Jesuit High School's team dads serve up success off the field: 'Giving back to the boys'

TAMPA, Fla. - On Thursdays, the Jesuit High School Tigers are busy preparing for Friday games on the field. Off the field, however, another team is busy preparing – not for a game, but to feed a small army. 

"We've got cobia to my right and yellow tail snapper and red grouper to my left," explains Rick Terrana to his busy outdoor kitchen. 

Back in 2014, Terrana's son was playing football for the Tigers. So, he along with some of the other team dads decided to start preparing team dinners every Thursday night. 

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"There's not a whole lot these kids won't eat. That I can tell you," joked Terrana. 

Though Terrana's son has long since graduated, as a Jesuit alum himself, Terrana has stayed on to lead an ever-changing group of dads who cook up and serve food to the Tigers following their Thursday practice. 

"There's four of us that come out here on a regular basis that have been coming out here for 10 years now that our kids are long gone," said Terrana. "We'll continue to do it as long as we can and as long as they let us." 

The buffet on Thursday, October 5, included a locally sourced fish fry, collard greens, hush puppies, cheese grits, hamburgers, hot dogs, plus Italian sausages for the coaches. 

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But over the last decade, there aren't many dishes these dads haven't tried. 

"We've got Italian influence in the cooking. We've got Cajun influence, and we've got a big red neck influence," Terrana said with a laugh. 

The menu, however, hardly remains the same. 

"Everything from elk, to moose, to bear. The first time I ate bear heart was here," said Tigers head coach Matt Thompson. "It was actually pretty good in a teriyaki sauce." 

Though the faces and recipes have changed over the years, the team dads continue to cook up Thursday night meals while beginning a new team tradition. 

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"Now it's just become a staple," said Thompson. "They all have jobs and lives, but they love coming back out here and giving back to the boys."

While the Tigers aim for success on the field, the dads continue their recipe for success off it and plan to do so for years to come.