There are many factors that go into a successful after-school activity, whether it be the number of attendees, the advisors or the time a group meets. There is one important factor, however, that many people fail to remember: funding; it is what supplies extracurriculars with all of the equipment and accessories they need to be successful.
Unfortunately, many after-school activities around the globe fail to acquire the funding they deserve. This applies to the crew team at Malden High School, which has recently begun to fundraise for a more… comfortable season.
Coach Tiffany Cane elaborated on this, explaining that the team’s boathouse has been neglected for the past two years since they “were unable to participate due to water conditions.” As a result, “many items from around the boathouse have become [unusable]. Many boats have holes or tears, [are] missing motors, and [have] structural damage.” On top of that, the floor of the boathouse was covered in trash.
“We currently have no motor for the big boat,” Coach Kevin Isaza added. The team is also in need of new uniforms, the ability to repair items and new racing equipment. It is important to mention that crew is a very expensive sport because of the equipment involved, in comparison to a sport like track which may only need new uniforms each year.
Crew member Ethan Dong, who has been on the team since freshman year, remarked that “a lot of the rowing machines are dead, so practice isn’t as efficient as it should be.” Dong has done field hockey and soccer during his high school career, and he admitted that “the crew team’s need of funding is worse” than he has seen.
“Our motto this season has been to ‘work with what we have,’” Cane sadly admitted.
In need of a change, the team turned to a fundraising platform called SnapRaise, which had proved successful for the girls’ soccer team years prior. It is an online website that helps many different clubs, organizations, sports and other causes raise money. The team has printed over 400 copies of the QR code for people to scan and donate to the cause.
In an attempt to spread the word across, the coaches have been in touch with major outdoor industries, such as Helly Hansen. Cane stressed that “every dollar counts, and it takes everyone’s participation to make this work.” She encourages the team to work together and leave flyers around the school, talk to their friends and teachers about the cause and maybe even spread the word on their social media. Isaza added to this, vocalizing “the importance of getting emails and placing the message across” that the team is in need of these supplies.
Even with the team’s financial struggles, Dong still finds joy in being on the crew team. He emphasized that “everyone gets close with each other,” and that “it’s a great way to exercise.”
The future looks bright for the crew team, as the coaches will be meeting with the design team this week to discuss the plans for the new boathouse, and will hopefully see the building process start this summer or next year!
