A devastating fire Tuesday took with it nearly all of University Laboratory School's athletic equipment and a newly refurbished weight room, but it also affected sports programs involving students from up to 20 other small institutions.

In athletic circles, the Lab School is known to many as "University High," a basketball powerhouse in the late 1970s and '80s. But the Junior 'Bows' sports program also is part of a larger conglomerate called Pac-Five, which allows students from smaller schools to form teams in sports such as football, baseball, softball and wrestling.

The fire destroyed Pac-Five's new $8,000 wrestling mat and two others that were only a few years old, University athletic director Jim Bukes said. Pac-Five's baseball and softball jerseys also were stored at the Lab School, along with all of University's equipment and supplies for PE and varsity, JV and intermediate athletic teams.

"We lost all our golf bags, and all the brand-new balls we bought for next year," Bukes said. "Our weight set was only about a year old. We probably lost about $18,000 to $20,000 just in the mats alone."

Pac-Five's judo program also used the wrestling mats that were stored at University.

John Hom, who recently retired as Pac-Five athletic director, said the Interscholastic League of Honolulu — of which University Lab School and Pac-Five are members — will discuss ways to help Bukes and Pac-Five at its workshops today.

"(ILH schools) will rally around this and we'll all try to help," Hom said. "I have a strong feeling the athletic directors, alumni and former parents will all dig deep to help out."

Dana Takahara-Dias, a standout on University's two state championship girls basketball teams in the 1980s, said she and her fellow alumni already are making plans to contribute.

"I'm sure we're all going to come to the call and assist where needed," said Takahara-Dias, a former Moanalua High School athletic director who is now a deputy director with the city's Department of Parks and Recreation. "I talked to other alumni today and we discussed things we can do to assist, because we're all very grateful to what the school meant to us.

"It's a very small school, but a very special school."

Bukes, who has worked at University for 21 years, realizes that now more than ever.

"I can't tell you how overwhelmed I am by the support," Bukes said. "Virtually everyone in the ILH called me today, and everybody said, 'Whatever you need.' You can see the gears already in motion. There must have been about 100 alumni at the school today."

Bukes said the past two days "have been tough," not just because of the loss of equipment but also the treasured memorabilia that decorated his office walls and shelves.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.