Gulfport, MISS (PHOTO GALLERY) – The Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) held its second annual Summer Athletics Conference on July 21 at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College's Hospitality Resort Management Center on its Harrison County Campus. The event was sponsored by Hattiesburg Clinic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, Commerce Payments, Blue Hen and Hudl.

Presented annually by the league office, the MACCC Summer Athletics Conference serves both as a professional development event for coaches, athletic directors and support staff at the MACCC's member schools, as well as a forum for conference updates and sport and auxiliary committee meetings. 

"It was an honor to host the MACCC Summer Athletics Conference at the Hospitality Resort Management Center on Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College's Harrison Country Campus in July," said MGCCC President Dr. Mary Graham. "The conference plays an important role in preparing coaches, support personnel and administrators at our state's community colleges for the upcoming athletic season. The conference provided an outstanding experience for our coaching staff and administrators to play a key role in the event and allowed us to support the MACCC as the premiere athletic conference in the nation." 

The conference was keynoted by Dr. L. Lavon Gray, an award-winning author, organizational conflict specialist, professor, and NCAA football official. Gray holds a doctoral degree with a specialization in administration and an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise, as well as certificates in Mediation from Northwestern University, Conflict Resolution from Cornell University, and Leadership from Harvard University. Gray has written five books, including Never Wrestle with Pigs: A Survival Guide for Dealing with Difficult Personalities.

Student-athlete mental and physical well-being was a central theme of this year's conference, with Hattiesburg Clinic Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine leading sessions on Strength & Conditioning, Post-COVID Mental Health. Wearable Technology and Nutrition. The Mississippi Department of Mental Health presented on Managing Stress & Burnout, Athlete Anxiety and Athletic Performance.

MACCC Commissioner Steve Martin with representatives from Commerce Payments and Hattiesburg Clinic, both sponsors of the MACCC Summer Conference.

"The overall well-being of our athletes is our top consideration, especially considering the tumult of the past two years, said MACCC Commissioner Steve Martin. "We wanted to ensure that we were giving our full attention to making sure we facilitate that conversation for our member schools."

In addition to performance and mental health-related topics, the summer conference also offered an orientation session for the conference's first- and second-year coaches, facilitated by former Itawamba Community College Athletic Director Carrie Ball-Williamson and Dr. Angela Payne, Assistant Executive Director for Institution Research and Effectiveness for the Mississippi Community college Board. 

Ball-Williamson was later awarded a plaque of appreciation by Commissioner Martin for her 29 years of service to the conference. 

Athletic directors took part in a half-day intensive on strategic planning, departmental management, Title IX and staff accountability. Dr. Lynnette Johnson, who serves as deputy athletic director for sports and administration at The University of Mississippi led the intensive. Johnson serves as the sport administrator for none programs at Ole Miss.

About the MACCC

The Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC)  is one of the premier community college conferences in the country and ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of alumni on professional sports teams. 

Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer and tennis.  

Women's competition is offered in the sports of basketball, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball. 

Follow the MACCC

For complete coverage of the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference, please follow the MACCC on social media at @MACCCAthletics (Twitter), @MACCCAthletics (Facebook), and @MACCCAthletics (Instagram) or visit the official website,  www.MACCCAthletics.com.