contract, a three-year agreement that will give us a discount on the apparel,” Hessbrook said. “They provide us with some promotional money up front. I think it was a win-win for our community, our kids, our athletes, and our community members. They buy stuff every year. Now we’re able to get it at a discount.”
For the school system, it’s also a positive situation, Hessbrook added. “We have to buy uniforms every year,” he said. “We have to replace certain teams every year. We’re able to purchase those Adidas uniforms at a discount rate.”
It’s a unique arrangement. “But I think it’s a trend you’re going to see, as athletic budgets continue to get reduced and reduced, and you see these companies come in and stepping into the high school arena,” Hessbrook said. “Everything funnels down from the top. This is another example of that.”
Adidas came to Ithaca in the spring to discuss the arrangement. One might suspect that Ithaca’s state title success is what attracted Adidas. “They met with me and the superintendent, so we made a decision to try it,” Hessbrook said. “I asked our rep about that situation, ‘What if we don’t have success in football?’ He said that had nothing to do with it. It’s a great opportunity for a small school to have an agreement like this.”