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Florida Atlantic University Athletics
All Boats Rise
1/9/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
October 23, 1999
Boca Raton News
A rising tide lifts all boats. The wave of enthusiasm for Florida Atlantic Football is fueling tremendous growth in Owl Fund boosters and fans of the heart. The promise of the Big Bad Burly Birds is raising the level of awareness, capital infusion, and enthusiasm for all 15 sports, most particularly women's sports.
At the outset as the Founders were being assembled for football, Hooter's of South Florida generously pledged $200,000 to women's athletics, affecting matching funds from the State of Florida to ultimately produced $400,000. This became the largest gift for women's athletics in FAU's history and perhaps the largest in the state. At dawn, boats began to rise.
Early in the game, a booster group named The Owl Fund was put in to place, staffed and heavily supported by the fledging football program. The formalized Owl Fund instantly enhanced the efforts of parents and friends of individual teams. Both old and new supporters of FAU athletics funnel their emotional and monetary efforts toward teams of choice.
Under able direction of President Anthony J. Catanese, Vice President Manny Newsome and Athletic Director Tom Cargill, FAU has been exemplary in not only complying with the letter but also the spirit of Title IX rules. Always having at least one more women's sport than men's, they stay on the plus side of women's sports. With football, men's sports increased by one. Simultaneously, women's sports was increased continuing to keep FAU on the positive side of the ledger. And boats continue to rise.
The Tom Oxley Athletic Center, perhaps the first totally coeducational athletic facility in our land, will open its doors to all athletes in August, 2000. A locker room and offices will house three women's teams and their coaches. This 57,000+ square-ft. 2-story building, with an economical $8 million price tag, will ensure of equal facilities for both genders for the next 20 years.
Academic, medical, strength and conditioning centers, meeting rooms, along with office space will be shared on equal basis by all athletes and coaches. Even the teams not housed in the Oxley Center will have access. FAU's nationally recognized Cheerleaders and Dance Team will avail themselves of this facility, thus easing their search for places to meet and train. The Tom Oxley Center will be a great benefit to each sport in the competitive recruitment of athletes, coaches, and other staff.
Countless marketing and advertising benefits include "Radio Free FAU" which hit the airwaves in August, 1998. Our weekly radio show features every sport, their athletes and coaches. Three half-hour television shows herald the existence of our teams. Sports Digest, FAU's nationally acclaimed sports publication, is the clarion voice and archive of athletics.
Most important, football has become the rallying point for each sport. Individually and collectively, it ignites athletic spirit and school pride. Football establishes the forum for fans and athletes to develop camaraderie. Our events provide athletic teams the opportunity to show their best to the community and conversely.
And all boats rise.
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