Grid Club strives to boost Jefferson football program

• Football practice

Sophomore Jake Bear took the handoff from quarterback John Vogeler during an Alexandria practice last Tuesday morning. (Photo by Eric Morken)

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The lights. The adrenaline. The ball, soaring along its arched trajectory. The catch. Then, the roaring crowd.

Football.

Behind the glorious game stands the Grid Club.

The Grid Club, or the booster club for the Jefferson High School football team, is a two-pronged enterprise. Not only does it raise money to put more wins in the record book, but it also works with parents to make the players’ experience memorable.

Mike Peck and Kyle Diekman are the current co-chairs of the Grid Club. Peck has a son, Mitchell, who will be entering his junior year of high school, as well as his third year on the football team. Diekman had a son on the football team years ago and is still very passionate about the football team.

The Grid Club was started in the early 1980s, making it approximately 30 years strong. It raises money by selling memberships to the football program.

Though members are primarily parents of the players, there are also many parents of former athletes and members of the community with no ties to the program. They simply want to support the team.

There are three different levels of membership, with prices ranging from $75 to $225. All levels include season tickets, and, depending on the level of membership, other premium gifts like sweatshirts, stadium seats and lanyards.

The money earned from these memberships goes directly to improving the football program.

The exact allocation of funds is determined by what the coaches believe the team needs that year. Generally, this goes to equipment, new coaches, scouting, and travel.

The memberships also improve the athletes’ experience.

“We want our kids to have good equipment so that they’re safe, but we also want them to have a good experience,” said Peck.

The members of the Grid Club attend games, showing support for the team. Many even trek to the away games.

Peck says he hopes to raise awareness of the Grid Club: He wants residents of Alexandria to know there’s an opportunity for them to support the football team.

He also realizes that many other sports are fortunate enough to have booster clubs similar to the Grid Club.

If interested in joining the Grid Club, contact Mike Peck at (320) 808-5730 or (320) 763-6644, or Kyle Diekman at (320) 762-0309. Another option is signing up at the first home football game, Friday, August 31 at 7 p.m. at Citizen’s Field. There, they will have a table set up.

Tags: local news, grid club, alexandria sports, news, football