McCracken Extols Benefits of Athletics

Using his own path in sports as an illustration, Director of Athletics Thad McCracken shared his philosophy during a chapel presentation on August 21. 

“Through athletics, coaches teach so many valuable life lessons, lessons that help you be the best version of yourself,” he said.
Participation in sports helps students develop teamwork, physical strength, physical toughness, and perseverance, he said, but the most important factor is mental toughness, a characteristic that is useful in all areas of life.

In his own athletic career, he did not let serious injuries and recruiter criticism (he was “too short”) dissuade him from pursuing basketball after high school. He proved the naysayers wrong: As a student at Hanover College, he was named National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Second Team All-American and Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Player of the Year, both in 2004. He played in the 2003 and 2004 NCAA Tournaments, reaching the Sweet Sixteen. The 2004 team reached a No. 2 ranking, the highest in school history.

He went on to coach basketball and serve as assistant athletic director at Hendrix College. He was named 2020 Southern Athletic Association Coach of the Year, and his 2015 team was SAA Tournament champion and qualified for the 2015 NCAA Tournament.

Saying he is here at MUS to support the boys, he encouraged them to come by his office or make an appointment if they needed help with anything – building their confidence, juggling more than one sport, college recruitment.

He also encouraged sportsmanship on and off the field: “We compete hard but represent the Red and Blue in everything we do.”
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