TAMPA — USF players, coaches, family, friends, and fans will all have their share of personal items, carry-on luggage, and checked bags for the trip to the Hawaii Bowl.
But the biggest baggage project will be executed by the USF equipment staff. Jeremy Lees is USF's assistant athletic director for equipment operations. He and his staff of 21 are charged with making Honolulu feel just like home.
"Students, graduate assistants, full-time members are all working together to accomplish a goal to make sure that everything operates as close to normal as possible despite being 4,700 miles away from home," Lees said after loading the last semi-truck full of boxes.
"It’s meetings upon meetings of making sure things are in order," USF head coach Alex Golesh said when discussing Lees' role in bowl preparation. "What you want for our players is for them to walk out to their meetings, make sure their meetings are right."
Lees is in his 23rd season at USF, and it's his 11th in his current role. It's fair to say some of Golesh's philosophy has rubbed off Lees in just two seasons of working together.
"Trying to be elite every day in what you do and your processes. Making sure those checklists are done and complete 10 times over. The staff we have, we couldn’t do it without them," Lees said. "Always account for variable change. If something changes on the fly, or something breaks, you better have plan A through Z in place, ready to go."
"It’s a thankless job, and Jeremy does an incredible job," Golesh added. "I’m super-grateful for him and his team."
Lees has seen a little bit of everything in his USF career, and he thinks this bowl trip will be at the top of list of his football experience. Now, he sayid his job is to make sure the players put it at the top of their lists.
"I think if I can make their experience enjoyable and something they remember, that’s what it’s really all about," Lees said." "I'm going to enjoy this experience, the stories, and tell them to your grandkids."
USF and San Jose State kick off the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve at 8 p.m. The game will air on ESPN.
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