HOSTING A TOURNAMENT TAKES A TRUE TEAM EFFORT

Last week’s Southland Conference Baseball Tournament, in my opinion, was a success, despite Northwestern State not qualifying for the event.

The employees of NSU and volunteers around the community made sure of it.

Fans and media from the visiting teams, and even players and coaches, commented on how well NSU did hosting the tourney, especially since the Demons were not part of it. Most said that we went all out when we could have just gone through the motions.

A lot of people stepped up in areas where they may have not been familiar.

For example, Wednesday’s first game was halted for nearly three hours due to rain. After the rains stopped, the field still needed to be tended to as pools of water stood in the outfield.

Demon coaches, aka tournament grounds crew, Mitch Gaspard, J.P. Davis, Jeff McCannon, Troy Moock and Bobby Barbier began working on the field while other staff members joined in, including director of athletics Greg Burke, compliance coordinator Dustin Eubanks, facilities director Chuck Bourg, marketing director Ryan Holloway, director of development Will Broussard, athletic trainer Ed Evans, Demon fan Patrick Korn, yours truly, and probably several others I can’t remember right now.

Once the slate of games resumed, fans were treated to an atmosphere many have not experienced at their own home ballparks.

Marketing intern Brian Seiler operated the music and sound effects, student SID Fletcher Jonson did the PA, while the almighty Coach Black handled the scoreboard.

More people behind the scenes that helped make the tournament a success… ticket manager Zach Williams, associate AD Donnie Cox, athletics administrative assistants Liz Yeaman, Allison Cadwallader, Geri LaCour, Ronnie Pellegrin, SID Doug Ireland, student SID Matt English, business manager Roxanne Freeman, personnel from all the other sports in the athletic department and from other departments on campus, David and Davey Antilley, and many more I’m sure I’m leaving out.

And who can forget NSU student and super fan Scotty Dawson. Scotty captured the fans hearts with his boisterous cheers and his very own “Scotty Dawson Jam Session” each game. Fans would clap along to his dancing, giving him standing ovations when done. He even had some peaks from both dugouts as the competing players watched and clapped along.

Putting on a league tournament is a lot of work, but when the total team chips in, success will always be the result, no matter what the scoreboard says.