The life of a varsity athlete in high school is very demanding. Athletes struggle to weave other commitments around sports schedules, which can be difficult to balance with other responsibilities. But this school year Lane Tech has brought back an old club that might be the key to helping athletes get involved.

Lane Tech has just revived the historic Letterman Club,  to help bring varsity athletes back together as leaders. Mr. Bradish and Coach Wallace launched the club this fall and it’s already gaining momentum. It currently has around 55 members and is only open to varsity athletes.  

The Letterman Club is devoted to becoming a powerful platform for varsity athletes to connect with each other, promote their athletic achievements, and encourage involvement at Lane, according to the club’s mission statement. Three club members communicated that the members have already started stepping up and volunteering at school events.

Senior Riley Coomer, Letterman Club member and an athlete who participates in cross country, track, cheerleading, and basketball, said that the club helps to offer a new way for athletes to connect across sports. She said that through the stress of her senior year these connections have been very beneficial. 

“Balancing multiple varsity sports on top of academics and college applications is not easy, but the club has provided extra support and a sense of connection,” Coomer said. “It’s helped me meet other varsity athletes in a way that I wouldn’t have otherwise.” 

Currently the Letterman Club meets every other week during advisory. This is known as the sports advisory, and on top of working around athletes schedules, this new sports advisory allows all of the members on the club to get to know one another, according to Coomer. 

Promoting leadership is one of Letterman Club’s key goals, Coomer said.  

“The Letterman Club is all about uniting Lane’s varsity student athletes as leaders who promote school spirit, support Lane’s athletic programs, and give back to the community through service and volunteering as well as strength and connections between athletes, Lane and our surrounding community,” Coomer said.

One of the main ways the club has started showing up at school events is by working security at the football games.  

Junior Ainsley Carter volunteered at the Lane Tech vs. Lincoln Park football game, and said she believes that these volunteering opportunities will help her to make connections with the community and other students. Before volunteering at the game she said “I’m excited to get to know the people from the other sports and it’ll also be nice to serve the community in this way, do outreach,” 

”One of the recent opportunities we had was to volunteer at football games,” said Colette Heneghan, a junior varsity volleyball player. “Football games give back a lot of money to the school, so the help of student athletes makes it easier for the game to go on smoothly and for everyone to have a good time.”  

Carter also said she feels encouragement from the club in defining leadership roles in sports.  

“We’ve already been talking about what it means to be part of the Letterman Club and how we can support our school and the surrounding community and become better leaders in our sports,” Carter said. 

 Although the club started in 1938, what is old is new again.  Connections, community, and support are just as important to students now, as they were 87 years ago when the club was founded.  

“Being a varsity athlete on this club helps to ensure that you’re a student athlete who excels both in school and on the field,” Coomer said.

Ireland Costello is a member of Letterman Club.