How It All Started
The original purpose of the club was merely to show support and interest in Brainerd area youth athletics. There were a number of concerns that were important to the original Board. The Board felt that the meetings should take place at the noon hour to avoid many conflicts existing with evening meetings. The Board felt meetings should mainly focus on a report by a coach or sports leader to tell about his or her program, and for that individual to hopefully bring guest athletes to the meeting. It was important to the original Board that the noon hour meetings not be bogged down with business and Board decision making. The original idea was for the noon hour meeting to be fun, short, and primarily centered around a coach and his or her athletes.
The Board made a decision that all business of the club would be conducted at a Board meeting to be held every Friday morning over breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Interestingly enough, these Board meetings have continued every Friday morning at 7:30 a.m. for thirty-two (32) years.
Originally the Booster Club had no goal of giving financial support to athletic programs. In 1986 the club took advantage of the new laws regarding charitable gambling and arranged for charitable gambling for the club in several local establishments. The club has made enormous financial contributions to Brainerd area youth athletics since 1986.
Shortly after the inception of the club, the Board decided to conduct an Annual Golf Tournament. The original intent was not necessarily to make huge sums of money, but mostly to provide a venue for coaches, teachers, and members of the club to get together for a fun golf outing. The golf event has become quite profitable and has helped in raising very significant funds over the years.
It is interesting to note for historical purposes that several who were on the original Board of Directors did have involvement with the very old Brainerd Quarterback Club that had existed for many years in the Brainerd community, but had ceased to exist. Part of the intent of the original Board was to fill this void that was missing without a local Booster Club. The original Boosters Board of Directors consisted of Glen Gustafson, Greg Larson, Pat Smith, Bill McComas, Ron Stolski, Bill Beasley, Tom Larson, and John Pecarich.z