Portland St. Patrick Catholic School

The Athletic Association was formed in 1951 when St. Patrick’s High School opened its doors. The organization’s original duty was to raise the money necessary to operate the Shamrock athletic program, and its members have never veered from that goal. Currently the athletic budget runs over $100,000 per year, and every penny of it is raised by this group. Other than the Father Flohe Foundation, the Athletic Association is the largest revenue-generating group in the parish.

The income for the athletic program comes from these sources:

• The Annual Fall Festival held the second Sunday of October
• The Shamrock Auction held the third Saturday in April (The proceeds of the auction are split 50/50 with the school.)
• The Shamrock Sport Raffle which features four drawings each month
• Gate/Door Income at games
• Sale of concessions at game
  

The officers of the Athletic Association are:

Dan Lawless, President
Theresa Kmetz, Vice President
Neil Miros, Secretary
Amy Smith, Treasurer

Feel free to contact any of them if you have questions or concerns.

Though there are many groups, who do many things at St. Patrick’s, few of them are as much fun as the Athletic Association. There are approximately 20 active members who meet on the first Sunday of the month at 9:00 a.m. in Room 202. (You can enter the school through the center doors on West Street, which will be unlocked shortly before the meetings.) Membership is open to all St. Patrick’s parishioners over the age of 18. Members who attend eight meetings a year receive a complimentary season pass which allows them and their families to attend all home games free of charge. You are encouraged to stop in at a meeting or two to see how things are done. Hopefully, you’ll decide to keep coming back!

Dear Parents, Students, and Friends of St. Patrick School,

The following report will bring you up to date on the state of the Athletic Association and our Shamrock athletic program.

WHO IS THE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION?
The Athletic Association is the group that provides 100% of the financial needs for St. Patrick athletics. No money from the parish or the school is used to support the Shamrock teams and athletes are rarely asked to cover any of the expenses associated with the program.  The Athletic Association provides funds for football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, track, golf, bowling, and competitive cheerleading.  In past years, the Athletic Association has also provided financial support for the Shamrock Quiz Bowl team. 
The group does much of its work behind the scenes, doing much more than just raising money.   You may have noticed members of the Athletic Association at our home sporting events?  They are the ones who clean up after football and basketball games; they are the ones who coordinate the sign-up sheets for gate and concession workers; they are the ones who help with maintenance of the gym and field.  “They” are you. “They” are us.  According to our bylaws, every member of St. Patrick Parish is automatically a member of the Athletic Association.  By attending meetings and becoming involved in the activities, you can become an active member!

CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP
2008/2009 was an incredible year for St. Patrick School and athletic program.  We began the school year with a new principal, Mr. Randy Hodge, who made many positive changes to our academic programs and revitalized the spirits of our children and school staff.  We also began the school year with a new athletic director, Mr. Pat Russman.  Pat had some big shoes to fill and he did, indeed, fill them.  Pat has done a remarkable job of scheduling ALL of our games and lining up ALL of our officials.  With the change of seasons for many sports, this has been challenging, especially during basketball season. 

If you have any doubt about how hard these two men work, go to the school anytime day or night and you will most likely find them there.

2008/2009 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Last fall, St. Patrick School was the recipient of a brand new school bus.  This gift was donated by the Athletic Association, who paid 100% of the cost.  Many years of saving and hard work by this group made it possible.  New federal regulations meant that we sadly had to retire the Pickle, the well-recognized green bus that had served us well since 1993.  There are many years of fond memories involving the Pickle. 
The 2008-09 school year also found the Athletic Association members hard at work doing the following activities:  Painting the gym, gym entry, gym rest rooms and stage area; repairing the gym ceiling; cleaning and sprucing up the locker rooms and stairwells; repairing and upgrading fixtures in those areas; painting the dugouts; and maintaining the baseball field.   These projects were undertaken on weekends and during school breaks.

NEW PROGRAMS
Because we saw a need, the Athletic Association agreed to fund some additional programs for younger students.  During the 2008/2009 school year Junior High track was added to the athletic program, and this year we will bring back Junior High football and will add  a 5th and 6th grade football team.

ACADEMICS, SPORTSMANSHIP & CHARACTER
Our Student Athletes continue to set the standard for academics, sportsmanship and character.   It is not unusual for our coaches to receive complements from opposing coaches, parents or officials on the character and sportsmanship that our student athletes display on and off the field.  Our student athletes also achieve among the highest GPA’s in the state.  All of this is a reflection of the commitment and dedication of our parents, teachers and coaches.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
1) Join the Athletic Association.
2) Help work at our major fund raisers (Fall Festival, Shamrock Auction, and Sports Raffle).
3) Help with game-day activities (operate the clock, clean up after the event, sell concessions, work at the        gate, etc.).
4) Work on field and facility improvement projects.
5) Buy and sell the raffle tickets for all our fund raisers.
6) Buy an Athletic Sports Pass and attend as many games as possible.

The best way to get involved is to become a member of the Athletic Association and attend our meetings.  This is a group of hard working, dedicated people, who also have a lot of fun.  Many hands make light work.  Meetings are usually the first Sunday of the month at 9:00 am, currently in room 202.  You can enter the school through the middle doors on West Street.  Our meeting schedule is posted on the school web site.  Anyone who attends 8 or more meetings in a given school year will be awarded a family pass for the following school year. 

THANK YOU
Thank you to outgoing Athletic Association President Tony Thelen for his leadership the past two years, Tony will continue to work as an Athletic Association member.  Thank you to outgoing Athletic Association Secretary Kaye Sandborn for her dedication the past two years.  Thank you to the entire Athletic Association for their hard work this past year.  With a budget of approximately $120,000 this group puts in a LOT of time.  What other group can generate this type of income without being noticed?  Thank you to all the coaches who selflessly give their time to teach and coach our children.  Thank you to all of our dedicated teachers who work with our student athletes as they balance academics and sports. 
Thank you to everyone who supports St. Patrick athletics. Feel free to contact me by phone (517-647-1709) or e-mail (lawlessdd@gmail.com) if you have any questions or concerns.

Dan Lawless
Athletic Association President

August 2009
September 2009
October 2009
November 2009
December 2009
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010