The Aptos High Sports Foundation was created in 1979 as a non-profit organization for the sole purpose of improving the sports facilities and after-school athletic programs at Aptos High School. The original founders were Dean Weise, Smiley Verduzco, Joe Callahan, Joe MacEnerny and President Paul Bailey, and they established it as a Foundation separate from the high school to allow for more flexibility in fundraising and donations. Over the years the Foundation has raised and donated funds, materials and labor totaling more than $5 million toward those improvements.
The Foundation operated informally for many years, but in 1995, due to the growth of the Foundation and the funds it raised, the Foundation was incorporated (see attached Articles of Incorporation). It applied for and was granted, tax-exempt status with the California Secretary of State. In 2005, the Foundation additionally applied for and was granted, tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service (see attached notification letter and By-Laws). The Aptos High School Sports Foundation annual federal and state tax returns are current.
The Foundation currently has two established fundraising events: an annual golf tournament in the spring and an annual poker tournament in the fall. Much of our success has been due to our ability to reach out to individuals, businesses, and private industry to support our projects. An example is the "Trevin Dilfer Memorial Field", which was completed through a very generous donation by Aptos High alum Trent Dilfer, and with other donations from many community organizations.
Our past projects include lights in the stadium and lights at the pool, the all-weather track, the turf football/soccer/lacrosse field, improvements to the baseball and softball facilities, benches at the tennis courts, and the all-purpose grass field at the school’s entry. The Foundation also purchased and installed the digital marquee at the entrance on Freedom Blvd, and, partnering with the SC Warriors, installed the large video display board in the gym. Other donations include too-many-to-count uniforms, balls, nets, tackling dummies, and more.
Our next step is to take the Aptos Sports Foundation to an even higher level. Our vision is to continue to improve the facilities and after-school sports programs throughout Aptos in order to put AHS on par with any other school in the state, public or private. For all of our student-athletes, we want to develop an Athletic Program that, year in and year out, rivals the best programs anywhere.
A key vehicle to accomplish this vision is the creation of the ASF Endowment Fund. We have established relationships with the school district, alumni, and the community of Aptos that we can now utilize to develop this fund under the umbrella of the Aptos Sports Foundation. There is now an alumni base reaching back to the first graduation class of 1970, and every year since. The relationships and credibility created through the years are giving us a platform to develop the Endowment Fund and grow the impact of the Aptos Sports Foundation. We hope that our alumni, who fondly look back and attribute many of their successes in life to lessons learned, and friendships made, during their participation in AHS after school sports, will give back.
We know there are many individuals, families and current residents of Aptos who would like to give back to the Aptos community and keep kids involved in quality afterschool athletic programs, through the continuing assistance of the Aptos Sports Foundation. Many already have, and we thank them.
