Aya Abdeen is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Ridge High School for AZPreps365.com

Desert Ridge High School had no continuous volleyball booster club until the summer of 2022. The club’s founders, Tina Abshire, Sharla Fisher, and Jenni Kilpatrick, started from scratch.

According to Fisher, that included a new bank account, approval by the Commerce Department, an application to become a nonprofit organization, and work with Gilbert Public Schools to organize fundraisers and volunteers.

“It was quite an experience,” said Fisher, who noted that though she had been in many booster clubs over the years, she had never before started one. “That was a new experience.”

The Booster Club funds the sports programs’ needs, which include nets and jerseys, and is how the Desert Ridge community connects with fundraisers and encourages the clubs to support them.

Fisher said the purpose of the booster club is to “help the coach and make the experience for the girls the best it can be for them.”

Kilpatrick echoed Fisher’s statement, adding that the purpose is “to support the girls volleyball program and the coaches.”

Abshire has gratitude for becoming a part of the booster club reboot as it gives support to the Jaguars volleyball program.

“I can always say the most significant achievement is becoming one,” Abshire said. “But again, the whole purpose goes back to supporting the program. Being able to provide what is needed without having to go to the girls’ families for additional funds beyond what was expected at the beginning of the season.”

Fisher credits Abshire and Kilpatrick for their contributions to the Desert Ridge Booster Club reboot because of their dedication and their effort into making sure the booster club runs smoothly.

“I can’t imagine doing this without them,” Fisher said. “They have been fantastic at filling in the gaps when I haven’t been able to be there and just taking the lead on things.”

Kilpatrick said that the biggest accomplishment is finding parents that would support the booster club. She also said that it was nice to see the upperclassmen get the support they need and deserve for their hard work and dedication.

“I think the most significant thing is just being able to get a lot of parents involved and supporting the team,” Kilpatrick said. “I think the girls who were like upper-level students had never seen the support before so being able to support them I think that’s been a big accomplishment.”