Paint the Town Proud - August 2022
Color World’s Paint the Town Proud Hero: Michelle Carlberg-Segers
With the kickoff of school and football season, no other local hero comes to mind more than Michelle Carlberg-Segers, president of the DSISD Booster Club Umbrella Board. Some may not even know that Dripping Springs has an umbrella board, or what its function is, which makes Michelle’s gifts of service even more valuable. When we met to recognize her for her volunteer work that paints our town so very proud, Michelle explained her role as well as that of the umbrella board.
By overseeing the 15 booster clubs for Dripping Springs High, Dripping Springs Middle and Sycamore Springs Middle, the umbrella board ensures these boards and volunteers have the tools and training they need to function and support their sports, coaching staffs and student-athletes.
“Our role is to fully understand all UIL rules and regulations and be available to all booster clubs as a resource for everything involved,” Michelle said. “From buying and selling promotional items and equipment to sponsorship programs to team meals and memberships, it’s our job to guide and ensure UIL compliance.” As a 501(c)3, the umbrella board also handles all the bookkeeping and works with the CPA for filing taxes.
“A major project for the umbrella board is scholarships. It is our responsibility to help ensure that every high school board creates the minimum number of scholarships required each year. For 2022 we were able to provide $64,450 in scholarships, which was a $4000 increase from 2021. And we hope to break this record again for 2023,” she added.
How She Started
When asked how she first got involved in school athletics, she laughed and said, “With two grown children now in their early thirties and two grandbabies, I’ve been doing this for quite a while! I have always been involved in my kids’ activities, so I had experience with my two older kids in the Fort Worth area.”
When Michelle and her husband Jeremy moved to Dripping Springs in 2017 it was only natural for her to get involved with her youngest child Kaitlyn Eiland’s activities which were predominantly cheer starting in middle school. Now her daughter is a senior while Michelle serves her second year of the two-year term as president of the umbrella board. In addition, this allowed her to help with her stepsons’ activities as well, which include football and soccer where needed.
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Her Contributions in Action
“I’ve worked to improve communication between the JV and Varsity programs, made budgeting recommendations for boards needing help and organization, and set up ways for reconciling. This gives each board a roadmap for targeted spending so they will know what they need at the beginning of each year,” she said.
With new leadership every two years, that can be a challenge which is one reason the umbrella board holds meetings at the beginning of each school year, as well as each quarter to go over UIL and District rules, “This helps get everyone started on the same page in their respective roles, and then we are available as questions or challenges arise.” The umbrella board also steps in to assist with any problems or leadership needs involved with the specific boards. Michelle utilizes her organization and budgeting skills to help improve processes to make it easier for the next person who takes on this role. “My goal is always to leave things better than I found them,” she added.
Recommendations for Getting Involved
“It’s all about serving the kids. Everything we do is focused on the kids and the programs. We must be neutral.” She added that the broader a person’s understanding, the better -- in sports and UIL rules, and how businesses will want to be involved. “I recommend to people who are looking at taking on a role like this, or any booster club position, really, is asking yourself if you have the time to give. You must have a mindset of service for students in the district, and not just one student,” she added.
A personal benefit from being involved at this level? “This volunteer position has helped me get to know the coaching staff and the different sports so much more. The more I listen, the more I understand and have learned which has been a big benefit.”
Looking Ahead at Our Growth
There is no doubt that Dripping Springs and DSISD are growing – quickly. With that growth comes new challenges. “One concern is that we get too big and too many hands are involved without the understanding of the past and why things were done the way they were,” she said.
Providing perspective and balanced viewpoints for all volunteers is critical. Michelle added, “There are sacred items that are traditions that we don’t want to lose as we grow, and those are also part of our responsibility to maintain. Like maintaining a small family feel instead of big business.”
When she isn’t working with the umbrella board members which include a vice president, treasurer and secretary, and one of the 15+ sport-specific boards, Michelle finds time to run her own leadership development and coaching business, Carlberg Leadership Solutions, where she works with executives and teams of all sizes.
Michelle Carlberg-Segers -- thank you for painting our town proud!
