Greetings Members:
Can you believe it? Another year has come and gone, and -- like the rest of the world -- we get another chance to celebrate our players. A new year also allows us to tangibly share our successes and plans for the future with our most valuable resource: YOU. Thank you for your diligence, financial support and time. Allow us to share a few highlights from 2011:
• Continued growth of the Recreation program over the fall 2010
• Addition of SmileStarters as a sponsor for the Fall 2011 Recreation season
• More than double percentage growth of the Academy program from 2010 through mid-year
• Fielded 15 competitive teams
• Successful Supplemental Tryouts in December – with approximately 30 participants
As 2012 approaches, we have a few things to look forward to. Among them:
• Soccer Moms Summit (date: TBD)
• 2012 Spring Fever Classic (May 4-6), which officially replaces the Icebreaker Tournament.
• 2012 Run for the Money (April 21). This will be a great opportunity to support a great cause and raise some funds for our club.
As president, I like the progress we are making. I also acknowledge that while we have had some turnover on the executive board and with the leadership, I believe we are heading in the right direction. Brent Mast, recently appointed as vice president (incoming VP), has been a key addition to our board, complementing Ginger Rowe (treasurer) and Erin Russell, who is our secretary and whose day job as an attorney has been key in keeping us compliant. Our coaching roster remains strong, and we are thankful, in particular, to Tatum Bourque and Jeff Phillips for answering the call for a larger role. Our committees and its members are dedicated – working hard on various initiatives, including raising funds for our scholarships and sponsorship.
We are nothing without our members, of course, and we cannot say enough about your dedication. We appreciate you for paying your dues, and we thank you for understanding how integral these funds are to our sustainability. (As a reminder, the last payment for this calendar season is Jan. 15.) While growth is always the goal, there are many benefits to being a small club, including the opportunity to be involved and play an active role in our success. If you feel you have skill sets that could be advantageous to various committees, please feel free to email us at ExecBoard@GastonUnitedSoccer.org. If you know of an individual -- or a company -- whose brand might make for a fitting partnership, please let us know. We know we have individuals (some new members, some not-so-new) who are chomping at the bit to pitch it. 2012 is the year!
We hope you share our enthusiasm for what's to come in 2012. As a board, we have embraced "Club first!" as our mantra for 2012; there’s room on our bandwagon – you’re welcome to climb on board. Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that, as a NC non-profit, tax-exempt organization under IRC Section 501(c)(3), we are happy to accept any and all year-end monetary gifts to the club.
Again, thank you for your support and dedication to the club. Merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year!
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Mark W. Wright
President | Gaston United Soccer Club
