Across the country, school districts are planning to restructure the funding directed to their sports programs. Especially in light of the challenges associated with COVID-19, programs risk losing vital resources. Now more than ever, a rugby booster club is essential to maintaining a winning culture and experience for everyone involved.
In some states like Ohio, coaches and players test themselves regularly. These states also require taking the temperatures of players as they arrive. With many schools already struggling to make ends meet, added safety measures become a roadblock to preparing for competition.
In particular, rugby teams without a booster club are most at risk. This uncertainty is due in part because of the high cost of tournaments, transportation, food, and more. It also has to do with the popularity of rugby in the high school sports scene, which has dramatically improved over the years.
Shrinking Budgets
When program directors have to tighten the budget, they’ll try and implement cuts to programs like the rugby team, prioritizing more revenue-driving sports like basketball and football. Many organizations fall behind their opponents because of this reduced funding. Some other factors include outdated equipment for practice and games, and difficulty securing transportation.
Without the right tools to succeed, any rugby program in America would suffer. To counter these various challenges, parents and supporters in schools work to establish a rugby booster club. They see it as a great success to combat shrinking budgets from their school districts.
What is a Rugby Booster Club?
Booster clubs fill the gap between what a great team needs and what traditional funding can provide. As a direct result, the positive effects of booster clubs reverberate throughout the entire community, sustaining and building healthy programs for your kids.
After parents and supporters build a dedicated rugby booster club, the programs for their children better equip coaches with the time and tools to deliver a winning experience. Parents organize fundraisers, donate their time and money, and support the club for generations.
The parents organize various fundraisers to raise money for the team, such as raffles or bake sales. This contribution frees up time for coaches and players that would’ve been distracted from rugby and school raising funds. As a result, the coaches can help the kids grow and succeed on and off the pitch, effects that set them up for a lifetime of success.
Booster Clubs are an Investment in Your School Rugby Team
From the eyes of anyone supporting your club, contributing to a rugby booster club is an investment in the entire program. With this investment, the parent or community supporter expects the rugby team to succeed during the season. But they also want to see how this program positively impacts the lives of players and their families.
Luckily, athletic booster clubs coordinate social events and volunteer opportunities for the players and coaches. Events like these help form bonds of friendship and trust between the players, valuable relationships that extend far past rugby season.
Rugby teams are a great way for people to develop those lasting bonds, and booster clubs help teams focus on winning.
Boosters Make New Rugby Uniforms & Equipment Possible
As a result of inadequate funding, many teams fail to upgrade their equipment and uniforms. High school rugby teams across the nation are no exception. To compete with rival programs, teams need as much of a headstart as possible. New uniforms generate excitement to wear them on the field, as well as fresh training equipment like rugby balls and tackle bags.
A Rugby Booster Club Increases Parental Support
Without parental support, booster programs don’t have much power to provide a competitive edge for their athletic programs. And when the collective involvement of these parents and benefactors is absent, administrative duties like holding meetings and raising funds aren’t productive.
Many parents don’t get involved in athletic booster clubs because their current programs provide to every sports team in the school. However, an athletic booster club can foster victory alongside the support of dedicated parents. And rugby parents are willing to get more involved when a booster program exists solely for the team.
Boosters Build Local Awareness for Your Rugby Team
People love helping a good cause and feel the positive impacts of a booster program in their communities. By taking advantage of your local newspapers, radio stations, and news stations, your booster program can raise awareness about your rugby team in the local community. As the rugby team improves because of the booster club’s efforts, even more of the public will want to contribute to and support their local rugby team.
Rugby teams across the nation are struggling to make ends meet. They strive to buy new equipment, uniforms, and items like film-study projectors and cones, but can’t because of budget cuts. Schools are repeatedly forcing teams to provide their transportation, pre-game meals, and refreshments. Taking advantage of a rugby booster club, when well organized, can take care of these issues and leave the coaches and players to worry about winning.
Booster Clubs Improves Event & Volunteer Communication
Parents want to feel more involved than just watching their sons play if they can catch a game after work. Sports program booster clubs allow them a platform to voice their concerns and ideas.
High school booster clubs create a framework for parents and supporters to organize social and service events with the players and coaches. Many teams have days of service, partnering with local organizations to benefit their communities.
Organizing Rugby Booster Club Events
These programs can also handle events like award ceremonies and social events to build genuine connections. Members of team boosters also contribute by devoting volunteer support. These clubs organize raffle drawings and other sales to raise money, such as crafts and baked goods.
Without a booster club, these efforts would be major distractions for players and coaches to organize. Rugby team boosters solve this issue by organizing fundraising efforts like bake sales and raffle tickets.
Booster clubs are small non-profit organizations that require dedicated board members and supporters. As a result, everyone connected to the program feels a sincere devotion to the coaches, players, and outcomes. As the sports booster club’s efforts help the team grow and find success, those commitments and lines of communication strengthen.
By holding regular board meetings and promoting communication between the school, coaches, and parents, a booster club for rugby teams can improve communication for the entire program. By providing a platform for parents and supporters, coaches and their athletic directors can integrate the information to provide a positive experience for as many as possible.
Simultaneously, the best booster programs leave training and game planning to the coaches and players.
Conclusion
Rugby booster clubs are the best way to ensure your team withstands the ebbs and flows of public funding. They close the gap between what a school can provide, and what a team needs to reach the next level.
