Dear Ozarks Family,

I am contacting you to get your support to move the Ozarks Alumni Soccer match(es) back to the month of August. The significance of this game is not only important to the soccer alumni, but also the alumni as a whole.

While I understand the strategy behind moving the match to Alumni Weekend in April, it served an important purpose during orientation weekend in August. Having the alumni match during orientation weekend became a tradition many alumni looked forward to, as a way to welcome the current students and reminisce about our own time at the university. The soccer alumni returned to play a friendly competition between old and new friends while building camaraderie among the ranks of Ozarks soccer players. The match was held with much anticipation and fanfare, attracting new students, potential students, parents, alumni, staff and Clarksville residents. The soccer match was a great activity for all who attended, and the stands were full. Sports events connect people, whether they are soccer fans or not, and the soccer match was the main event of the weekend. There is an energy to the beginning of the school year. Students want to gather and celebrate school spirit, and events such as this impress upon future students the excitement of being an Eagle. This was an excellent way to market our university.

The alumni matches held in April do not have the same excitement, attendance or importance. The difference is startling. Perhaps it’s due to marketing, planning or promotion problems, but in my opinion, the biggest issue is the time of year. I know for my family, it is difficult to attend the matches scheduled for April—much harder to attend than the August dates.

All I am asking is for your support to bring back the passion, the camaraderie, and love we have for each other and our school. Let’s move the soccer match back to August, and return to Clarksville to welcome the current students with an exciting event. I hope to see you all there.

Sincerely,

Zach G. Boatwright