KELSO, Wash. -- A youth football league will have to cover about $5,000 worth of damage after vandals broke into a football equipment storage facility.

The mess left behind at Tam O'Shanter Park in Kelso included deflated footballs, jerseys covered with paint and helmets scribbled with graffiti. The vandals also tossed paint on shoulder pads and pants. Five of the football helmets bore the words "Catch me if you can."

Scott Radcliffe, the youth football league president, said it's simply hard to understand.

"You just get really angry. You know, that somebody just has that lack of concern for what people's efforts are," he said." "Things like this just really hurt."

Local police said the vandalism occurred sometime between Thursday and Sunday. The vandals kicked in the storage shed front door and caused an estimated $5,000 in damage inside.

Nick Temanson, who coaches one of the league's six teams, discovered the damage early Sunday afternoon.

"We have a problem just trying to keep the building up let alone (keep) the people out of it," Temanson said. "(I) walked in and everything in the room was pretty much in a pile -- piled up waist-high with a couple cans of house paint poured all over the top."

About 130 players participate in the Kelso Youth Football League each year and organizers said equipment is their biggest expense. Radcliffe said it will difficult to replace the gear, which costs about $200 per player.

"We take care of gear. We try to reuse it as much as possible so that's why it's kind of devastating to us," Radcliffe said.

In the coming days, organizers said they'll sort through the mess and salvage what they can. They plan to find a way to suit everyone up.

"We do a lot to keep this program going and it's like someone just steps on it," Temanson said.

Donations to help the Kelso Youth Football League can be sent to: 1310 Elm Place, Kelso, WA 98626.

Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call Kelso police.

Kids' Football Gear Ruined By Vandals