The Coast has tons of activities for those who are sports-minded.
From recreational fishing and hunting to youth sports to weekend tournaments of all stripes, there's almost always something to do if you like sports.
We have a long outdoors season where folks can play softball, volleyball, rugby, football, baseball and any other kind of sports that can be played outside.
We also have venues that will allow us to enjoy basketball, soccer and softball in a tournament format that invites visitors to our area.
So it's no wonder some Coast residents - with a vision of what we could be - formed the Mississippi Gulf Coast Sports Commission in May.
Their mission is to establish the Coast as a major sports destination and to market the area as such for maximum economic impact. Its initiatives are tourism, quality of life and economic development.
Scott Ratcliff is the executive director. I first met Scott when he was running the Nike (later Buy.com) Tour. The tournament was a satellite tour of the PGA, with some future Tour players enjoying the Coast and playing a tournament here - and the Golf Channel televised the event and brought the Coast to a national audience of golfers.
The Sports Commission will do some of the same things the Nike Tour did for the Coast - but in a diversified format. The advisory board of 23 members will speak for the Coast. But it is the people of the Gulf Coast who will make it go.
Ratcliff points to people on the board such as Anthony Topazi, CEO of Mississippi Power, who has seen firsthand the impact a sports commission can have on a city like Birmingham. But public participation also is imperative.
"The Sports Commission will be commissioned by the people of the Gulf Coast," Ratcliff said. "We will have an advisory board with the different committees that will make up the structure of the organization. And our general membership will have input into steering the efforts for the Gulf Coast."
The general membership is composed of all of us. The commission is modeled after those among the most successful in the country, like St. Louis and Birmingham, Ratcliff said.
And it already is working for the Coast. On Nov. 4, Dave Williams, tournament director for AVP Pro Beach Volleyball, will be here for a site visit with an eye toward bringing an event here in the future.
"The bottom line is that the image of the area is boosted by live events on the Mississippi Gulf Coast," Ratcliff said. "If we can band the Gulf Coast region together, we can bring in a sporting event that will enhance the quality of life here."
And even in these uncertain economic times, Ratcliff is sure the commission can be an economic engine for the Coast.
"Recreation is a $215 billion industry," he said. "Even with a 20 percent decline, that's still $160 billion spent on sports. The goal is to go out and position ourselves to bring in major events to the Coast."
It's a good idea already in motion. If you want to know more about the Mississippi Gulf Coast Sports Commission, visit its Web site at msgcsc.org.
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