WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP !

Volunteering your time is the single most important contribution that parents, relatives and friends can make in support of the Marshall Statesmen lacrosse team. Much of what happens at the lacrosse games (and virtually everything on this website) simply wouldn't happen at all without the efforts of many volunteers. If you're willing (even if you're not willing, but can be cajoled) to contribute your time, please consider these key activities at the games, helping the website, and the many LAX Boosters Club fundraising activities.

CHECK BACK SOON TO SEE WHAT WE NEED IN 2004

This is our page from 2003... Although I don't have a list of needed help for 2004 yet, this can give you an idea of some of the activities that Marshall Boosters are involved in. Each year, this is what we need:

• GAME-FILM-CAMERA - This is extremely important and helpful to the coaches. Ideally, it's best if we can get a JV parent to film the Varsity games and a Varsity parent to film the JV games. (That way, the parent can cheer and agonize over their own student's progress and not worry about the filming.)
• SCORER'S TABLE - We need three people at the scorer's table (down on the field) for every game:
  • Scorer to keep the scorebook (not to worry - the pencils have erasers! :-)
  • Spotter to help the Scorer identify players
  • Timer to time the penalties
• SCOREBOARD - Run the new scoreboard. (This is not hard - just push a button when the whistle blows :-).
• ANNOUNCER - We know that some might think this is a stretch, but if we don't find an announcer, we may end up doing without! A parent is fine... students are fine, too!
• PROGRAMS - We need someone to sell programs.
• TICKET TAKERS - In addition to the actual ticket takers, we need someone to coordinate ticket-taking at home games (and when that coordinator calls to recruit you, please help!). Usually, we set up a schedule: We need Varsity parents to sell for the JV games (arrive at 5:00 when the game starts at 5:30, etc.) and we need JV parents to sell for the Varsity games. That, of course, allows ticket-takers to sell tickets for one game and watch their own son play in the other.
• BALL BOYS - Need some exercise? Is there a younger brother or sister with WAY too much energy? It may sound like a chore, but the kids who do this get a great view of the game and they usually end up enjoying it. A lot.
• BALL PERSONS RECRUITER - We need a volunteer to be the primary point of contact for arranging ball boys. Or ball girls. We are an equal opportunity needer of people who will chase errant lacrosse balls. :-)
• CONCESSION STAND - We need volunteers to run the ever-popular Five Star Eatery in Jimmy Miller Stadium on game day, and to help make arrangements in advance (scheduling, purchasing, etc.).

WEBSITE

Most of these tasks are associated with reports and photos from individual games:

• GAME RESULTS - I always need the latest scores. Call me at home with the score as soon as the game is over! EVEN IF IT'S LATE! (Calls are fine up to 11:30 PM--honest!) Or send it to me by e-mail. In fact, if you went to the game and you're reading this website now and wondering why the scores aren't up--send me a note! I'd love to hear from you. It's EASY!
• NEWZ & NOTES - The most popular part of a site like this can be the news--the little administrative tidbits for the players and their parents! You know: practice will be a half hour late; the game is a half-hour early; the game has been switched from Away to Home; remember the permission form; remember the fundraiser; whatever. At the end of every practice, at the end of every game, someone closes up with "Don't forget that next week you need to <something or other>" It would really help a lot of some parent would take the job to nag their returning Statesman after every lacrosse event and ask, "So were there any last-minute reminders?" Call me. E-mail me. Send me the Newz! :-)
• GAME WRITEUPS - We don't need a detailed play-by-play story. Just a couple of sentences that maybe point out the trends in the game, or a place where the momentum changed, or an especially important play. Send me what you remember, and I can build the story if you prefer. E-mail is perfect. Whatever you can... please, please and MORE please :-)
• GAME PICTURES - If anyone takes a digital camera to a game--JV or Varsity, or even a practice--please, please PLEASE send me what you get. Don't worry about it not being a "good" picture. Don't worry if it's not "just right." Don't worry if it's too dark or too bright. (Cropping and editing can work wonders ... but ONLY if you send it to me! :-)
  Here's the hidden benefit ... if you're the only one who sends me pictures, and your son happens to be in all of them, guess whose pictures are gonna be on the website! (Work this system--send me your pictures! :-)
• WEBMASTER - Ideally, this should be done by two people. That way, the site is more likely to get updated on time even when one of you is away on travel for some reason or other. Also, you'd have someone to collaborate with when you've got problems and questions. The cool thing is that you get to be View From The Stands. And all e-mail sent to webmaster@marshalllacrosse.org gets automagically delivered to your own personal e-mail address!

