The 2018 Toyota East West All-Star Classic returns to Clarksville, Tennessee at Austin Peay State University’s Fortera Stadium on Friday, December 7, 2018 for the second year. The All-Star Classic is organized by the Tennessee Athletic Coaches Association (TACA) and is made up of the state’s top 88 senior football players who are selected from more than 400 nominations.
General admission tickets are $10 each for ages 3 and up. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. central time. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3.
“Clarksville is thrilled to host the Toyota East West All-Star Football Classic for the second year,” said Visit Clarksville Board of Directors Chairman Tom Kane. “The work from our staff and Austin Peay last year proved to be a very positive experience for coaches, parents, players, TACA officials, and the city and we couldn’t be happier that they have chosen to bring this event back to Clarksville.”
Two Clarksville athletes will have the opportunity to show locals their talent one last time as high school seniors. Inside Linebacker Tyrique Freeman from Northeast High School and Kicker/Punter Zaden Webber from Rossview High School will represent Clarksville on the West team.
APSU Director of Athletics Gerald Harrison is enthused about what that means for Austin Peay. “We’re excited to welcome all staff, participants, and fans back on campus for this year’s Toyota All-Star Classic,” said Harrison.
“To be sure, this is a great event that highlights high school football players across the great state of Tennessee. We are thrilled that we can share ‘The Fort’ with everyone again and look forward to another outstanding event.”
APSU Head Football Coach Will Healy is equally excited. “This is a huge opportunity for us to have these top players see our campus and see the commitment our leadership has to our football program,” he said. “We know these athletes had a great experience last year and we hope to continue the tradition of hosting this premier event in Clarksville and at APSU for many years to come. We are privileged to share this great city with them -- no other OVC site can do that.”
One of those uniquely Clarksville experiences is providing the athletes the opportunity to visit Fort Campbell and interact with soldiers. “We are honored to be a part of this event and look forward to hosting these talented athletes on Fort Campbell. It's a great opportunity to show them what makes Fort Campbell the best soldier and family experience,” said Col. Joseph P. Kuchan, Fort Campbell Garrison Commander.
Athletes, coaches, and family members will begin arriving on Tuesday, December 4 for daily practices prior to the Friday game. College coaches from multiple states will attend practice sessions throughout the week.
“The tremendously accommodating staffs at Austin Peay and Visit Clarksville helped make this event the premier all-star football game in the State of Tennessee,” said Bill Marbet, TACA executive director.
“What a great venue for these young men to showcase their talents. TACA thanks all involved for making this event possible.”
“Beyond the local spending from visitors that supports our local tax base, the greatest benefits are showcasing the fine campus and facilities we have in Austin Peay to these senior students and having both Austin Peay and Clarksville featured on a national broadcast,” Kane says. “That’s priceless.”
“Once again, the City of Clarksville is proud of our community’s ability to attract the 2018 Toyota All-Star Football Classic in December. Clarksville has a lot to offer our fellow Tennesseans, and we look forward to this opportunity,” Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan said. “APSU’s modern Fortera Stadium is an outstanding venue, and Clarksville has the facilities, amenities, and great people it takes to be an excellent host. We appreciate the hard work by Visit Clarksville and APSU to bring this event to Clarksville.”
Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett concurred, “We are excited to have been chosen as the host site for the 2018 East West All-Star game! We have hosted several state and national championship sporting events over the years and always look forward to this event giving people from across our state an opportunity to visit Montgomery County, and for them to discover what a true treasure this community is.”
