MCC sports legends’ honored with Hall of Fame
Jeff Moses
Since his hiring as Athletic Director at Mesa Community College, changing the athletic culture at MCC has been John Mulhern’s goal.
Written on the wall of his office is the credo of the athletic department, “Commit to your education, complete your degree and compete with passion.”
It was with these ideals in mind he went to work, creating the Mesa Athletics Hall of Fame which, in its’ current incarnation, can be viewed in the foyer of the Theo Heap Gymnasium.
“My motto has always been, you honor the past to create your future,” said Mulhern. This is why he thinks it’s important that current Thunderbirds know about who came before.
“Four years ago before I got here, the basketball coach (Sam Ballard) said one of his best recruit’s parents said ‘you obviously don’t care about the tradition here (at MCC).'” It seems after a recent visit during Mulhern’s tenure, the problem is almost solved.
Mulhern and Sports Information Director, Todd Bolser, stated there are bigger plans for the hall of fame and the athletic program ranging beyond a spruced up trophy case.
There are plans to upgrade the press box at John D. Riggs Stadium as well as money coming in to fix-up the track in preparation for hosting the 2014 National Championship Meet.
The athletic department is also hoping to build new entrances to Riggs Stadium and the Heap Gymnasium, the latter being the fully upgraded, glass-enclosed Hall of Fame.
Induction into the hall of fame “is not a statistical thing at the junior college level” says Bolser, “because there is such a turn over of student athletes at this level.”
But according to Mulhern, the change in culture is about more than enshrinements and new facilities. “Kids are more focused,” Mulhern says “one of the common threads that we have with these athletes is I’ll ask them what did you do today to commit to your education, and they’ll have an answer for me.”
“Just last week I had an athlete get a copy of his grade check and put it on my desk because he wanted me to see it.”
The athlete was quarterback Vevesi Uta from the Thunderbird football team.
