Eastipedia: Sports Booster Club

The Shawnee Mission East All-Sports Booster Club is the premier high school booster club in the Kansas City area. Founded in 1968 by then Athletic Director Art Newcomer, the Booster Club’s goal is to support excellence in athletics at East. The club board is comprised of East parents whose children represent all sports at East, including cheerleading, drill team, band and pep club.

In past years, each sport has been given an equal amount of money to supplement its operating budget provided by the district. Larger projects have also been funded by the booster club to improve sports facilities and equipment to benefit all athletes and P.E. classes. In the 2013-2014 school year, the sports booster club funded projects like the installation of weight room record boards, chartering state buses for students, caging for the baseball field, a new indoor batting cage for baseball and softball, two new poles for track and field and improvements to the smesports.org website.

The booster club raises funds from annual dues provided by booster club members as well as advertising sales from the fall, winter and spring sports books and game day programs. Every individual that purchases a membership receives complimentary passes to home athletic events during the school year.

“Our core goals [are to] provide support, cooperation and inspiration to help build the athletic program at SME,” current booster club president Christine Braasch said. “[It is important that we] ensure all funds and dues collected by the Booster Club shall be used solely for the support of the SME athletic program and community.”