HANCOCK COUNTY — Parents of Mt. Vernon and New Palestine high school football players don’t have to be in the stands to root for their sons.
They raise funds, serve meals and organize banquets. They create a culture of support for their young athletes.
They organize that support in the form of booster clubs, and their efforts have boosted further into the postseason with each team’s continued success. Both schools take the field tonight (Nov. 22) for their semi-state games. If they win, they advance to the state title games in their respective classes. Those will be played next week at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
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There are always changes when a new coach takes over a football program. Among the ones Mike Kirschner brought when he started at Mt. Vernon last season were to the booster club, which he took from his days coaching at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis.
“There has to be more than just games and practices to get everybody on board and buy into what you’re wanting to do,” Kirschner said. “The idea is to get enough activities going throughout the course of a year so that the community gets excited, parents get excited, feel involved and connected to the kids.”
Parents are often very involved in their children’s activities when they’re young, Kirschner said, adding a distance grows as they get older.
“The more involved we can keep the parents, the better it is with the kids,” he said.
Amy Shipley leads Mt. Vernon football’s parental patrons — the Touchdown Club. Her son, Shaun Shipley, is a senior on the team.
The Touchdown Club has served the Marauders dinner before Friday games all season and added Thursdays when the tournament started in October. Parents organize pitch-ins in the summer for the inter-squad and father-son flag football scrimmages. They coordinate yard sign and T-shirt sales, decorate the locker room and put together the end-of-year and senior banquets. This afternoon, they’ll line the walk between the locker room and buses to cheer players on before their road trip to Evansville.
“It’s a desire for them to have these special memories on the football field, but also off the football field and to know what being a team is all about,” Shipley said of her motivation for being involved in the Touchdown Club.
When Shipley says “team,” she doesn’t just mean their fellow players, but their football family and community — “that they understand that there’s a lot of people who support them in life,” she said.
She recalled occasions when her son has been surprised by the lengths to which she and other parents go to show their support.
“You can’t understand until you become a parent,” Shipley said. “I love it. I love seeing those boys every Friday.”
She’s not looking forward to all of the extra time she’ll have next fall, after Shaun has graduated.
“I don’t want to think about it,” Shipley said. “I love being there with those kids.”
Sarah Weaver also serves on the Touchdown Club. Her sons, Nate Weaver, a junior, and Russell, a freshman, are Mt. Vernon football players. She teaches at the high school as well.
Weaver helps out with the club by serving dinners and chipping in water and snacks for the team.
“I like to support not just my sons, but all the athletes, because I see many of them in the hallways and I see many of them in class,” she said.
New Palestine High School football’s booster club is the Grid Iron Alliance. Brenda Adams-Turk continues heading the club after her son, football player Justin Turk, graduated last year.
The group organizes fundraisers like a golf outing and discount cards for local businesses known as Dragon Cards. Funds support the football team.
“We work with Coach (Kyle) Ralph anytime that he’s got any needs that we can help support,” Turk said.
The alliance funds equipment and sponsors senior dinners, end-of-season banquets and home-game tailgates.
“We try to do a lot of things to create that community environment,” Turk said.
The club is also involved with the Matt Hayden Award, a scholarship given to football players who exemplify mental attitude, leadership and perseverance. The group sponsors athletes selected to play in all-star games as well.
“It’s really about doing everything that I can to help support all of the football players, whether that’s through equipment or just helping celebrate successes,” Turk said. “…It’s just creating that sense of community and support for the football program.
Ralph said the alliance has a major impact on the team, adding it complements what the school athletic department’s booster efforts provide.
“We’re fortunate enough to have a separate entity like the GIA, where everything they do is put right back in the football program specifically,” Ralph said. “It’s a great advantage to us.”
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CLASS 5A
Bloomington South vs. New Palestine
7 p.m. Friday, Nov 22
Kelso Stadium, New Palestine High School, 4485 S. Victory Drive, New Palestine
Tickets: $10, pre-sale available during school hours in office at the high school
CLASS 4A
Mt. Vernon vs. Evansville Memorial
8 p.m. Eastern, 7 p.m. Central Friday, Nov. 22
Enlow Field, Evansville Bosse High School, 1300 Washington Ave., Evansville
Tickets: $10, pre-sale available 8 to 10 a.m. Nov. 22 in athletic office at Mt. Vernon High School, 8112 N. 200W, Fortville
Broadcast: Live and on demand at ihsaatv.org
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A detailed preview of both semi-state games starts on Page B1.
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