About

For many years, the All-Sports Booster Club has been committed to providing financial aid for all Shawnee Mission East athletic teams and cheerleading by purchasing a wide-variety of equipment. Additionally, the Booster Club helps finance the training and medical coverage for the athletic department. Please help support our many athletic programs by joining the All-Sports Booster Club. As a member, you receive two passes to all East home sporting events. You can read more about us in the history section below, or the FAQ’s, even further below.

To become a member of the Booster Club, download the linked form and mail it in.

History of the Booster Club

The Shawnee Mission East All-Sports Booster Club began in 1968 under the leadership of former Shawnee Mission East Athletic Director – Dr. Art Newcomer. The first President of the All-Sports Booster Club was Walt Hersteiner – a former President of the Shawnee Mission Board of Education. The purpose of the All-Sports Booster Club is to support all sports and cheerleading and to prevent the fragmentation that can happen with many competing booster groups.

Shawnee Mission East is one of the few high schools in the country to reap the benefits of a unique organization designed to support all athletic programs and cheerleading – an All-Sports Booster Club. The Shawnee Mission East All-Sports Booster Club began in 1968 under the leadership of former Shawnee Mission East Athletic Director – Dr. Art Newcomer. The first President of the All-Sports Booster Club was Walt Hersteiner – a former President of the Shawnee Mission Board of Education. The purpose of the All-Sports Booster Club is to support all sports and cheerleading and to prevent the fragmentation that can happen with many competing booster groups.

According to Dr. Newcomer, “While most schools have many separate athletic booster clubs, we just have one All-Sports Booster Club for the same basic reason that we have one PTA. We do not have a separate PTA for each academic department in our school. Likewise, we developed the All-Sports concept so all sports would be equally supported.”

Additionally, according to 2009-2010 athletic director, Jim Ricker, “The All-Sports Booster club makes it much easier to support many of our programs and projects. Securing funding for the athletic trainer, the new trophy case, the state championship banners in the gym, the Lancer Day Parade, as well as a wide variety of other projects would be very difficult if I had to go to 20 different individual sports booster clubs and beg for funding.”

Shawnee Mission East Booster Club Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the history of the SME All-Sports Booster Club?

It was started in 1968 to support all 23 sports & cheerleading. It was one of the first of its kind and is still considered unique in that it funds all of the school’s sports through one budget. Each sport is granted at least $1,200 each year toward its operating budget.

2. What are the benefits of an All-Sports Booster Club?

It creates unity between programs and supports all sports, no matter how many participants they have.

3. What are the prime ways of raising money?

1.) Ad sales in the program printed during each sports season  2.) Memberships

4. Why do we need to raise this money?

District funding along with other revenue sources aren’t enough to meet the school’s athletic needs  A vast majority of district funding pays for transportation,officials, insurance, and state association & league dues  Our other source of revenue is activity tickets & gate receipts. That money goes for individual sports budgets & officials. Officials cost almost $30,000 per year!  The Booster Club more than doubles the district’s funding.  “With the projects funded by Booster Club, our athletes can perform better, perform safer & look better while they are doing it.” – SM East Athletic Director

5. How can someone learn more?

Check out www.SMESPORTS.org, the school’s sports website that is sponsored and supported by the All-Sports Booster Club. It is the best way to be informed about SME sports.