Whenever the Portage High School Athletic Department needs assistance, it knows that it has a large group of supportive parents to fall back on. The members of the PHS Athletic Booster Club are at the forefront of that supporting cast for Athletic Director Jeff Smith and Assistant Athletic Director Kelly Bermes. Grant Monahan, a Portage graduate and former Indian athlete, has been the President of the Boosters for the past two years.
Monahan’s involvement in the Booster Club started five years ago when his son Tyler, now a sophomore at Benedictine University, was a sophomore at PHS. Grant has enjoyed providing his assistance to Smith and Bermes ever since.
“As the President, I run the meetings, we bring motions to the table, people bring up ideas and we all vote on them. We decide as a group what we are going to spend our money on,” Monahan explained.
When a sport needs help purchasing a big item, the Athletic Department turns to the Boosters for a contribution. For example, the Boosters recently helped the swim teams purchase a new records board.
“We have a group of several families that are active in the Booster Club and we just assist Jeff (Smith) and Kelly (Bermes),” Monahan said.
The club holds its meetings once a month, usually on the first Wednesday of the month, at PHS. Seven to eight families regularly attend the meetings, while many others have donated money to the Boosters.
“We’re looking for volunteers. We have a lot of people who have joined, but we’d like to see more active members other than the families that we have,” Monahan said.
The Boosters implemented a new idea this year when they started selling Booster Brats during football games. The idea, which came from Vice President Ed Bermes, was a success. At this time the club members are selling apparel at basketball games and trying to raise money so that when a team does need a big item, they can give some money to it.
In addition to leading the Athletic Boosters in their quest to raise money and help out the Athletic Department, Grant Monahan also serves as the eighth grade B-team boys basketball coach at Fegely Middle School. He is in his first year coaching for the Warriors along with Brandon Snodgrass, but he is no stranger to being courtside. Monahan spent over ten years coaching Tyler and his daughter Nicki, a junior at PHS, in Portage Youth Basketball. He also coaches Nicki’s AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) team with three other parents.
Monahan’s love of basketball and coaching led him to taking the position at Fegely.
“The reason that I took the job was that I enjoy coaching. I enjoy spending time with kids. It was just something new that I could help out with,” he said.
Monahan’s first season as a middle school basketball coach has been a successful one. The Warriors run has been highlighted by victories for both the A and B teams over Willowcreek in the annual crosstown rivalry games in the PHS gym.
“It was really enjoyable. It was the first time in about 11 years that Fegely beat Willowcreek,” Monahan said. “Coaching the team has been a great experience. The kids have been great. I learn from them like they learn from me.”
When he has a break from coaching, running the Boosters and his full time job at Arcelor Mittal Steel, Monahan enjoys watching sports, getting outdoors and cooking. He also frequently watches his children compete in athletics. Tyler plays football and competes in track and field at Benedictine, while Nicki plays varsity soccer and basketball at PHS. Grant Monahan has, without a doubt, made a difference in the Portage community.