Parents How Did this happen - LOL - boosters

[cher062]

Ok first booster meeting for the new team parents last night. Went really well but we could have had more in attendance. Well got to the elections of officers and now I'm Treasurer LOL. I know one of the moms serving on the board asked me if I would be interested a few weeks ago and my answer was if you need someone I can do it. they were trying to get me to be President well only being there a year I think one of the other more experienced folks should take that one.

So now I guess I'm going to have to go to all the meeting now especially since I did request a change in meeting night so I could attend LOL.

So with that said they are looking for some cool fun things to do with or for the team girls (no team boys yet)

I know this may have been asked before but can you tell me What do your boosters do?

We organize fundraisers to pay the air, hotel and transportation for any gymnast and coach that makes it to nationals

We run the Fun meet at the end of the year (think recitle but in a meet look) this means a Gift shop with gym stuff to buy, a concession stand and providing all the staff for the meet.

We have an end of the year banquet with food, music, gifts for gymnasts and coaches etc.

A few after practice parties like an ice cream social, pizza party etc. Owners do the christmas party

If the funds are there they will buy things for the girls like one year I am told that there was enough raised to buy the comp leo for all the team girls. Another year they all got new gym bags

So what things does your boosters do and spend their money on.

 

[vagymmomma]

I think treasurer is the most demanding position and it sounds like you may some fundraising responsibilities as well. We use the excess funds (those raised above and beyond meet expenses) for a wide variety of things. Some years we spend money on equipment for the team (like an electronic score board). Other years we've waived registration fees or paid meet fees for all the girls (for specific meets). On the fun side, we always have a few team parties, year-end awards, gifts for graduating seniors, etc. If you're a tax exempt organization, be careful to stay within the fundraising guidelines.

Our biggest responsibilities are running the home meets (we have 3 - 4 a year). It's a lot of work and is a great (parent) team effort.

Try to enjoy it -- I'm not sure a lot of families appreciate the time spent by the booster club leaders to keep things going. Just remember it's all about the girls on the team.

 

[cher062]

I have 20 years of doing accounting under my belt so it really isn't that hard to set up and keep track of.

We do have a fundraising coordinator but I guess I am supposed to work with her and get ideas etc. that is the part that isn't really my thing but I won't leave her out on a limb by herself either.

OUr gym isn't really the place to have meets we have very limited parking (maybe 30 spaces) and no on street parking at all. No bleachers for them to sit on and limited floor space for folding chairs so if we host a meet we have to arrange another location like the local school or something.

 

[pinklemonadeliz]

Our girls work out until 8pm most nights so we buy them pizza once a month for dinner. We also try to do a fun activity (like going roller skating or the movies) every 6 weeks or so. We pay all of the coaches fees and hotel fees, funnel the parent payments for meet fees & leos to the appropriate venues/vendors. We organize put together a team t-shirt for parents to wear at meets and also provide team portraits for the gym. We also try to buy something for the gym that will benefit the team girls (right now, we're working on a new sound system for the gym). We put on a flip-a-thon in the very early spring and a show (recital) late spring. We are looking into hosting a meet as it is a huge money maker, but we would have to hire a meet coordinator (think 5K for that) so we're going to wait a year or so before we get to that point.

 

[2gymmies]

We do the typical stuff, but we just came up with a new fun idea. We created gym buddies - we pair up optional gymnasts and compulsory gymnasts into buddies. They write notes or give a little sticker or a piece of gum to "stick it" before a meet. Nothing expensive but fun - it is really neat for the little Level 4's to have one of the optional girls writing her notes and asking her how she did at practice or meet.

We are also doing team t-shirts and spirit wear for the parents. We are creating a season notebook - it will have advertising as a fundraiser, but for the most part has pages that the girls can write about each meet, get autographs, keep their scores or achievements and even attach pictures.

ALso, the team reps do things like birthday congrats on the lockers, 9.0 club, 9.5 club, state qualifiers, etc. on the lockers.

We have alot of fun with it and it seems like most parents appreciate the time and hard work and certainly the girls do.

Enjoy!

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

Congrats on your new position! I too am the newly elected treasurer for our booster club! I have about 13 years of banking experience so hopefully that will help me!! I personally do not have to coordinate any events (that falls to the president and the level reps) but I am really hoping i don't screw up the account!!! LOL!

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

I have 20 years of doing accounting under my belt so it really isn't that hard to set up and keep track of.

We do have a fundraising coordinator but I guess I am supposed to work with her and get ideas etc. that is the part that isn't really my thing but I won't leave her out on a limb by herself either.

OUr gym isn't really the place to have meets we have very limited parking (maybe 30 spaces) and no on street parking at all. No bleachers for them to sit on and limited floor space for folding chairs so if we host a meet we have to arrange another location like the local school or something.

Our gym is very much like yours. We have held our invitational meet at a local school for the last 3 years and the president of the booster club has been the meet coordinator so that has really saved money.

 

[pinklemonadeliz]

We do the typical stuff, but we just came up with a new fun idea. We created gym buddies - we pair up optional gymnasts and compulsory gymnasts into buddies. They write notes or give a little sticker or a piece of gum to "stick it" before a meet. Nothing expensive but fun - it is really neat for the little Level 4's to have one of the optional girls writing her notes and asking her how she did at practice or meet.

I LOVE this idea!!!

 

[cathiann]

We do the typical stuff, but we just came up with a new fun idea. We created gym buddies - we pair up optional gymnasts and compulsory gymnasts into buddies. They write notes or give a little sticker or a piece of gum to "stick it" before a meet. Nothing expensive but fun - it is really neat for the little Level 4's to have one of the optional girls writing her notes and asking her how she did at practice or meet.

We are also doing team t-shirts and spirit wear for the parents. We are creating a season notebook - it will have advertising as a fundraiser, but for the most part has pages that the girls can write about each meet, get autographs, keep their scores or achievements and even attach pictures.


Enjoy!

Our gym does this too, but one of the HCs started it and assigned the buddies. The younger girls love it, but you have to be sure everyone is remembering to do it--it creates some hurt feelings if the girls don't ever remember to do it!

We also just started a Featured Gymnast of the Month--one Optional and one Compulsory--chosen by the coaches. They have their pictures in the banner at the top of the booster club webpage as well as being featured on the page especially made for that purpose. Just started it this past summer and, frankly, we just started our booster club webpage a month or so before that, so not everyone is looking at it yet, but we're getting more people there all the time!

Something else we just started was decorating the locker of the birthday girl--we try to do it on her birthday, but sometimes it's a day or two off. They get a sign, balloon and a sucker.

And I'm Secretary for our booster club--have been on the board for several years and love it (usually!). Our big goal this year is to try and get more team spirit between the levels. Our 9s and 10s are very close and each level is close to each other, but between the levels? Not so much!