Happy New Year!
It is hard to believe that the school year is almost half over. This year marks the fourth year for our current Board of Directors. This year also is the year several of our Board members will be leaving North as their children graduate. This year we will be losing Co -President Mike Cuomo, Treasurer Bill Synan and Secretary Jeanne Cahill. Elections for positions on the Board are held in May.
The past four years have brought some very positive changes for the student athletes at Plymouth North. When we began our term we were faced with a huge shortfall in the Booster Club account and team accounts as a result of the improprieties of the past treasurer. The Board immediately implemented a system that would make it impossible for that type of thing to ever happen again. We also asked the coaches what they wanted from the Booster Club. We immediately brought back Plymouth North t-shirts, which are given out to every player and coach every season. We also brought back player allowances, which help defray some of the coaches out of pocket expenses. The Booster Club provides jackets for all ACL Championship teams and I am happy to say we spent thousands of dollars over the past four years on these championship jackets. We can’t forget one of the greatest moments in Plymouth North history when in 2008 our baseball team won the State Championship. Our organization was happy to support their celebrations and raise help the money to purchase Championship rings for all players and coaches, totaling over $10,000.00. Our organization supports the General Scholarship fund at Plymouth North each year by providing $3,000.00 in scholarships to deserving senior athletes. We host a Senior Athlete Awards Night where coaches recognize the accomplishments of our graduating athletes. We support team fundraising and community service.
I think the thing we have been most proud to offer our athletes over the past four years is Glory Jackets. When a student athlete at North has earned 4 points they are eligible to receive a Glory Jacket. The Booster Club pays for these jackets entirely at a cost of $100.00 per player. The average yearly budget for Glory Jackets is about $10,000.00. Our Booster Club is unique in the fact that we are the only school, public or private, in the area that does this for student athletes.
Our expenses total over $20,000.00 per year. So far we have been able to raise the money each year to fund all these great things because we have great parent volunteers who see the value of a Unified Organization which all athletes, no matter what sport or sports they play, receive the same benefits.
This year we need help. As I said earlier some of our Board members are leaving and along with these Board members we are losing many great senior parents who have worked hard over the last four years to ensure the success of the Plymouth North Booster Club. I am asking every parent of an athlete at Plymouth North to please consider volunteering. Any time you can give us would be greatly appreciated. Our next meeting is Tuesday, January 11th at 7:00 in the Plymouth North cafeteria and I am hoping for a great turn out of volunteers. We are looking specifically right now for a parent or a group of parents to volunteer to run our Annual Dinner Dance which takes place in March every year. This dance is extremely important because the money generated from it pays for the expense of the Glory Jackets. Without the dance we will no longer be able to purchase Glory Jackets for our athletes.
If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity please contact me at info@plymouthnorthathletics.org.
I look forward to seeing you at the January meeting.
Missy
Click Meeting Minutes for last month's meeting minutes.
Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month.
Please check this site for updates/changes to that schedule.
For up-to-date team schedules, visit www.highschoolsports.net
