By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The Barton Community College Men's basketball team continues to earn recognition for winning the first basketball national championship in school history. Tuesday morning, the victory parade made a stop in the Barton County Commission chambers for a proclamation to recognize Barton Community College Men's Basketball Day. Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs credited the Cougar coaching staff for providing the leadership to shape young men beyond the basketball court.
"I'm just as proud of these young men off the floor as what they have accomplished on the floor," he said. "They've done as much or more community service than any other team or program within our department in the communities we serve. It's kind of fitting to talk about that at a commission meeting and all of Barton County."
READ MORE: Cougar basketball team makes big impression at Special Olympics tourney
Jeremy Coombs was hired as head coach three years ago. He is also starting to realize the local impact of having a national championship team.
"Just the other day, I saw two kids out playing basketball with their Barton County basketball shirts on with signatures on the back," he said. "I told (my team), what do you think they were doing? My thought as I drove by and saw them, they were trying to be Cooper Jackson, or they were trying to be Mozae Downing, or Lajae Jones. They were just out there playing together. I think the impact they've done has just been tremendous to this community. It almost brought tears to my eyes just seeing those kids out there playing."
The Cougar Booster Club, in conjunction with the Best Western Angus Inn in Great Bend, will host a community celebration for the team on Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. Players and coaches will be on hand for photographs and autographs, and light refreshments will be served.