BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor

The Highland Pines Cougars is a newly formed football team in the Unity Football Program. It is so new, in fact, that the team does not have any insurance to cover thefts and other losses yet.
Orlando Gudes, Executive Director of the Unity Football Conference, said the team cannot get insurance until after the season begins next month. That is why the recent burglary of the storage building was so devastating.

Gudes said the storage shed where the equipment was kept was broken into between Tuesday evening and Thursday evening of last week. The burglary was discovered Thursday and law enforcement was notified.

Gudes said the suspects forced their way into the back door of the building where the equipment was stored and took about $2,500 worth of helmets, belts, repair kits, and other accessories. He said they were fortunate that the uniforms had not arrived so they weren’t in the building.

“This is really bad. It is going to be very difficult to replace all of the things that were taken considering this economy. It is really going to be challenging. We are appealing to the community for any assistance or information that they can give us,” Gudes said.

He further stated that since the team is in its infancy stages, they don’t have all of the members yet. However, in the future, there will be four age levels, roughly 120 players and between 36 and 40 cheerleaders.

Anyone wishing to contact Gudes can reach him at (813) 842-0157.