![Booster Club Co-Chair Ms. Vanessa Withers, Mrs. Allison Dietrick, and Co-Chair Ms. Angela Rashid stand in front of their “Tiger Treats” table. “Parents, players, and fans are excited about [“Tiger Treats”] because it kind of makes Westridge athletics more of a thing,” said Mrs. Dietrick.](https://westridgespyglass.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/IMG_6034.jpg)
The Tiger Athletics Booster Club has now fundraised for Westridge athletics for almost a year. Initiated in the spring of 2024, the Booster Club aims to uplift school spirit and pride with events like Dig Pink games and a new “Tiger Treats” table at home games.
At a school mainly focused on academics, the Tiger Athletics Booster Club is already creating excitement and gaining attention for athletes, but the road to get there was not easy. Before the Booster Club, past Westridge Parent Association (WPA) presidents ran Tiger Club. Tiger Club tried to raise school spirit, but many parents and students wanted more, including former WPA President Mrs. Allison Dietrick.
Mrs. Dietrick noticed an opportunity to build team spirit and fan support when her daughter, Reed D. ’25, Spyglass Website Manager and Designer, began softball in high school. “[I wanted to make] the kids who are playing feel like the Westridge community is behind them and excited to see them play,” said Mrs. Dietrick.
To create the Booster Club, Mrs. Dietrick worked with Co-Chairs Ms. Angela Rashid and Ms. Vanessa Withers who are both parents to Westridge athletes. With the help of then Tiger Club Co-Chair Mr. Tom Kozakowski, Director of Athletics Coach Melanie Horn, and Head of School Ms. Andrea Kassar, they formed a mission statement for the club and got the Tiger Athletics Booster Club off the ground.
Since spring of 2024, around one hundred families have become members by either paying $75 or pledging five volunteer hours. “Our goal is to have Tiger Club Boosters be just a way for families who are interested in supporting Westridge athletics to have a way to help and also to just build connection and community among our athletes,” said Mrs. Dietrick.
On March 4, the Booster Club started selling snacks at Westridge home games called “Tiger Treats.” Snacks like chips and Rice Krispy Treats attracted students across grade levels and brought more excitement back to athletic events. “I’ve noticed more parents and students coming to support sports games, and honestly it’s been pretty nice,” said varsity lacrosse player Avin M. ’27.
The funds raised from “Tiger Treats” will go towards engaging activities and athletic events like team dinners which bring even more school pride. Money raised from the Booster Club went towards the seventh annual Dig Pink volleyball game in October to support breast cancer research. Booster Club members decorated the gym with pink, distributed pom-poms for fans in the bleachers, and purchased pink uniforms, all with the Booster Club money. “They took that to a different level,” said Coach Horn.
“What we want to boost is the spirit,” said Ms. Rashid.
To Ms. Withers, boosting school spirit is important, “so that all of the Westridge students feel even more proud to be at a special school where you can be all sorts of things.”
“When you’re all cheering for the same school team, I think that it makes people feel more positive about school generally,” said Mrs. Dietrick.
In the future, the Booster Club hopes to make an even bigger impact on students and athletes. “I hope that foremost, the Tiger Club builds community, it builds a spirit and a sense of pride with all athletics at the school, no matter what level it is, and I hope that we do at some point make enough money to…give back to the students,” said Ms. Rashid.
