Edward DeBartolo Jr. Makes Big Donation to YSU

Youngstown native and five-time Super Bowl champion owner of the San Francisco 49ers, Edward J. DeBartolo Jr., announced today that he will make a $750,000 donation to Youngstown State University to help fund its new indoor athletic training facility, the Watson and Tressel Training Site (W.A.T.T.S.). The field will bear Mr. DeBartolo’s name. “Youngstown will always be home to me and my family, and it means such a great deal to me to be able to contribute to the completion of the W.A.T.T.S.,” DeBartolo said. “My life has been so enriched through sports and this is my way of helping young athletes achieve their dreams. This championship level facility will provide the competitive edge for Youngstown State to continue its winning tradition.” The W.A.T.T.S. will be used by YSU’s intercollegiate athletic teams, primarily baseball, football, soccer, softball and men’s and women’s track. The indoor facility will accommodate team practices, intramural sports, campus-wide activities and special events. Its location and completion date have not been finalized. “On behalf of the university and the athletic department, I would like to thank Mr. DeBartolo for his generous gift,” said Ron Strollo, YSU’s athletic director. “It is an honor to know that Mr. DeBartolo is a believer in the people and students at Youngstown State. It is always great when a valley native gives back to his community. Mr. DeBartolo’s donation offers the final touch and positive momentum to finish this project. This facility is critical for the growth of our athletic program and will be a source of pride for both the university and the community.” In addition to funding the completion of the W.A.T.T.S., DeBartolo’s gift will help the university create an inner-city program that will reward student athletes who demonstrate excellence on the field and in the classroom. These students will have the opportunity to attend first-class developmental camps hosted by Mr. DeBartolo’s amateur sports company, DeBartolo Sports University, at the W.A.T.T.S. DeBartolo Sports U offers football, baseball, lacrosse and soccer academies in major cities across the country and will bring multiple camps to the Youngstown community in the future. “Our university is extremely grateful for this significant contribution by Mr. DeBartolo,” said head football coach Jon Heacock. “Having a five-time Super Bowl Champion invest his time, experience, and resources in our university is truly remarkable. For as long as I have coached here, Mr. DeBartolo has provided championship advice to our administration and coaching staffs. I couldn’t be more excited to have our future indoor field named after Mr. DeBartolo Jr., one of the greatest NFL owners in the history of the league.” In July 2007, Ohio State University head coach Jim Tressel and his wife Ellen, and her parents Frank and Norma Watson, presented the university with $1 million to fund the multi-million dollar W.A.T.T.S. Tressel spent 15 years as head football coach at Youngstown State and won four national championships in seven seasons. During that time, DeBartolo was building the 49ers into one of the most respected franchises in professional sports, winning 12 division titles, five conference championships and a NFL-record five Super Bowls – SB XVI (1981), Super Bowl XIX (’84), Super Bowl XXIII (’88), Super Bowl XXIV (’89) and SB XXIX (’94). As DeBartolo and Tressel’s careers ran parallel winning paths, their friendship grew and DeBartolo invited Tressel to San Francisco to study under the tutelage of Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh. The W.A.T.T.S., according to Tressel, is the perfect opportunity to join forces and support the championship tradition at Youngstown State. “As a first-time head coach at YSU, it was Edward DeBartolo Jr. that gave me the confidence, guidance, and friendship that I needed to be successful,” Tressel said. “I still have every piece of correspondence that we have shared for these 22 plus years, and I cherish them. To be able to partner with Mr. DeBartolo to positively affect the school we both love and the community that we call home is extraordinary.” Courtesy: YSU Sports Information Department