The Grant Process
Each year, coaches and captains from all teams and clubs and the L-S Athletic Director are invited to submit requests for funding that will enhance the athletic experience. These requests are reviewed by a subcommittee of the L-S Boosters and the Athletic Director who provides guidance and perspective on the requests that are then brought back to the full L-S Boosters Board for review. The Board reviews and responds to each team request, taking into consideration our guidelines, the success of our fundraising, and past requests made by each team.
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The L-S All-Sports Boosters may consider the following guidelines when evaluating team requests:
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the purchase may serve the team for multiple years;
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the purchase can be shared by multiple teams;
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the Athletic Director supports the request;
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the request is for an item or service that is not (or should not) already be covered by the athletic department and/or school budget.
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Over the years, The Boosters have approved grants averaging ~$50,000 per year and totaling over $1.5 M.
Selected Grants Over The Years
The Annex
In the Spring of 2023, the Boosters began a multi-phase project to significantly upgrade the equipment and space known as "The Annex." This highly functional space is heavily utilized by all teams and clubs for year-round training and includes equipment and space for cardio, plyometrics, speed training, and even collapsable batting cages for the baseball and softball teams to use during inclement weather.
Phase 1 included a thorough exploration of the space with two sports performance trainers (who are also L-S alums) to understand what equipment would be most beneficial to add. Coaches and players were also interviewed to understand their needs and use of the space. New equipment including a full set of dumbells, racks, and assault bikes were added in Phase 1. Phase 2 will include a potential expansion of the usable space. The Boosters have invested over $80,000 in both the LS Fitness Center and Annex over the years.
Vans
Transporting teams to and from events is an important part of the student-athlete experience. Not only do they have to get from L-S to away games and back, but the ride itself is a unique and fun team bonding experience. But transportation has become a challenge over the years with bus driver shortages and rising costs. The Boosters have been able to help ease some of this transportation crunch by contributing almost $200,000 toward the purchase of 9 vans going all the way back to 1991. The vans are in constant use by many of our teams across all three sports seasons. They are even affectionately referred to by their nicknames. Look closely, and you can see the name of each van emblazoned on the side.
Dugouts, Fencing & Infields
For many years, L-S Baseball used Feeley Field (located south of Route 20) as their home field. But that became less of an option in recent times as poor drainage from nearby wetlands made field conditions unplayable until the final home game of each season, at best. This meant the baseball field on the L-S campus needed improvements sufficient to make it the new home for L-S Baseball. This included the construction of dugouts and the installation of a semi-permanent outfield fence that can be set up before the season and removed at the conclusion to make room for fall sports. Recently, the Boosters, in conjunction with Friends of LS Baseball, Friends of LS Softball, and L-S Athletics, invested in infield improvements to the Varsity and JV baseball as well as the Varsity softball fields. The Boosters have invested over $98,000 in improvements to the LS Baseball and Softball fields and facilities over the years.
Stadium Lighting, Sound, Turf & Track
The Boosters have contributed over $200,000 over the years to Myers Field and the surrounding stadium, including funding the sound system that is used by all sports that make use of the venue, resurfacing the track, replacing the field turf over the years, scoreboard installation and repairs, and lighting.
Turf Fields 1 and 2
In 2017, The Boosters contributed to the replacement of the 12+ year-old surfaces on Turf Fields 1 and 2. These fields are in constant use by Lacrosse, Soccer, Field Hockey, 9th Grade Football, and many youth teams who rent time on the field. The Boosters have also contributed to equipment that allows L-S Building and Grounds to clear the fields of snow in the early Spring allowing our teams to practice outdoors even during years when we receive a late and heavy snowfall.