Prep Voices : Boosters or Coaches, Who’s in Control?

Booster clubs long have offered monetary and spiritual support for high school athletic programs, but lately, some grumbling has been heard about these same groups wielding excessive control in determining the direction of the teams.

Coaches and athletic directors complain of the abuse of power by some booster club members who believe, because of the support provided, they should have a say in everything from who gets playing time to who coaches the team.

On the other hand, parents say they merely want accountability on behalf of the school’s athletic program and its coaches. They’re looking for a way to address concerns without fear of retribution, and for fair and equal treatment of their children.

In these financially difficult times, high school athletics have become increasingly reliant on the support of booster clubs to help make ends meet. And despite some coaches’ feelings that they can’t live with them, they certainly can’t live without them.

Perhaps by more clearly defining their roles and responsibilities, athletic departments and booster clubs could learn to peaceably coexist, working together to provide a positive and productive experience for the athletes. Isn’t that what it’s all about anyway?

ON CAMPUS

Q: How much input should a booster club member have in the running of a school’s athletic program?

“In the beginning, booster clubs offered much welcomed spiritual and monetary support for high school athletic programs, all at the direction of the coach or other faculty sponsor. Many booster clubs have now progressed (or digressed) into organizations of control and intimidation.

“I remember, during my first year as principal of Kennedy High School, when the president of one of our major booster clubs told me during a conversation, ‘They didn’t need to seek, nor follow my direction, as they were an independent corporation.’

“It is my firm opinion that booster clubs should not have any power to make decisions beyond whether or not cherry tomatoes are used in the salad for the welcome-back luncheon provided to staff members. Input, of course; decision-making power, never.

“If something goes wrong in the administration of a school program, the principal can never look to a booster club for accountability and, therefore, any decisions made in the program must always be made by the faculty sponsor.”

C. Larry Fancher, Anaheim Hills

“As an active booster at Los Amigos, I don’t believe that any club should have a say about how a team should be run. A booster is there for the kids and to help those who need it. Some kids can’t afford to play sports because of the costs, and this is where a booster can help.

“If you’re asked for advice in a certain field, by all means voice your ideas, but let the school and its staff run the athletic program. Just because you give big bucks, that doesn’t make you the coach or athletic director. Money isn’t everything that makes you a booster. It takes something from the heart. So all you high-rollers, just take a few steps backward and get back up in the stands where you belong. You’ll enjoy the kids and the game much better.”

Clifford M. Weimer, Fountain Valley

“It’s outrageous the way booster clubs are running sports nowadays. If the parents don’t like a certain thing, they take control of it and run it themselves, telling the coaches exactly what to do. Corona del Mar High has separate booster clubs, and they need to be combined into one club that serves all the sports teams.”

Richard Miller, Corona del Mar

“Booster club members do not know nearly as much as the coaches because the coaches are the ones running it; they know what’s going on with the players. Booster club members should just stay out of running it but support the program as much as they can.”

Kris Blackburn, University sophomore

“One of the main problems that parents encounter with coaches of high school sports is the lack of a proper channel for parental input. Most parents are afraid to make negative comments to the athletic director or principal concerning a sport or coach for fear or reprisal against their child.

“Parents need a voice if they are going to be asked to work for a team. You would have a much better chance of gaining their positive support if at the and of each season they were allowed to participate in the evaluation of their sports program. If principals and athletic directors asked for postseason, anonymous input from both the student participants and their parents, and used this input to evaluate the effectiveness of each coach and whether they would be rehired, negative parent involvement would be reduced and programs would be improved.”

John C. Collins, San Juan Capistrano

“Sports programs are meant to be run for kids, and they should be run by the school. There should be no reason for booster input on whether or not a coach gets hired or fired. The decision should be made by the school’s administrators.”

Samuel Aborne, Kennedy sophomore

“Proper booster club management and support can greatly enhance any athletic program. However, horror stories run rampant of booster clubs that try to intimidate, control and make unilateral decisions regarding coaching, fund distribution and playing time. A solid, confident coach can avoid these problems by openly communicating the function of the booster club. You raise the money, I’ll spend it.

“After all, we don’t tell the boosters how to run their business, why should they command trained educators and coaches on how to run their business? Three cheers for supportive boosters. If those boosters who want to carry their weight beyond what they are supposed to do, I would suggest they coach the team or get into an adult sports league to relive those lost glory years.”

Bruce King, Brea-Olinda assistant baseball coach

“Booster clubs need to be positive, contributing forces at a high school. Their role should be that of helping the athletic programs survive in these financially difficult times. They should not exercise their influence to shape and direct the school’s program.”

Dick Campbell, Laguna Niguel

“To respond to parent concerns by saying that ‘boosters should boost’ is a heads-in-the-sand approach to running athletic programs in high school. Most boosters want a positive experience for their athlete. The discontent results from parents raising thousands of dollars of support while coaches make decisions about their children with impunity.

“One of the greatest frustrations parents have is knowing that they must ‘put up or shut up’ when it comes to dealing with inequities and incompetent coaches.”

Mike and Karen O’Bric, Edison track coaches

“I don’t think the booster club should have anything to say about the way high school sports are conducted because, frankly, they’re a bunch of old biddies who might feel selling jockey shorts--or something like that--with Griffin logos on it would be offensive.”

Josh Sahli, Los Alamitos senior

“During my sons’ attendance at Servite and a year after, I had been the president of the booster club and an officer in the Parents Guild. There was never interference nor controversy between the organizations and school administration during my tenures.

“Booster clubs and parent organizations should be monitored by a designated faculty member, left alone and needs discussed and planned. Boosters or other organizations should be consulted by the faculty when issues arise which are not part of studies or discipline. A monthly report should be prepared and a copy forwarded to a designated faculty member. Monies should be disbursed for needs as mutually agreed upon.”

Norm Brady, Los Alamitos

“I’ve been on a number of booster organizations at the high school, and I feel the role they should play is that of adviser to the coach. They should not have too much say, but they should come up with ways and means of raising funds and helping the players out with equipment and postseason events.”

Bob Torres, Orange, Class of ’62

“It’s important to remember that booster club members are parents who choose to take an active role in supporting the needs of their child’s athletic program. The fact is that in today’s economic world there are not enough funds to properly support every sports program.

“We have taken a pro-active position by organizing various fund-raisers that not only raise the needed revenues but also build team spirit and character in our players. The role of our booster club is to support the coaching staff and school administrators so they can concentrate 100% on coaching the team and providing the highest quality experience for our athletes.”

Rick Bagby, president of Edison’s Boys’ Soccer Booster Board

“Booster clubs, both academic and athletic, have become an integral part of high school life. At Sonora High School, each booster clubs’ responsibility is to help set the ‘off-field’ tone for its particular sport. This is done by raising the money necessary to cover costs that some student athletes are not able to afford and would be unfunded due to the lack of a school budget. Additionally, a booster club should do whatever it can behind the scenes to increase school spirit.

“The booster club should not be involved with the ‘on-field’ running of the program, nor with the decision to replace a coach, no matter how much money it raises for the program. If it were to have influence in these areas, it could hold the school hostage and ultimately, the school and the program would suffer.”

Russ Ringl, La Habra Heights

“Coaches and booster club members need to re-evaluate their own personal goals and priorities so they will be able to better understand and guide the athletes to meet their potential.

“In most cases, from what I have observed, the athlete is more mature and professional than the coach or booster club members.”

Susan Homberger, Huntington Beach