Week 4

Macker Outreach

Today in class we had two wonderful guest speakers, Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services professor and Gus Macker Hall of Fame member Lori Irwin and Central Michigan University's Assistant Basketball Coach Jeff Smith. They weren't there to talk about themselves or their accomplishments though. They told us about a coach who impacted the lives of many here at CMU. 

Coach Parfitt used to coach Central's basketball team and did it so well his players paid to have a gym on campus named in his honor. His competitive nature and genuine love for people are the two things most people point out when asked to describe him. His story is so powerful that Lori and Jeff had a goal to get through speaking without crying.  

Love is what Coach Parfitt stands for. His love for sports is unparalleled, he the second best tennis player in the country for his age bracket, and is still attending basketball games throughout the Mt. Pleasant community regularly. He also believes in expressing love. Showing affection to the people you care about should never be a hesitation in his mind. Taking the time to listen to others, making eye contact, and remembering names and details are ways to make everyone feel appreciated and Coach has mastered all these gestures.  

We're planning a Gus Macker Basketball Festival and hoping to impact thousands of sports fans who participate. We all can learn from Coach Parfitt's amazing legacy as we progress into new stages of the planning process. We're starting to reach out into the Mt. Pleasant community with events like the Polar Plunge this Saturday. We're jumping as a team to support Special Olympics! Our Launch Party is next Thursday as well and we're expecting a great turn out to help ring in the new Macker season. With our new service inspiration, both events are going to be a huge success!

If you would like to keep up with our class, follow us on social media!

💜 Facebook: CMU Gus Macker

💚 Instagram: cmugusmacker

💛 Snapchat: CMUGusMacker

💙 Twitter: CMUGusMacker

You're also invited to our Launch Party next Thursday, February 23rd! Doors open at 7 p.m, be there or be a spoiled egg!