Leeds Athletic Boosters folding

By Robert Blankenship

LEEDS — Athletes with Leeds City Schools now have one less organization to lean on for financial support as the Leeds Athletic Booster Club announced it will be dissolving.

According to booster club representatives, the group officially closed its doors on January 1, citing an inability to find officers to take over operations.

Dennis Ashley, president of the booster club, said every effort was made to get new officers on board to lead the organization.

“It had gotten to the point that everybody serving on the board had been there for a while. We spent several months advertising for new officers and sent out letters to our membership for volunteers to fill the vacancies. When all was said and done, we still did not have officers,” Ashley said.

According to a preliminary draft document of the booster club account dated December 31, 2009, the group’s ending balance was $12,706.

The organization’s by-laws require any remaining funds in the booster club account be used to pay unpaid bills with the remainder going to another non-profit school related organization. In this case, that organization would likely be the Leeds Educational Foundation. Some funds raised by specific athletic organizations will also see their money returned to them.

Leeds High School Athletic Director Keith Etheredge said he has already spoken to other school officials and coaches about filling the void left by the folding of the booster club.

“We have been talking about where we will go from here. There has been discussion about allowing each sport to have its own booster club with volunteers raising money for their specific sport. That plan does appear to have some support,” Etheredge said.

Etheredge added that he was disappointed that athletic programs will not be the beneficiary of the booster’s club remaining funds.

“The amount of money that we are losing is equal to a year’s worth of our funding,” he said. “I love the Educational Foundation, but I don’t think money raised through athletics, and for the purpose of athletics, should be going there.”

Vicky Dean, chairperson of the Educational Foundation, said if the money were to be transferred to them, organization by-laws would make it impossible to give the money to athletic programs.

“The money we get is used solely for teacher grants and for educational purposes,” Dean said.

The booster club has played a role in varsity athletics for over 50 years, according to booster club representatives. While the name did see some changes, including originally being called a quarterback club, the goal remained the same – to raise money for athletic programs.

Traditionally, the largest fundraiser for the booster club was the annual Green Wave Giveaway. In 2008, the event profited $11,000 for Leeds athletics.

Etheredge, a graduate of Leeds High School, saw the efforts of the booster club as both a coach and as a player.

“I remember when I was in school the booster club supported us in a variety of ways,” Etheredge said. “I certainly appreciate all of those who took the time and effort to volunteer for our student athletes over the years.”

Ashley said he would like to see the booster club re-activated in the future.

“I hope others might step up and get it started again,” he said. “There is a lot of red tape involved in concessions and fundraising and it helps take some of that off of our coaches and school officials.”

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