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Why The Friends of Acadia Football - History
In March of 2023 a group of over 40 Acadia Axemen Football Alumni from across Canada and the US met at Royal St. Georges College in Toronto, Ontario. This group met to discuss how they could work together as a collective to assist Acadia University and its football team in competing regularly at a national level.
It is well recognized and understood that smaller universities such as Acadia do not have the economies of scale to provide the budgets necessary for their Usports football teams to compete nationally.
There were many results that came out of the March 2023 meeting in Toronto. The biggest result was the agreement that the Acadia Axemen Football Alumni must become more engaged and active in supporting the football program if they want it to be nationally competitive in the future.
For over 50 years of football at Acadia University there has not been one focused or driving force behind its alumni to capitalize on its critical mass of expertise to help recruit, market, communicate, and assist in fundraising (The 4 Pillars).
The Friends of Acadia Football has been established to do just that.
The 4 Pillars
Marketing/Communications - Recruiting - Fundraising - Operations
The Friends of Acadia Football recognize that there are 4 Pillars or areas of assistance that we can provide that will significantly impact the football program. We will outline these 4 areas below and how The Friends of Acadia football are working together to ensure that the football team is supported like no other Usports football program in the country.
Marketing and Communications
It was identified by your Axemen Football Alumni that there was a need for more consistent, engaging, and creative communications about what was going on not only on the football field but as well off the field.
All of the 4 Pillars are inter-related and benefit each other when properly managed and executed.
The Marketing and Communications plan encompasses social media - Instagram - Facebook - Website - Email. The Friends of Acadia Football Executive work diligently to provide creative and informative content for you as alumni.
The plan also includes National and Regional events (golf tournaments, dinners, etc). Establishing consistent and organized alumni communications also allows all Axemen Football Alumni the opportunity to network with each other in business, social, and for our new alumni/grads the opportunity to begin their careers.
We welcome you if you are interested in participating in our Marketing & Communications Committee.
Recruiting
There is a significant and influential network of current and retired high school football coaches across Canada who are Acadia Axemen Football Alumni. The Friends of Acadia Football are working with the current coaching staff to establish a framework/structure to effectively identify and recruit the top players across the country.
Whether it be a player on a current alumni high school football team or a player in your community - it is the goal of Friends of Acadia Football to be proactive and present in the various communities across Canada.
We recognize that it will be important to have more funding towards scholarships and recruiting but it has also been identified that our Friends of Acadia Football network across Canada can be put to better use through a strategic recruiting plan. Whether you are a high school football coach or an active member in your community we invite you to join our National Recruiting Network Committee.
Taking time to attend your local football games and identifying players, assisting in recruiting efforts through attending or organizing recruiting dinners, hosting a coach at your home during coaching recruiting trips are all extremely beneficial to the program.
We will not be out recruited.
Fundraising
One of the biggest challenges facing the smaller university Usports football programs is having the money to compete at the national level. In order for our Acadia Axemen Football program to compete for National Championships it is necessary that our alumni work collectively and strategically to generate the maximum amount of annual funding as possible.
The Friends of Acadia Football recognize the amazing contributions and support that our alumni has made in the past. However it was also identified at the alumni meeting in Toronto that a more strategic fundraising plan is needed to be in place to effectively utilize our critical mass of alumni to generate more donations and funding.
As a member of The Friends of Acadia Football this will allow the football program to have access to significantly more sustainable annual funding than in previous years. By offering you engaging and creative communications, options to purchase exclusive Axemen Football merchandise and participating in National and Regional events, you will be more connected to the current team and your alumni brother more than ever.
There will also be other opportunities to make significantly larger donations if you so choose that are also tax receipt eligible.
It's not about how much you give but more that you are part of the Friends of Acadia Football that matters most.
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Operations
In order to manage and execute the 4 Pillars it was necessary for the Friends of Acadia Football to be established. The group is registered with the Joint Registry of Stocks in the Province of Nova Scotia. By doing so the Friends of Acadia Football are required to have a set of by-laws, an Executive, and an Annual General Meeting. We also have a working Memorandum of Understanding with Acadia University in regards to how and where any and all funding is directed.
All of this information is fully transparent and available for review.
The Friends of Acadia Football is a non-profit, volunteer managed group of former Acadia Axemen Football Alumni. Any and all fundraising goes back to the football team other than basic expenses required to operate the various alumni initiatives.
