News

By Ryan Schlehuber, MCC Sportswriter

When Jordan Dompreh arrived on Montcalm Community College’s campus last year, everything was unfamiliar to her — the school, the small town, the people and even her new teammates.  

While practices, games and classes have pulled her closer to campus life, it has been the team’s community service opportunities that have helped her become much more comfortable and familiar with her surroundings off-campus. The interaction with community service, said the 18-year-old Flint sophomore, has helped her adjust to small-town life in Montcalm County. 

“Coming from a bigger town, I was used to a different lifestyle. As a black woman coming to a white area, that was a big change for me,” Dompreh said. “At first, I thought it was really different, but the more I got to know the area and the people and experience more things here, I learned we’re not as different as we seem.” 

Starting this year, student-athletes are required to earn at least 10 hours of community service within the local area, from volunteering for fundraisers, reading books for elementary students to cleaning the landscape at a museum, the Centurions have been active throughout Montcalm County. 

“We want our athletic programs to give back because the community has been so important and helpful in everything we do, such as coming to games, assisting in our fundraisers and simply supporting our programs and athletes,” MCC Athletic Director Hunter Redman said. “It’s the least we can do to support the different businesses, organizations and people in Montcalm County.” 

Redman said the goal this academic year is to rack up 900 combined volunteer hours.  

“It’s a requirement, but we don’t like to think of it that way,” Dompreh said. “I like to think we are just helping the community that supports us. The local communities and people around us are all they have, so if we put out that energy, it will be reciprocated.” 

Dompreh said the few events and opportunities she’s had to interact with the local people — fans of Centurions sports included — has been a wonderful way to adjust and familiarize herself with the area. 

Kara Youngs, entering her third year as Centurions volleyball coach, had already pushed her players to get involved in the community last year, making it an important point to connect with their surrounding communities and make themselves more known. 

“For me, it’s always a thing to make sure we do,” she said. “My goal for my team is to exceed that minimum requirement.” 

Youngs’ team has already volunteered at the Ionia movie theater for the movie “A Minecraft Movie,” at the MCC golf outing, Gus Macker in Lakeview, and, most recently, players volunteered for a race in Belmont. Youngs plans to have her players participate in Stanton’s Old Fashioned Days events next month, as well, helping with the mud volleyball event, for example. 

“Last year, the most memorable event we volunteered in was the mud volleyball,” Dompreh said. “It was a lot of fun watching people enjoy the game we love so much. I loved that we could assist and make that possible, and I loved seeing our coach in it, too.” 

Cedars Springs 19-year-old sophomore Briley Andres, who is also part of the volleyball team but, like Dompreh, has also played in other MCC sports as a fill-in player, said the community service program not only allows student-athletes to interact with community members, but it has also strengthened the team’s bond. 

“Community service itself is a powerful tool for student-athletes because it strengthens team bonding outside the game and teaches leadership,” Andres said. “It’s also a way of giving back to the people who show up for our games and sponsor us. If we can help them, this is the best way to do it.” 

Nate Van Holten, one of MCC’s newest coaches on campus, heading the Centurions cross country team, loves the idea of the required community service hours because it motivates his players to immerse in their surroundings outside of campus, which sometimes becomes their own little world. 

So far, Van Holten said his student-athletes have responded well. 

“Motivating them is better than I thought,” Van Holten laughed. “I’m probably more on the pessimist side, I had my doubts, but, so far, it’s been pretty positive. There have been times where you need to get them thinking a little differently, but, so far, it’s been pretty positive.  

“I love hearing my players talk about individual goals they have without me saying it first, so it means we’re on a similar page,” he added. 

According to Redman, the MCC athletics department is open to volunteering throughout the local counties, as long as he and his department are notified ahead of time.  

“We got a lot of people that send requests to us and Hunter relays them out, but some of our athletes come up with things on their own, too, which really shows their motivation in getting involved with the communities here,” said Scott Pedigo, head coach of the Centurions women’s basketball team. “That is, to many adults, surprising because sometimes the kids get the stigma that they don’t do anything but play on their phones nowadays, but they want to do things. They show up, and ones that don’t are actually working. They like it because it’s more bonding time together and they enjoy being around each other.” 

To request volunteer help from the MCC athletics department, email athletics@montcalm.edu or call 989-328-1095.