Thanks to numerous donations, many Pali High teams and student-athletes have been able to replace equipment destroyed in the recent wildfire, which also damaged 40 percent of the campus. 

Some areas of the school, including the sheds on the football field, the weight room and the football office in the corner of the Stadium by the Sea, sustained severe fire damage, according to information released by school administrators. Other areas, such as the baseball field, were deemed to have sustained less damage. 

Those contributing include Birmingham Community Charter High School, El Camino Real High School, Beverly Hills High School, and the Los Angeles Chargers.

One team that felt the impact of this damage is the Pali Boys Football team, whose equipment was either completely lost or in urgent need of replacement. 

Despite these losses, head football coach Dylen Smith said that thanks to numerous donations, the team is going to come back stronger than ever for the 2025-26 season.

“There are a lot of questions that we cannot answer, but one thing I do know is that we will have a football season [in 2025],” he explained.

In an effort to maintain team strength and morale, Smith set up multiple training and team-building events, including a practice with the Los Angeles Chargers. 

The Chargers also donated $50,000 to the Pali Boys football team.

“The plan is to keep the kids together and work as much as possible,” he said. “Whatever we can do together, we are planning.”

The fire damage also affected other sports, including Pali’s soccer teams.

Seniors Caroline Quigley and Ava Friedman are both players on the girls varsity Soccer team, and have been playing for Pali soccer since their freshman years.

They said that the equipment in the lacrosse shed, which included balls, pinnies and parkas was lost, adding that several players lost personal equipment from their homes as well.

Quigley was one such student who evacuated from her home without her equipment. 

“I lost my turf cleats, socks, shorts… I have both my jerseys, but that’s about it,” she said.

While the fires delayed the start of the Pali girls varsity soccer season, the team aims to stay on track and continue their games and practices, supported by the generosity of their community. 

“I’ve had so many people lend me practice stuff that I can wear, which has been really great,” Quigley said.

To offer extra aid to the team during this time, Birmingham Community Charter High School and El Camino Real Charter High School donated jerseys, pinnies and balls to the team. In addition, Beverly Hills High School donated gift cards to affected players so that they were able to replace their own personal equipment and clothing that was lost. 

“The balls we got from Birmingham, and the jerseys from El Camino [have helped],” Friedman said. “So far everything is going smoothly”

Both Friedman and Quigley agree that the support the team has received from other schools and the Pali community has been instrumental in allowing them to continue practicing and playing this season.

They are optimistic about the future and continue to remain positive, despite all of the obstacles they have faced.

“I just think coming out, having an incredible season and making memories is the most important thing,” Friedman said.