A busy weekend of athletic activity at the University of Missouri-Rolla will include promotional dates to honor those who work at the university and to honor the soldiers serving our country.
Friday will be UMR Faculty and Staff Night at the athletic venues, where the soccer teams and volleyball team will be in action against Drury University. All university employees will be admitted free to the soccer games with their staff I.D.; admission to the volleyball game will be $1 off the regular admission price.
The soccer teams will host a doubleheader with Drury starting with the women’s game at 5 p.m.; the men’s contest will follow at 7:30 p.m. In addition, the UMR volleyball team will play its first-ever home match Friday night at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, it will be Fort Leonard Wood Appreciation Day at UMR, which is being sponsored by UMR Corporate Club member Fidelity Communications, as the cross country, volleyball and football teams will all host events. All individuals with military identification cards will admitted free to the volleyball match with nationally-ranked Rockhurst that gets underway at 3 p.m., as well as to Saturday night’s 6:30 p.m. football game with the University of Wisconsin-Stout.
A fireworks show during the halftime intermission of the football game will be included in the activities Saturday night.
A group of at least 200 soldiers are expected to come to Rolla from the Fort Leonard Wood base for the games, including Brigadier General Jack Sterling.
“This is a day in which we want to recognize the courageous men and women of Fort Leonard Wood and all of those who are or have served our country,” said UMR director of athletics Mark Mullin. “UMR is proud of the outstanding relationship with Fort Leonard Wood and we encourage the Rolla and campus communities to come out and show their support.”
The cross country meet, which starts at 10 a.m., Saturday, is free of charge to all spectators. The UMR soccer teams will also play Sunday against Rockhurst with that doubleheader getting underway at noon.
I have very little connection to UMR, except that my brother was one of the soldiers who showed up for the football game Saturday night, and definitely appreciated the efforts. I know there was significantly less turnout than expected, and even though I have no connection or control over who attended, I feel bad. I hope that the organizers and sponsors don't let the poor turnout this year discourage them from future military appreciation events.