Behind the scenes, Lady Falcon Parent Club helps power a winning season

Everyone needs a helping hand from time to time. We all need support. Take for example the Lady Falcon Parent Club, which provides support on and off the court.

“It goes back to the old saying, ‘It takes a village,’” said Ashli Shay, who’s been the head Cedar Crest girls’ basketball coach for three seasons.

“The girls know the coaches support them and their parents support them. When we work together it helps everyone. Our players are all self-motivated kids. But when you know you have support, like ‘when I’m struggling with something I know there’s somebody there to help me out,’ it adds an extra layer of confidence.”

“I do think it enhances the experience, but it can also help them play better. We’re helping them put good food in their bodies. We do things with them that involve recovery. A body that’s taken care of is going to perform better than one that’s not. They (members of the Lady Falcon Parent Club) absolutely help us perform better.”

The Lady Falcon Parent Club is an athletic booster club that performs its good works behind the scenes and provides services to members and coaches of the Cedar Crest girls’ basketball program that aren’t covered by the school district’s athletic budget. In many ways, those efforts are an extension of the booster club members’ parenting skills and a way for them to connect with their kids on a different level.

During the recently completed season, the majority of Falcon players’ parents were involved with the efforts of Lady Falcon Parent Club in one form or another.

The parent club meets regularly, mainly on Monday or Tuesday evenings in a classroom at Cedar Crest High School.

“They play a huge role,” said Shay. “They’re like a support system behind the scenes. They’re not only at all of our games cheering for us, they make sure all the girls have everything they need.

“I think they want their kids to have a very good experience. They’re super supportive of the program. Basketball is a grind, and it can be a long season. When we go to them (the parents), they rarely say ‘no.’”

The parent club raises money by soliciting donations from local businesses and through traditional fundraising methods like lottery tickets. The booster club also assists with the Cedar Crest girls’ basketball developmental summer camp and an in-season foul-shooting initiative where players receive sponsorships, and the proceeds are donated to the Ronald McDonald House.

“I would guess a pretty large majority of athletic programs have booster clubs, but the way they’re run varies from district to district,” said Shay, herself a former player. “I think people who have had a kid in high school sports know about parent clubs. A lot of them have been working together because of their kids’ participation in other sports. Working together like that, they have very good relationships. They really work well together, they genuinely like each other and they’re happy to work together.”

The booster club’s efforts provide members of the Cedar Crest girls’ basketball program with team meals, team bonding experiences, healthy hydration and snacks for away games, t-shirts and travel suits. The club plays a key role in the staging of a post-season team banquet where gifts are presented to senior players.

“As an adult, I think sports is one of the best lessons of life that kids can experience,” said Shay. “The life skills you learn from it help shape you as an adult. You learn responsibility, discipline, a work ethic and how to work with others.

“You see so many stories today about kids having bad experiences, like no one getting along. With our parent club, we really do work well together behind the scenes. I think it shows the girls that we can all coexist, and you can all have a great experience.”

Certainly, the efforts of the Lady Falcon Parent Club don’t go unnoticed within the confines of the Cedar Crest girls’ basketball program.

“They’re bright kids,” said Shay. “They understand the time and effort their parents are putting in on the fundraising side of things and the organizing side of things. They absolutely appreciate it. You can see it on their faces. They get to reflect on it like, ‘Hey, this has been a pretty cool experience.’ They know things take some work.

“I think it will continue to open their eyes as they get older. They’re not the kind of kids who will go up to people and ask for the things we’re providing.”

In one form or another, the support provided by the parent club positively influenced Cedar Crest’s 2025-26 campaign. The Falcons went 14-12 overall, were co-champions of Section One of the Lancaster-Lebanon League, and reached the Lancaster-Lebanon League championship contest.

“I was proud of their efforts,” said Shay. “Do we wish there wasn’t a ‘co-’ in front of the ‘champions’? Obviously. But we’ll take it. We’ll always be proud of it. It was a successful season. We knew there were going to be bumps along the way, but overall, I thought it was a great learning experience. We’re really excited about this group.”