GREELY HOCKEY BOOSTER CLUB
March 3, 2005 GREELY HOCKEY BOOSTERS MEETING MINUTES
PRESENT: Greg Leighton, Maria Bowden, Paul Godin, Steve Hull, John Moriarty, Jane Shavel, Joel Harris, Don Hawkins, Liz Otley, Scott Pickett, John Moody, Carol Saucier, Sue Blais, John Stevenson, Sue Bisbing, Gary King, Ralph Nelson, Peter Blais.
I. TREASURER’S REPORT
Leighton reported: all ice time has been paid up; very little fundraising money is coming in; the Hockey East trip bus has been paid for; the Cumberland County Sherriff Department donated $1,000 to the girls program; one of the second-place winners in the Caribbean Raffle donated the prize money to the girls program; the cookbooks for that fundraiser have been paid for, but it has not been determined how funds from that fund-raiser will be distributed between the boys and girls programs; and banquet and video expenses will be coming up this month. Stevenson motioned, Bowden seconded. Report accepted.
II. JANUARY MEETING MINUTES
Stevenson motioned, King seconded. Report accepted.
III. COMMITTEES
• Girls Sanctioning Committee - Harris, Hull, Hawkins and Moody reported : the committee plans to come back to the school board later this year with a long-range plan to sanction the girls program as a varsity sport; the committee will reconvene over the next few weeks and invite boys’ parents to also become involved with the sanctioning committee; the girls’ team is among the top squads in the current girls league; the team would like more practice time next season and the sanctioning committee will come up with proposals on how to make that happen; the committee will canvas other girls’ hockey programs to see what they have done in terms of sanctioning; the Maine Principals Association has received letters from four schools seeking varsity sanctioning and needs 10 to make girls hockey a varsity sport; the sanctioning committee would hold the first of several meetings beginning Monday, March 7 with the intent to come before the boosters with more information at the April meeting; federal requirements that the boys and girls programs be equal under the provisions of Title IX do not take effect while the girls program is a club team, but prior to being sanctioned as a varsity team, a plan would have to be developed that would show progress toward equality over a period of five to 10 years; the school board is concerned about legal and funding issues should the girls’ program become sanctioned; and hopes are to have the team sanctioned by the 2006-07 season. Hawkins noted the committee is dealing with Greely Athletic Director Jack Hardy on many issues involving sanctioning and that Hardy wants to see solutions regarding how parity would be reached between the girls and boys programs regarding ice time, funding and facilities. Godin noted that Hardy is less interested in what other school systems have done regarding sanctioning than he is in the specific plan the Greely sanctioning committee develops.
• Cookbook Fundraiser - Otley reported: the cookbook cover has been reviewed and will be sent back to the printer; and the cookbook may not be available for sale in time for the high school team banquets.
• Middle School Dances - Stevenson reported the dances to date have been well attended and profitable.
• Scholarship - Sue Blais reported: the Booster scholarship applications have been distributed to the boys and girls high school coaches who have passed them out to players; Peter Bates will chair the committee again this year.
• Nominating - Godin reported: officer elections will be held in May, meaning a slate of officers must be presented at the April 13 Booster meeting; Harris and Moody agreed to join Godin on the nominating committee that will develop the slate of officers for the president, vice president, treasurer and secretary positions.
• Golf Tournament - Moody reported: Stevenson, Tom Allen and he planned to meet soon regarding the tournament; the annual event is scheduled for Monday, June 27; the format will be similar to the scrambles held in past years; the girls high school team hopes to attract more teams to this year’s event.
IV. PROGRAMS
• Girls Varsity Club- Hawkins reported: the girls team finished the regular season with an 8-5-3 record putting it in third place behind St. Dom’s and NYA; the team qualified for the playoffs.
• Boys Varsity - Godin reported: the boys began the playoffs with a 3-0 quarterfinal victory over Leavitt; the next playoff game would be against York; the status of senior Ben Daigle, who suffered a severe cut in the final regular-season game against Falmouth, was still unknown.
• Middle School - Bowden noted: the middle school playoffs begin March 12; the team finished the regular season in the middle of the pack in the league’s top division; and the team has played very well this season.
V. OLD BUSINESS
• Video Equipment/Boys Varsity - Godin purchased a digital camera, tripod, storage case and DVD/VHS combination player for $713 for the boys varsity. He and boys coach Barry Mothes will coordinate times when the girls program may be able to use the camera.
• Hockey East Trip - Bowden reported: the tickets have been purchased and bus paid for to bring the boys varsity to the March 18 Hockey East semifinals in Boston.
• CBHA Squirt Tourney - Nelson and Bowden reported the Boosters will cover the clock and score sheet during the Casco Bay Hockey Association Squirt Tourney the weekend of March 11-13. CBHA is paying the Boosters $10/game for the 43 games.
• Team Dinners - Godin noted the Foggs would host a boys varsity team dinner the night of March 4. He thanked the Foggs, Bowdens and Spauldings, who have all hosted team dinners this season.
• Boys Banquet - Bowden reported: the boys season-ending team banquet is scheduled for March 24 at Val Halla; several freshmen parents are among those involved in organizing the event; the 8th graders on this year’s middle school teams have been invited to attend; Forecaster sportswriter Michael Hoffer has also been invited to attend.
• Girls Banquet - Hawkins reported the girls banquet is scheduled for March 22 at the Cumberland Congregational Church and that assignments will be developed as the date draws nearer.
• Cumberland Town Rink - Godin reported: Town Manager Bill Shane approached Tom Allen to gauge the Boosters’ willingness to get involved in building an outdoor rink in Cumberland and what should be done with the old hockey boards stored near the maintenance garage; The Common area on Tuttle Road has been discussed as a possible site for a rink; anyone interested in helping develop an outdoor rink should contact Allen.
• Donation - Godin reported a portion of the $200 donation to the Boosters from Pete Maher will be used to purchase a plaque for the varsity locker room in memory of Jon Derrah, a former Greely player who died unexpectedly this winter.
• Spring Midgets - Bowden noted: Greely plans to enter a boys team in the Family Ice Spring Midgets league; play begins in mid-April; the cost for the eight-week season is $1,300 per team; Greely’s team will welcome varsity and junior varsity players eligible to return next season. Hawkins noted the girls program will field a spring team as well, although the league and location have yet to be determined.
VII. KEY DATES
• Hockey East Varsity Trip - March
18
• Girls Banquet - March 22
• Boys Varsity Banquet - March 24
• Next Booster Meeting - April 13 at 7 p.m. at the high school
• Next Middle School Dance - April, exact date to be determined
• Golf Tournament - June 27 at Val Halla.
VIII. MEETING ADJOURNED
Stevenson motioned, Sue Blais seconded. Meeting adjourned.