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'Team' effort of alumni, dozens of donors behind major upgrades to Muskegon athletic facilities

“Everybody was so dedicated and just jumped in. We use the old saying, we're Big Reds forever.”

MUSKEGON, Mich. — Spearheaded by a group of dozens of donors, many of whom being district alumni, a number of the athletic facilities at Muskegon High School recently underwent a series of upgrades.

Among them, the school’s new fitness facility, which, as of September, includes a suite of fully upgraded equipment, a fresh paint job and ergonomic flooring and of course, an inset block ‘M’ features prominently.

The name of the effort behind it, appropriately, is the ‘Support the Tradition’ campaign.

Over the course of a year, the fundraiser generated the roughly $200,000 required to bring the project to completion.

Renovations included the Hackley Stadium locker rooms, now dominated by banks of bright red collegiate-style double lockers—complete with LED-lighting and upgraded flooring.

Alumni performed much of the work, in addition to providing significant financial support.

The response, project organizers said, proved overwhelming.

“I just can't believe we really could accomplish all that,” Dr. Allan Mell, the team chiropractor and a member of the campaign. “Everybody was so dedicated and just jumped in. We use the old saying: we're Big Reds forever.”

“Both of us played football here,” John Usmial, the group’s chairman explained, indicating Mell. “It was an important part of our lives when we grew up and we feel really good that we were able to do this and give something back to Muskegon High School for the next generation.”

The modernization, Athletic Director Keith Guy noted, promised to give student athletes an edge behind-the-scenes and in front of game-day crowds.

The alumni behind the effort gave the project a special significance, he said.

“We're just excited. The kids are excited,” Guy relayed. “It was great to see their faces for the first time walking in this weight room… and it's done by people who played here, people who graduated here and people who were them some years ago.”

A plaque in the hallway beyond the weight room features the names of those who pitched-in and at Hackley Stadium, and a message scrawled upon the dry-erase board reads ‘thank you, donors.’  

    

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