Alumni game brings together ‘one big Sikeston soccer family’

SIKESTON — The Sikeston High School’s 9th Annual Alumni Soccer Game is scheduled and will be held on July 29 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Sikeston Sports Complex. 

Gabe Dement, the boys and girls head soccer coach at Sikeston High School, as well as the head coach of the alumni game, has been coaching high school soccer for 15 years and has been the head coach for 10.

Dement explained that each year, near the start of the summer, he will create a Facebook page and invite people to join in order to participate in the alumni game. 

“I’ll invite all the Facebook friends I have and tell them to invite anybody that I haven’t already invited and those who may not have Facebook, and just try to get a big group of guys and girls out there to play,” Dement said.

According to Dement, the game is co-ed and there is just one game. 

“Usually we will split them up as evenly as we can,” Dement said. “My assistant coach and I will pick teams and try to make it as even as possible and just go out there and have fun.

“It’s a pretty lighthearted and fun atmosphere.”

Jared Boyd, the alumni game’s assistant coach and a 2014 Sikeston High School graduate, discussed why the alumni game is unique.

“It gives us the chance to be able to see people we played in high school with, or previous players,” Boyd said. “Just being able to interact and kind of just have fun with something all of us have played for a long time.”

Boyd added that the alumni game allows former Sikeston soccer players to reminisce and catch up with one another. 

According to Dement, they often have between 30 and 35 individuals come out to play, and  that many family members come out to watch.

“A lot of parents will come, a lot of the guys and girls that have gotten married, their spouses will come out to watch,” Dement said. “Usually there’s a pretty good crowd of people that will come out and watch.

Sgt. Tyler Rowe, public information officer for DPS, according to Dement, will be refereeing the alumni game, and he feels Rowe will be a very enjoyable part of the game as well.

Dement also discussed why he began the Sikeston alumni soccer game.

“I like to think of all the players, past and present, and the whole group of parents is just one big Sikeston soccer family,” Dement said. “I try to just get them back together and to keep them connected with the program.

“The bottom line for me was just a way to get everyone back together, for players to just connect and play.”