Players find friendly fans on city streets, in schools
Linebacker B.J. Taufalele celebrates a win before losing to the San Diego Strike Force in the playoffs. Photo by Jose Gamboa
By Daniel Edwards
In a bittersweet twist of fate, the Bay Area Panthers’ roar was silenced in the playoffs, but their heartbeat remains strong in Morgan Hill.
Despite falling short against the San Diego Strike Force with a 49-40 loss on July 28, the Indoor Football League team found something far more valuable than a championship title — a friendly community to call home.
A young fan poses for a photo with some Bay Area Panthers cheerleaders. Photo courtesy Jose Gamboa
Much of the Panthers’ decision to stay and train for a third season in the South Valley was through the love and support shown to their team by the Morgan Hill and Gilroy communities. Head coach Rob Keefe has grown to love the city, saying, “It’s a peaceful place for our players to focus on the task at hand.”
The Panthers used the overwhelming support of the community to motivate them through the games they played this season. Quarterback Felix Harper expressed his gratitude at the connections he made with the residents, saying he feels blessed by the friendly attitude of the locals.
“I love the people. They show a lot of excitement and love toward us,” he said. “We really appreciate that. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be the Bay Area Panthers, I promise you that.”
Harper loves the Panthers’ way to give back to the community, including having players show up as special guest speakers for community events and Morgan Hill Unified School District campuses in Morgan Hill such as Ann Sobrato High School.
He and other guest players spent practice time at the school July 17, warming up with the athletes on the football team and teaching them a thing or two about professional football while having fun developing the young men’s sports skills.
“I was in their shoes, man. I love giving back,” Harper said. “We as players love giving back. We just try to show them the way, show them what to do and what not to do. I tell them, ‘You’ve got to work hard every day. You’ve got to earn it.’”
Photo by Jose Gamboa
Bringing top players from all across the country together, Keefe sees the IFL’s team’s engagement with the locals vital for creating magical connection. He wants to put out the same positive energy the team receives from the community. It not only improves the community as a whole, but also builds a positive reputation for the Panthers in Morgan Hill and Gilroy.
Tevaughn Grant, No. 9 on the defensive line, reminisces of the team’s role in the Championship Parade after winning last year. Players rode in convertibles, trucks and other vehicles down Depot Street, waving at the gauntlet of fans standing along the sidewalks. The parade ended at the Downtown Amphitheater at the Community Center where the players were congratulated by Mayor Mark Turner and others.
Grant had fun throwing footballs to the excited kids and showing them how to catch like a professional player.
“It’s a blessing to totally give back,” he said. “I’m truly grateful — because you’re not just sharing your love for the game, but also everything you’ve learned.”
Morgan Hill resident Ginger Soleto became a Panthers fan after meeting team members on an airplane flight heading to New Mexico. She and her sister, Carla, were traveling to visit family. The players were heading to the state to play a game. Soleto was won over by how friendly the players and coach were to them. From that point on, she became a huge fan of the Bay Area Panthers, even flying to last year’s final championship game in Las Vegas with her husband.
Photo by Jose Gamboa
“It was so exciting. Here my husband has been trying to get me into football for 28 years,” she said. “But now that I met the team, now it’s a different story.”
Carla had cancer (now in remission). When Dixie Wooten, the Panthers defensive coordinator, learned about her illness, he saw it as an opportunity to give back to the community. He rounded up all of the players on the team to sign a football and gave it to her as a gift.
The South Valley community is always ready to embrace the Panthers long term, Soleto said, describing how exciting it is for the residents like her to have a professional team in Morgan Hill and meet players in restaurants and stores as well as the Friday Night Music Series and other events.
The Panthers aren’t familiar with losing, but the few times they have, the community’s loyalty shined through, something Keefe and the rest of the team appreciate. Though they lost to the San Diego Strikers this time around, the Morgan Hill community still stands with the team. Keefe says the players are grateful for the support in not winning the Championship a second time.
“(The community) understands when it’s a tough loss,” he said. “They understand when it’s a great win.”
Photo by Jose Gamboa
This friendly attitude shown by the residents has encouraged Keefe to choose Morgan Hill to serve as a home training base for its third season in 2025. He sees the city’s Outdoor Sports Center and other facilities as a good place for the Panthers to grow their skills.
“Morgan Hill is an amazing place to live and so we recognize that on a daily basis,” he said. “Here at the Bay Area Panthers, we call Morgan Hill our campus.”
It’s been a long six-month season for the Panthers. Some of the players are far from their homes and family. Grant came all the way from New Jersey and likes the California culture. Morgan Hill’s fan-base has made the team feel welcomed by showing their love.
“It’s like a home away from home, really,” he said. “You’ve got great food — and lots of it.”
The community has captivated Grant and other Panthers players by its friendly small-town charm.
Keefe finds it humbling to have the South Valley community celebrate with the players with each game won and to be with them through their losses. The Bay Area Panthers plans to give it their all next season for the community, he said.
“We always want to make sure that everywhere we go, there’s always a smile on our faces while we wear Panthers gear,” he said.
Daniel Edwards will be a junior at Sobrato High School. He wrote this story with mentorship from Morgan Hill Life publisher Marty Cheek.
