By Tim Simmons
Looking back across more than five decades of marriage – 52 years and counting – my wife, Lynn, and I have been blessed beyond measure to cross paths with extraordinary young people. Our journey in collegiate athletics began in earnest in 1974, when I stepped onto the Fort Collins campus as the sports information director at Colorado State University.
Those early years on the Ram campus remain vivid, filled with the names and faces of dedicated students who poured their energy into our office: Ron Richards, John Schultz, Mike Stratton, Dee Menzies, and Tom Bruny (and I apologize for missing a few others who made that time special for Lynn and me). They were more than students working a part-time college job (not paid, just press box passes and a lunch now and then); they were the heartbeat of our operation, learning the ropes and shaping our department’s culture.
And then, in the fall of 1974, there was Gary Ozzello.
Fresh out of La Junta, Colorado, Gary arrived on the CSU campus as a college freshman eager to get involved. But adjusting to university life is a monumental shift for anyone, and Gary was no exception. For his first three or four months around the sports information office, he earned a lighthearted moniker that stuck: the “shadow.”
Finding his footing took time, and making it into the office on Sundays to grind out weekly releases for Ram football and fall sports proved to be a hurdle. But once baseball season rolled around in the spring of 1975, everything clicked. The pieces fell into place, and a legendary career in collegiate athletics communication and university relations quietly got underway.
Now, 52 years later, the circle comes full circle. Gary and his wife, Joni, were honored on Thursday (October 1) by their alma mater as the recipients of the prestigious Jim and Nadine Henry Award. Presented annually by the CSU Alumni Association since 1988, the award recognizes alumni who exemplify extraordinary service to Colorado State and its academic, athletic, and alumni programs.
For Lynn and me, this is the third former student to receive a prestigious award from a university.
- In 2000, Mike Stratton was a distinguished alumni recipient at CSU. In 2011, he was inducted into the school’s journalism hall of fame. READ MORE
- In 2015, David Plati at the University of Colorado received the school’s Robert L. Stearns Award, which recognizes faculty and staff for extraordinary achievement or service in one or more of the following areas: teaching, service to the University, work with students, research, or off-campus service. VIDEO
It is a fitting tribute to a couple whose lives have been defined by a simple, powerful philosophy. As Gary often notes, reflecting on the wisdom of longtime football coach Sonny Lubick:
“You don’t win with a playbook; you win with people.”
From his early days as the campus “shadow” to four decades of tireless dedication spanning athletics, media relations, senior administration, the President’s office for external communications, and Canvas Credit Union, Gary has lived those words every single day.
To read more about Gary and Joni’s remarkable journey, their enduring impact on the Ram family, and their Homecoming celebration, check out the full feature on CSU Alumline.
