Go Miners Athletic Foundation — a new parent-led nonprofit seeking Park City School District recognition — is launching a coordinated fundraising effort aimed at boosting support for all Park City High School sports, with a focus on facilities, access and long-term program sustainability. Photo: Go Miners Athletic Foundation t 8.20.23 AM

PARK CITY, Utah — A new nonprofit effort aimed at strengthening Park City High School athletics is seeking formal recognition from the Park City School District, with organizers framing the group as a long-term support system for every sport — not a booster club for one program.

Jess McCurdy, a Park City parent and co-founder of the Park City Passing League, introduced the proposed Go Miners Athletic Foundation at a recent school board meeting, calling it “a foundational investment in our students, our school pride and our community’s future.”

McCurdy told board members she has lived in Park City for 12 years and is “the mom of four boys who have all participated and benefited from Park City High School athletics.” She said the new foundation builds on lessons learned from the Park City Passing League, which she and her husband started six years ago after seeing a need to support youth football development.

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“Since our inception, we’ve raised and donated more than $600,000,” McCurdy said, describing how the league expanded beyond its original format to support other athletic programs, create mentorship opportunities, and give back to the community.

The Go Miners Athletic Foundation, she said, is designed to scale that model across Park City High School athletics — including sanctioned varsity sports and student-led athletic clubs — by focusing on facilities, access, communication, and streamlined fundraising.

“Athletics are foundational. They’re not extra.”

McCurdy said the foundation’s mission is “to strengthen and sustain Park City High School athletics so that all students can participate, build life skills, celebrate school pride, and thrive in a healthy, connected school community.”

“We believe that athletics are foundational,” she said. “They’re not extra.”

McCurdy and other speakers pointed to practical constraints they say limit training and participation: shared spaces, long travel times to train off campus, and the challenges of year-round training in a mountain town. She said families often end up filling gaps on their own.

“This foundation is being created as a strategic, long-term solution,” McCurdy said, adding that it is not intended “to take over and not to replace what’s working,” but to come alongside the district “in organized athletic support.”

Four priorities: facilities, affordability, communication, fundraising relief

Organizers laid out four strategic priorities.

Facilities and capital campaign. The foundation plans to launch a capital campaign that includes naming rights and donor opportunities tied to current upgrades — such as new turf fields and tennis courts — and longer-term projects included in Phase 3 of the district’s athletic master plan.

McCurdy said that the next phase includes “a dedicated indoor athletic training facility, a new gymnasium and enhanced music spaces.” She told the board that the group believes fundraising momentum will be key to moving Phase 3 forward.

Reducing barriers to participation. The foundation said it intends to help fund essentials such as uniforms, transportation, and equipment, with a longer-term goal of lowering the overall cost of playing — particularly for students who need support most.

“We believe no student should be left out because of financial circumstances,” McCurdy said.

A centralized hub: parkcityminers.org. Organizers said they are building a single website for families to find schedules, team news, volunteer opportunities, and fundraising updates across sports and clubs. The goal, they said, is to simplify communication and give every program equal visibility.

A more coordinated fundraising model. McCurdy said many teams currently fundraise independently through separate nonprofits, creating duplicated effort and donor fatigue. She emphasized that, in the short term, “nothing changes,” and teams would retain control of their current fundraising — but the foundation’s long-term aim is to build a shared system that makes larger opportunities, such as grants, sponsorships, and annual giving, easier to pursue.

“We want to help raise more together so that the team-by-team fundraising becomes optional and not essential like it is now,” she said.

Comparing Park City to peer districts

Organizers also referenced other Utah districts that have invested in indoor athletic spaces — including field houses, updated weight rooms, indoor turf, and multi-sport training areas — arguing these facilities support wellness, reduce missed class time, and improve consistency for student athletes.

“These aren’t luxury add-ons,” McCurdy said. “They’re part of a growing recognition that athletic spaces are about much more than competition.”

She argued Park City should hold its athletic infrastructure to the same standards the community expects elsewhere.

“Park City has never aimed for average,” she said.

Governance steps: board representation, 501(c)(3) filing, request coming in February

McCurdy said the group has already reached out to coaches across programs, and she described the feedback as “overwhelmingly positive,” with coaches asking for “sustainability and relief for the pressure of constant fundraising so they can focus on coaching.”

She said the foundation has also established a board of directors to represent each sanctioned sport and recognized club. Not every program currently has a representative, she said, but “every program was invited to participate.”

Organizers said they have initiated the process to become a 501(c)(3), which would allow the group to accept tax-deductible donations, apply for grants, and establish formal transparency.

Next month, McCurdy told the board, the foundation plans to formally request recognition as a component unit of the district — a step she described as essential for aligning fundraising and partnerships.

“Our request is simple,” she said. “In February, we’ll ask for your formal approval to recognize the Go Miners Athletic Foundation as a component unit of the district.”

Board members asked logistical questions about whether the leadership team would remain in place over time and whether a future indoor facility would be limited to district use or include community access. McCurdy said shared use could be explored in alignment with district leadership, including potential agreements and partnerships, and noted it could become a revenue stream if the facility were rented out.

Students and alumni emphasize impact — and the strain of training off campus

McCurdy also shared statements she said came from parents, alumni, and current athletes, focused on confidence, belonging, and preparation for life beyond high school.

“Baseball was a turning point for our son,” said Michelle Stevens, identified as an elementary parent. “It gave him confidence, a sense of belonging, and motivation to stay healthy.”

Sienna Darling, identified as Class of 2024 and “currently at Yale,” said, “Without access to facilities my senior year, I trained off campus every day, but I shouldn’t have had to.”

And Lauren Peterson, identified as Class of 2020 and “currently with Goldman Sachs,” said high school athletics prepared her to “manage pressure, overcome adversity, and put in the work,” adding, “Park City’s investment in sports isn’t just about the game, it’s about preparing kids for life.”

McCurdy closed by framing the proposal as an investment in equity, health, and opportunity.

“We’re not just asking for support for athletics,” she said. “We’re asking for investment in student health, equity, and opportunity.”