Do you ever wonder how Nevada athletic teams get funding for new equipment, new uniforms, and facility upgrades? The Nevada Booster Club is an organization that supports the sports and the student athletes in various ways.
The purpose of the booster club is to not only raise money for athletics but to connect the school to the community. The booster club finds ways to get area residents involved in fundraising so that people in the community have a personal involvement in what the booster club is doing for the school. The booster club has helped the Nevada School District for many years now and continually helps provide new jerseys and equipment for the teams. One example that the booster club helped with was the creation of a new baseball field. Head Baseball Coach Patrek Tufts said, “I inherited a beautiful baseball field that the booster club put a lot of hard work into.”
The Nevada Booster Club relies on volunteers and donations to help carry out a variety of tasks and projects. Booster club volunteers handle concessions at volleyball, basketball, softball and baseball games. The club also relies on volunteers for youth basketball and volleyball tournaments held during the winter. You do not need to be on the booster club board to help at any of those events.
Working the concession stands, hosting youth tournaments, and hosting an annual golf tournament are just a few examples of how the booster club raises funds for our athletic programs. The golf tournament is one of the bigger events that the booster club organizes. The golf tournament is a great event because people of all ages can participate. At the tournament, participants can win prizes that sponsors have donated. The prizes can range from a tee-shirt all the way to a brand new car! “The golf tournament is a great way for the booster club to get people involved and raise money for Nevada athletics,” said Nevada High School Athletic Director/Assistant Principal Dustin Smith.
Joining the booster club is another great way to support the school district and community. Club memberships are available from the $50 White Membership, which includes $10 of apparel, through several other levels up to the VIP Membership at $1000. The VIP membership includes six annual passes and $100 worth of apparel.
Last year the booster club had 56 members, and this year they hope to surpass that.
Current president, Chad Bauman, said, “Being in the booster club gives you a sense of ownership in seeing the teams grow.”
You can sign up online or you can print a membership form. The booster club will also be at tonight’s home football game with memberships available.
Booster club meetings take place on the third Wednesday of every month. The board meets with Dustin Smith, who presents the financing requests from the different sports.
“The coaches have to stay organized because they get the information to Mr. Smith, and he takes it to the booster club,” said Head Boys Basketball Coach Tyler Struck.
As an example, the volleyball coaches have worked with past athletic directors and Mr. Smith and the booster club over the past few years to update the volleyball equipment in all four gyms.
In addition, the booster club has provided the middle school gym scoreboard, a football video camera, a video board for the high school gym, new high jump mats, new hurdles, new starting blocks, and guardian caps for football that help prevent concussions. The club has also provided new uniforms for nine different teams in the past year, and annually supplies four scholarships to graduating athletes.
Please consider being a part of this great Nevada tradition and join the Nevada Booster Club today!
Article contributed by the fall term Sports Management students: Jordan Barrett, Karter Beving, Drew Robinson, Elie Tuhn, and Addy Verville.