LAX BOOSTERS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS

Here are just a few of the many LAX Boosters Club and other team-related activities that need volunteers. We really need your help. Either send an e-mail note to Penny Gentry, or complete this handy form and mail it to her (address and phone are listed).

• SPIRIT ITEMS - We need volunteers to help purchase (and sell) tee shirts, caps, window decals, license plate frames, fence banners, etc.
• COMMUNICATIONS - We need volunteers to help organize and operate:
  • The Parent/Team contact list
  • The Phone Tree/e-mail system for both the team and parents (also known as the Marshall Lacrosse Boosters Emergency Broadcast System®)
  • Act as a Media contact point for stories
  • Report game scores to LaxPower, the Washington Post, Journal, and other local media
• SPECIAL EVENTS - We need volunteers to help arrange Team Events, College game trips, Game-day Tailgate Parties, Youth Clinics, YYI night, etc.
• FUNDRAISING - We need volunteers to help plan and organize Lacrosse Boosters Club fundraisers.

GCM BOOSTERS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS

The George C. Marshall Boosters Club sponsors fundraising activities that support all Marshall sports and activities, not just lacrosse.) And join the GCM Boosters Club, as well! The Registration Form is online.

• CHRISTMAS TREE SALE (Nov/Dec) - The Boosters need parents, students, teachers and coaches to staff the tree lot for this, our biggest fundraiser of the year. Set up. Unload. Sell. Everything. This is usually done through a sign-up schedule and it includes participants from all Marshall teams. Contact Jane Roberts to sign up.
• MULCH SALE (April) - Another of the big fundraisers, this one also needs a lot of volunteer time. Set up. Unload. Sell. Deliver. (And deliver. :-) Like the tree-sale, this is usually done through a sign-up schedule.
• MARSHALL SOUVENIRS - Bonnie Klem is in charge of actually producing the GCM Boosters souvenirs this year, but she needs several people each game to staff the tables where the souvenirs are sold.
• GIANT GIFT CARDS - Maryann Gallagher is in charge of the Giant debit cards program again this year, but she needs volunteers to help her deliver the cards to Marshall supporters who have purchased them.

WEBSITE PART DEUX

I've still got items on the website TODO list that I could really use some help with. It doesn't require any web-development skills (although if you'd like to get involved with that part of it, I could sure use the help). Most of it is finding the content:

• TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL RECORDS - If someone would collect the various statistical records held by GCM teams and individual from seasons past, I'd like to collect them and put them in the "RECORDS" section.
• PRIOR WIN-LOSS RECORDS - Maybe a trip to the school library would give us a list of all prior win-loss records... ideally with the results and scores from each game during each season.
• PRIOR ROSTERS - This one will probably require a trip to the library and a scanner or digital camera. If you can do the legwork, I can turn the scans into text and get 'em up to the website.
• PRIOR TEAM PHOTOS - We only have a tiny start to our collection of team photos (JV teams for '01 and '02). Again, a task like this will undoubtedly require a trip to the library and a scanner/digital camera.
• RESEARCHING STATESMEN LACROSSE ALUMNI - Once we get the prior rosters, we can begin the research to find out who may or may not have gone on to play lacrosse in college or the NFL. This will be a fascinating project, combining very different types of research. Obviously, some part of this research will be very systematic--relying extensively on Internet resources. Another important part of it will be very personal--interviewing school officials, parents, coaches, past coaches, and others who might be able to remember, or provide pointers to fruitful research opportunities.
• ONLINE STORE? - Hmmm. Some of the biggest problems with setting up an online store are the logistics: shipping, credit cards, and returns. Another problem is that you need a server that you can install custom software on (we are not on such a server--not at least for so little cash outlay). And of course, you need to keep the cash outlay low. So it makes sense to outsource. Companies like CafePress may have a model we can use. There are also T-shirt store and decal stores who we might be able to set up with. But such a deal requires that 1) the company be reputable, and 2) that they have experience dealing with this type of click-referral arrangement. This is gonna take some research. :-)

 Support your LAX Boosters Club today! Volunteer and fill out this handy form.
 And join the GCM Boosters Club, as well! The Registration Form is online.