On June 22, 2022, the Alaska gymnastics program was officially reinstated. But in the team’s mind, this announcement was ceremonial. For the athletes, Alaska gymnastics had been saved since February 2021 when it received a crucial fundraising extension from the Board of Regents.
The team was practicing off campus because of COVID restrictions, and head coach Marie-Sophie Boggasch described the anxious atmosphere in the gym. “When we received the extension, we were all together, and we had the Board of Regents meeting blaring on the speaker on maximum volume. We were just waiting for that vote, and I think that was the most special moment because we knew that we had a fighting chance again.”
With this extension the Seawolves now had until June 2022 to raise roughly $800,000 and felt more confident in their ability to do it. Even with this confidence, it came down to the wire. No stone was left unturned, as the team had virtual fundraisers, auctions, and merchandise sales. The coaching staff took payroll cuts, and athletes on the team even sold their hair to raise money. With donations ranging from $2 to $60,000, it was truly an all-hands-on-deck effort.
Throughout it all, Boggasch has been the team’s fearless leader. She competed at Alaska from 2013 to…
