On Monday, August 1, the young athletes of Starkville were surprised with a visit from members of the Mississippi State University (MSU) football team. Players Rufus Harvey (a Starkville native) and Jake Weir (a Tupelo native) showed up at the Starkville Sportsplex, managed by Sports Facilities Companies (SFC), to wish the kids a happy and safe start to their flag football season. They also spoke about their future (in school and sports), signed autographs, and helped the Starkville Parks & Recreation staff hand out promotional material. Many of the children were fortunate enough to have their pictures taken with the players.
Everyone at the flag football practice was thrilled about the MSU players coming for a visit. Harvey plays wide receiver, and Weir is a quarterback at MSU. Parents and grandparents of the children wished the MSU Bulldogs a successful season and thanked them for coming out to the fields to support the younger generation.
"Football season is a big deal in Starkville, regardless of skill level. We want our league participants to set their sights on the future while learning fundamentals,” says Ashli Coggins, Marketing and Sponsorships Manager. “Jake and Rufus are role models who exemplify the importance of feeding into the community that feeds into you. Their visit is now etched into the minds of these kids forever and shows that we’re one big family.”
Training camp for MSU football started on August 4th. The big home opener against the University of Memphis will be on Saturday, September 3, which also marks the season kickoff event First Saturday in StarkVegas.