Sam Morris

Chaparral High School football player Toure Williams.

By Ray Brewer

Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011 | 4:57 p.m.

A group of Chaparral High School graduates are still trying to help the Cowboys football team win on Friday nights.

The Chaparral HS Alumni Foundation is hosting a fundraiser from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at Murphy’s Law Pub and Grill on Flamingo Road and Spencer Street with proceeds helping first-year coach William Froman update the program’s weight-room equipment, and purchase helmets and other gear.

Chaparral has just one victory in two years, but Froman said he is determined to return the program to past glory and give the alumni a team they can be proud of.

“I don’t want to be greedy in this economy,” Froman said. “We are truly grateful for any nickel they want to give us.”

The bar’s general manager is a Chaparral graduate and will be offering food and drink specials all night. The event isn’t just for the football team: Patrons are asked to also bring a ream of white paper, which will be donated to the school’s teachers.

Chaparral is one of five schools in a Clark County School District reorganization plan aimed at securing a federal grant to improve low-performing schools. Under the plan, a maximum of 50 percent of teachers from last year could return.

Hired in May, Froman was behind in several aspects of offseason preparation — especially reaching out to supporters for money.

An email from the alumni association to graduates reads, “(Chaparral) is not the school that we knew! It is now considered an “inner-city school” and has been ranked the lowest in the district. Chaparral has gone through an enormous change this summer and will have a completely new administration and the majority of the staff will also be new. The Alumni Foundation has promised to help in whatever way that we can and that’s where you all come in.”

Although the school has certainly changed from its glory years, Froman quickly learned the athletes have several traits of those players from yesteryear.

“The kids have been great. They are really receptive and excited for the season,” the coach said.

The night will include a raffle and straight donations will also be accepted. For those living out-of-state, donations can be mailed to the association at: Chaparral HS Alumni Foundation, 4840 E. Powell Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89121. Checks should be made payable to Chaparral High School with football fundraiser in the memo section. A receipt will be mailed back.