Message from the Booster Club President:

By Paul Gideon

OSU Varsity Rifle Team Booster Club

President's Message

September 2008

This fall quarter marks the start of the 88 th season for the OSU Varsity Rifle Team.

When the Booster Club board met at Converse Hall on August 29 th , the range had both the look and feel of a new home with all the contractors racing a closing deadline. Coach Cherry, with able help from Jeff Naswadi, had emptied the rifle section of the claustrophobic arms room onto a third of the range floor. Around the fringes, they were painting and assembling sets of lockers. As they finished each set, they wrestled their plywood gorillas into the far corner of the arms room, hoping all their efforts would reduce the chaos and clutter that every alumnus remembers from his or her days on the Varsity Rifle Team. With the new team reporting around September 14 th , Coach Cherry is aiming to have order restored so the team can start practice right away, knowing that their first contest at West Virginia University is scheduled for October 4 th .

While I'm pointing out major time markers, I have to extend a huge note of appreciation and thanks to Coach Pat Cherry as he starts his 20 th season with the OSU Varsity Rifle Team. When he assumed this position in the fall of 1988, Coach Cherry already had an extensive resume of coaching juniors, hosting indoor and outdoor smallbore rifle matches, and serving as president of the state association.

During his tenure at OSU, Coach Cherry has steadily improved both the internal and external environment for his team in the face of increased challenges and complexity. It was Coach Cherry's idea to start a Booster Club, not only to promote the team but to support its continued existence. It was Coach Cherry's vision to host the 2001 NCAA Rifle Championships at OSU, which highlighted to the national shooting community that OSU still had a viable varsity program. Even with much more stringent eligibility and compliance demands, Coach Cherry is ushering in the era of scholarships for promising applicants. As we speak, he is working with the OSU Athletic Department on a dream of a match facility with electronic targets and much more spectator-friendly viewing areas. Most importantly, Coach Cherry has positively touched a couple generations of OSU student/athletes.

As we start this season, the Booster Club also begins our 12 th year of operation. The seven member Booster Club board and Coach Pat Cherry continue hold meetings about once every six weeks. Booster Club members are welcome to attend these meetings, with the next one scheduled for Friday October 24, 2008 at 7:00 PM in Converse Hall Room 043. If you prefer to stay in touch by cruising the internet, you can visit us at www.osurifle.org which is maintained for the Booster Club by trustees Perry Jooss and Todd Lucal. If you have any questions or concerns not addressed by our website or these newsletters, please feel free to contact me directly at pgideon@embarqmail.com

As always, help us to support our Buckeyes as we begin the 2008-2009 shooting season.

GO BUCKS!