Football Program Holds Event with McKenna Center

On Saturday, August 5, Gonzaga’s football program held a joint event with the McKenna Center around the theme of perseverance. “The hope was that all involved in the activity could find inspiration to navigate their personal journey while recognizing the common ground we walk upon,” says Head Football Coach Randy Trivers.

During the event—which included a wonderful lunch prepared by parents—Coach Trivers spoke about perseverance as an important characteristic of the team. Cortez McDaniel, the Director of Men’s Programs and Services at the McKenna Center, then talked about how the concept of perseverance relates to and resonates with the men from the McKenna Center.

Small group discussions followed—each group included eight student-athletes, two assistant coaches, and two guests of the McKenna Center.

Dr. Kim Cox, President of the McKenna Center, says the men appreciated how open the boys were. One McKenna Center guest told her it felt good to be able to tell his stories and share some of his mistakes, to encourage the young men to make better choices than he had made. One man said, “I told the boys that no matter how black everything may look, there is always a better way to respond.”

After the group discussions, the team went out to practice on Buchanan Field, where guests of the McKenna Center joined them to watch.