The “average fan” may not notice the direct (yet vitally important) impact of a very key part of all art and activities at Chaska High School – the Booster Club.
Started in 1981 by Thomas James, the Chaska Booster Club is a dedicated group of parents, alumni and community members that lead and carry out efforts for all athletics, arts and activities.
Members coordinate and raise funds for the club and then ensure a purposeful distribution to teams or activities in need. The club constantly reviews its initiatives and efforts to ensure equitable distribution of generated support and seeks innovative ways to support all facets of the extracurricular activities at Chaska High.
Some of the key efforts the club coordinates include:
Season Passes – The selling and coordination of all sports season passes. When the Booster Club started in 1981, season passes were $20.
Hawk Shop – The in-school merchandise shop is open during school hours and at select sporting events. The Booster Club selects and sources all the goods sold in the shop. All profits go to the club and are equitably shared with groups and team in need. Follow the happenings of the shop via Facebook. The Booster Club is the oversight group for use of the Chaska Hawk logo. They review all uses and applications of the Hawk.
Paint the Town – Offers resources for any team or group to apply a stylish Hawk to the end of a driveway. Applications are accepted year-round.
Concessions – The Booster Club coordinates the staffing and supplying of concession stands for fall sports (football, volleyball and soccer), winter sports (basketball and select wrestling meets), and select special events as they occur. Concessions are typically staffed by supporting team parents (or new this year students, 14-year-olds and up) in shifts to raise money for a specific group. For example, a volleyball team parent might work a basketball game or a dance team member works a football game. The hours worked are credited to the volunteer’s group of choice. Volunteer signups are always welcomed online.
The Booster Club board and contributing members review income streams and seek to honor team requests and ensure groups’ needs are met.
“We see the bigger picture and help everyone that we can,” said current Booster Club President Ed O’Conner. “We’d love to be able to cover every request, but it takes a team to get it all worked out.”
Some of the “common” allocations include:
Equipment – Some teams require needed “specialized” equipment that may not be in the team’s budget and the Booster Club supports those needs. Recent equipment support has included blazers for DECA, putting mats for golf teams, buzzers for Quiz Bowl and team suits for the Nordic ski team.
Scholarships – The Booster Club provides six $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors with post-secondary education needs/goals.
Freshman t–shirts – Incoming classes get a t-shirt as a welcoming gift to CHS each academic year.
State buses – If a team makes it to a state meet or event, the Booster Club provides bus transportation to that event.
Current Booster Club board members shared that one of the key reasons they joined was to be involved and support their kids’ activities.
Adam Cummings (treasurer and webmaster) said, “I’ve met so many interesting people. Also, I’ve gotten to know the great folks at the school and gotten involved with sports and activities that were new to me. It’s been a great use of my time.”
Lexi Wagner (lead concession coordinator) added “as busy as our family schedule can be at our house, it’s a great way to give back and spend some time with my kids.”
Jess Cummings (board member) added, “I feel more connected to the school and my kids. Also, when I’m there I can embarrass my kids, too – that’s always fun.”
“The Boosters are one of those organizations where people step up and make it work,” stated past Booster Club President Alan Wright. “Without them, there would be no revenue from concessions or The Hawk Shop, revenue that enables the Boosters to support requests from various teams and clubs.”
Wright pointed out the benefits of being a booster club member.
“There are a couple of benefits,” he explained. “First, the ability to be an advocate for the students and their activities. And second, the opportunity to connect with a lot of people. I made some good friends during my time that I wouldn’t have met if I wasn’t part of the Boosters.”
Larry Doran was Booster Club president in the late 2000s.
“The Booster Club is there to celebrate the contribution of the kids,” he said. “We did (and they still do) put the kids’ experience first and foremost. We are proud of CHS and want to be noticed and respected in the community and by other schools. I cherished every minute of my club activity and made so many friends and built some great relationships. Every parent should consider being a part of this great group.”
The Booster Club is open to anyone who wants to join their meetings and/or the board. Meetings are held on the first Monday of each month in the main conference room near the main office and take about an hour.
“The more folks we have involved with the club, the better we can ensure needs for the team and groups are being met,” O’Conner said. “It really is a matter of more cooks in the kitchen can help make a better meal. The parents of this group make such a difference.”
The Booster Club can be followed on line via their website, Instagram and Twitter. Past meeting notes, bylaws and contact emails are available on the site. Booster club meetings are announced via the “Hawks Nest” newsletter on the school’s website.
