The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

The Big Sandy Booster Club makes a significant impact on our student athletes and participants in extracurricular activities. I spoke with Cheryl Strutz about the club’s direct impact on our kids. Cheryl is a member of the Booster Club and the mother of three boys, who have been prominent in Big Sandy Athletics over the last few years. If you’ve watched a football game in our town recently, you’ve seen Kyle, Kade, or Kody take the field.

Cheryl explained to me that, “It’s really important that the community knows that the kids actually like a higher standard than you think they do. And when they see that people are putting out effort and trying to help them become the best that they can be, then they also rise to that occasion.” The community efforts to post signs around the community, ensure each student has topnotch warm up gear, and their improvements to the athletic facilities don’t escape the notice of the kids. “They need to know that they have supportive their community in lots of ways. And I think they notice” the efforts of the Rotary.

Community support and participation will determine a great deal for the booster club in the coming years. Cheryl explained the future of the Booster Club will boil down to membership growth. Right now, we need to make a transition, because all of us are getting to a point where we we don’t have kids involved anymore. I think it depends on what the community wants, because it’s either going to dissolve or it’s going to need people to step up.”

In addition to visible shows of support, Cheryl pointed out that the Booster Club “helps defray a lot of cost that could be put onto the parents themselves. And it’s not just athletics. There are costs that could go digging into the parents’ pocket books.” Those defrayed costs include years of helping the science club fund educational trips and other financial investments in the school to help bring about opportunities that would otherwise be cost prohibitive to many.

Cheryl explained that the Booster Club “is really supposed to be is more behind the scenes, rather than upfront and visible.” The lower visibility has made it harder for potential supporters to join in the efforts of the club in supporting our kids.

Cheryl identified one of the big challenges for the club as a lack of participants. The fact that “there’s only like four to five of us, and we’re so spread out because that’s not the only thing we’re involved in. In order to be visible, you need to have members. Otherwise, we don’t have the time and we don’t have the manpower.” A larger volunteer base would help the organization develop momentum, attract more volunteers, and in turn, provide more support for our school’s extracurricular programs. Other important benefits of growing the volunteer base include the increased energy associated with larger groups working together, the influx of ideas that more eyes looking at the projects will bring, and finally, the ability to do more through the growth of hands and feet that take on tasks.

Participation and support for the Booster Club doesn’t need to be a full time job for those willing to help. Volunteers can do as little as help stuff envelopes or sell 50/50 tickets at a game. They can also do as much as help take on new projects or help brainstorm new directions for the club. The Booster Club is currently in need of help at every level of participation.

It’s future will be decided by our community. Do we want to help them do more and better work, supporting our schools in the coming years or will we stay on the sidelines as it withers? The choice is ultimately up to each of us.