This article was originally published on Gatorzone.com and is reprinted with permission from UF Communications. All photos courtesy of UF Communications.

Rather than take the risk of preaching on her team’s deaf ears about the University of Florida’s soccer tradition, coach Becky Burleigh found a more direct way for her players to connect with past UF soccer players.

All through preseason training and now into the early weeks of the season, letters from Gator soccer alumni, addressed to the current player wearing their jersey number, are coming to Florida’s soccer office.  The current players read the letters aloud to the rest of the team prior to team practices or meetings.

“I don’t think our current players know — or before this knew — how much our alumni follow them; how much they check (Gatorzone.com) for the results; always asking how the team’s doing, and I think it’s important for the current team to know that,” Burleigh said.

Burleigh, the inaugural coach since the team debuted in 1995, has had alumni visit the team before. It’s nothing new to see an old face around the facility here and there. This weekend is a Gator

Soccer Alumni Reunion and various members from earlier teams will be on hand when No. 7 Florida plays host to Jacksonville Friday, Sept. 3.

Last year, she had various alumni host a career-day type fair where former players came in and discussed their jobs and how lessons in soccer were applicable to life.

“That was just a one-time thing,” she said. “I thought this would a better way to be more personal because you’re actually writing to a person.”

It has worked superbly for Burleigh, whose idea allowed former players to revisit their playing days and provided her current team with the reassuring fact that they’re not the only ones baking away in the mid-90-degree heat pursuing national glory.

“In the moment right now, you feel like ‘We’re probably doing more than anyone has ever done here, we’re the only ones going through this,’” said junior defender Jazmyne Avant. “But then you get a letter from somebody and how much into detail they can tell you and remember things, ‘it’s like oh my God, that’s what we do.’”

Enjoy it while it lasts.

Sophomore Holly King’s letter struck close to home, coming from former teammate and No. 10-jersey wearer, Angela Napolitano (2006-2009).

“The letter said how she was in the real world and how in the moment you’re not thinking about how much you want to be here,” King said. “But afterward she’s like ‘I wish I was there with you guys, I wish I was getting run to the ground.’ It’s funny to hear that from her, because she hated it (running).”

While the wave of nostalgia crashes in their imagination and the plea One more game loops through their mind, all the older generations can do is urge the current players to enjoy every minute — even the most grueling ones.

“I wanted to let her know it’s not always an easy road, but when you look back on it you have to see the positives and view it as an opportunity that so many other people would give anything to have,” said Angie Olson (1996-2000), who wrote to No. 21 Kayla Bala.

Olson, whose career was shortened with injuries, including ACL tears in both knees within a two-year span — wrote about how the memories forged off the field were just as important as the ones on it. “Cherish every minute of it.”

Daniela Sanchez (2003-2007) said she heard Burleigh reading Megan McMillan’s (2000-2003) letter to the team and was awestruck.

“That was kind of hard to follow up after,” Sanchez said.

But she couldn’t stand to leave now-No. 7 without a letter.

“That’s my girl because I love the way (Kathryn Williamson) plays,” she said. “I see myself in her.”

Sanchez, who enjoys watching this year’s team and still plays recreationally along with coaching club teams, said she stressed in her letter the work ethic of the team then and how humbling it was to don the orange and blue.

Oh, and dancing was a huge part of her time at UF too.

“We would literally dance before the game, after the game, in the locker room, in practice,” Sanchez said. “We used to get so crunk.”

Fifteen years steeped in Gator Nation lore have been linked by Burleigh’s desire to bring the history of the program directly to her current team.

“I knew it would be meaningful for me,” she said. “I was just hoping it would be meaningful for the current team. It’s had a bigger impact than I expected.”