The Scorpion Booster Club is looking to raise funds to purchase two $600 banners to commemorate the 2025 season of the Sedona Red Rock High School varsity boys soccer team, which took second place in the state with an overall record of 11-4-1, and the middle school soccer team, which won the Verde Valley Middle School Co-ed Soccer Tournament on May 10 with an overall record of 13-2-2.
“Anytime a Sedona team does well in the divisions that we’re in, it’s just so special,” soccer head coach Gavin Shippen said. “With the size of school that we have and the amount of athletes we have compared to most of the other schools we play, it’s real special whenever they have great results. To be able to hang something on the wall that these kids can come back and look at for the rest of their lives [and] that’s something special.”
Shippen, who headed up both of the soccer programs said he is stepping away from the middle school program this year to focus on his company’s online work covering the upcoming World Cup. He said he will return to lead the varsity program in the winter.
“The middle school program had about 50 kids come out to try out, which is amazing,” he said. “So it’s in great hands and the amount of talent that the middle school has is just insane, and I know it’s going to be a great feeder for both of the high school programs for many years to come.”
Historically, the team banners include all the player’s and coaches names to commemorate the season.
“It was a real special season, and I wouldn’t have changed too much of anything,” Shippen said of the boys varsity team. “They’re a real young team, and it’s going to be exciting to see how they develop. It feels like the continuation of a Sedona soccer dynasty.”
Shippen said the championship win meant a lot to the middle school boys and girls players.
“Whenever I was talking to the middle schoolers last year, one of our goals was to win the championship,” he said. “I was telling them that if we’re able to pull this thing off, you guys will have some legacy, and your names will go up in the gym forever.”
The Scorpion track and field program, led by head coach Sean Eicher, is also wanting to update its record banners to reflect the last few years of success.
“There are names that need to be updated. Ramon Betancourt broke the school record in the 400-meter dash — the record was a 50.2 [seconds], and Ramon broke it at state his junior year running a 49.8,” Eicher said. “There are a couple others, too, like Leila Bradley in the javelin.”
“These banners are pretty expensive,” Athletic Director Peter Brock said. “It’s something that’s an additional expense that we have not necessarily budgeted for in the past.”
Eicher said soccer and track and field are the two dominant sports at SRRHS, with soccer accounting for about 12% to 15% of the school’s athletic population and track and field making up just under 25%. This spring, 50 kids are taking part of the program.
“One other effort that we definitely want to try to address, and this may not happen until the summer or later, [but] we’d really like to see some improvements in the award cases in the gym, to help better organize, better display and better present,” Booster Club President Matt Corney said. “From a long-term approach, we want to identify how the boosters can be a bigger part of making sure those things are being maintained, cleaned, and updated as needed.”
One anonymous member also donated $6,800 to replace eight light bulbs in the athletic stadium installed on Feb. 5 and to install new handrails on the bleachers up to the press box.
“Also we are looking to update the ‘Three Sports Scorp’ banner,” Brock said. “Where we recognize kids who have played three different sports … one for each season, fall, winter and spring within one academic year. To recognize them for all of their hard work, dedication to the different sports and just try to keep that inspirational message up there for other kids in the future.”
The next Scorpion Booster Club meeting is on March 4, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Sedona Red Rock High School cafeteria. Visit scorpionboosterclub.com for more information. If interested in contributing, contact the club at (928) 351-1010 or info@ScorpionBoosterClub.com.
